For Christmas this year my Dad bought me a beautiful book of Eric Ravillious Wood Engravings… Dad and I are both huge Ravillious fans, but the book of little engravings were a revelation. Above are my favourite three: I love the tiny, styalised perfection of them! I’ve long wanted to get back to some kind of proper, formal print making. As a textile deigner I did all sorts of silk screen and block printing at college – I loved it all. But once you set up on your own, print making can be quite a tricky thing to access, so…

My new exhibition ‘Whispering Ruins’ is opening this coming Saturday, June 18th 2022 at Chantry House Gallery in Ripley. I’ve painted 10 new pieces, all inspired by North Yorkshire abbeys. I took these two lovely girls (my daughter and her friend) to York for the day in May. I sat and drew in the Museum Gardens while they explored the shops, and then we met up for cake! Not bad for a day technically ‘at work’ was it? I think this (above) might be my favourite of the new paintings. They were cutting the grass when I was drawing, so…

I’ve not posted for ages! It’s not good enough – I’m sorry. I’ve been working, just not blogging, and now I’ve an exhibition coming up. It opens on Saturday June 18th! Back in the Autumn I escaped in Daphne (Daphne is my yellow Fiat 500. It’s impossible not to be happy when driving her) for a couple of drawing days in North Yorkshire. My friend Emma, owner of Chantry House Gallery suggested ages ago (in the first lock down I think) that she’d love me to have an exhibition of North Yorkshire Abbeys. So I had a route and a…

I am auctioning this painting of Shibden Hall on Sunday, with all proceeds going to the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee – Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal). I know that many artists have been selling their work, much of it on the sunflower theme. I finished this earlier this month and realised it was in the Ukrainian colours. It’s a tenuous link, but I’m sticking to it! Like everyone else, I’m desperate to do something to help. Evening at Shibden This little painting is called ‘Evening at Shibden’. In inks, acrylics, watercolour, gouache, gold thread and gold leaf. There’s a great deal of…

Thank you so much to everyone who came along on Saturday September 25th to Bankfield Museum. It was such a lovely day. I am incredibly grateful to the to the staff at the Museum, and they must be grateful that I wasn’t the one wielding the drill to equally space and hang 42 framed pieces, no two the same size! It took a couple of days to hang in the end, but it’s a stunning setting, and I still can’t believe I filled that huge space. Thank you very much to Richard McFarlane, the Mayor of Calderdale Chris Pillai and…

My exhibition at Bankfield Museum opens in a few weeks time. I’ve been working on new landscapes this summer, inspired by long anticipated day trips out of the valley! We went to Malham Cove… Malham Cove – 87 x 106cm (framed) To the bookshop at Saltaire, and then the park with a picnic. Saltaire – 106 x 87 (framed) For Afternoon Tea at Betty’s in Ilkley on my birthday. But we had to earn it first with a walk on Ilkley Moor. Baht’at – 85 x 85cm (framed) I live near some very beautiful places. There have been many a…

Tidying has begun in earnest. Hebden Bridge Open Studios is back! And I shall be opening from 11am – 5pm on July 9th, 10th and 11th. 88 artists are opening their studios to show you where they work and what they create! We so missed this last year – It’s great to be able to do it again. Have a look and see who’s open at the weekend. The website has lots of links and images now, so you can plan your own trail. We had a delivery this week, from Henry Ling… The company was recommended by a friend…

I’ve been very quiet for a while – sorry about that. Now that the children are back at school I have a little more time and have been making the most of it. The Nightingale Project, which I started a year ago, has gained momentum in recent weeks. Many of the paintings were just scribbles and notes, and had to be left while i concentrated on the paintings for Toffee Town, and then Christmas orders. And then, well, home schooling slowed production too. Though my Maths has improved! Anyway – as the paintings have been coming together, I’ve made a…

Happy New Year everyone! I just wanted to write a little, positive post, to let you know how things stand in the studio at the moment. When i locked the studio door at the beginning of the school holidays, I was on a mission to make the very best of this Christmas. My family is large and sociable, and quite spread out, so we always have an epic family get together where the cousins run as a pack, and every meal is a feast, planned right down to the last mince pie. This year I decided that we would make…

This morning I unwrapped all the Toffee Town paintings and spread them around the studio. I’m very excited that this exhibition is going to launch at last. Obviously somewhat apprehensive that the plug could be pulled between now and Saturday! I really hope not. They are here and framed. The prints are done. The cards are on their way. NEVER have I been so prepared for an exhibition. Honestly – it’s a little unnerving… I’ve had a couple of viewings today in my studio, and on Thursday they’ll be off to hang in The Yorkshire Gallery. Halifax Town HallInks, gouache,…