I finished it! It’s big – as big as my desk would allow and it’s for the exhibition at The Calder Gallery when it fully restored and dried out following the floods.
This is a very warm picture because the back of the Bridge Lanes houses are always bathed in sunlight.
I will be uploading more of the new work soon, and will post the dates for the exhibition as soon as I know.
I found that I was often being asked, so I decided to produce this range of 5, blank greetings cards:
I’m really please with how they turned out! You can currently buy them from Radiance in Hebden Bridge, and at Dean Clough Design Shop, Halifax. You can also buy them from here – just email me! I will be setting up a shop, but I keep getting distracted by painting and other such treasures.
Following the spectaularly damp weekend in Hebden Bridge I thought I would post this painting. It is a commission I have just completed for some people who live above Midgely. And the sketches I took were on a beautifully sunny day. Remember those?
It’s a big one! Now I need to get it across to Knight Graphics for printing and proofing.
Yesterday was my birthday and Hattie did me this wonderful card. It’s me, in my studio, complete with child peering around the door.
I am taking part in Hebden Bridge Open Studios this year, on the 6th, 7th and 8th of July. I am going to turn a room downstairs into a gallery (with lots of lanterns in the hearth), and tidy the studio upstairs for anyone who wants to see it. It’s rather chaotic at the moment! I am venue 67. It’s marked wrong on the map in the Open Studios bruchure, and is actually very close to the town centre – just a couple of doors away from the Snug gallery (which is full of beautiful things).
Dean Clough, Halifax, now have my lanterns on sale in their Design Shop. And my framed prints now cover the walls of Their Viaduct Cafe!
I am so late with this!
The Saltaire Arts Trail weekend was so busy. Thank you to everyone who came by and said hello. When that was all over I went straight into my next project. I will come to that…
My lanterns, on their first weekend out, went down very well at 19 Titus Street, even though the lovely house in which I exhibited lacked a dark and dingy corner to show them at their best. My very clever friend Sarah Mason took some of these photos – the best ones are hers!
I didn’t get much chance to wander around the other houses. I did manage to look at George Street where Hannah Nunn was selling her beautiful lamps. I also found the work of Helen Hallows. Like me, she’s a textile designer turned artist and she too uses a lot of stitching and pattern in her work. Do have a look. It’s lovely work. 
Daniel bought the children over one afternoon and they had a ball! I love this photo. This was Daisy’s first ever go and painting. I still have to wash her coat. My knees were also enhanced with poster paint.
Tomorrow, early, I am heading to Saltaire to set up my display. My lanterns – my first sample run of them – are all ready.
I’ve spent this evening making paper bunting for part of the display…
I’ve been a busy girl, and there’s lots of work on display. I hope to get some visitors! I am at 19 Titus Street which is open 10am til 5pm, May 5th, 6th, 7th. I will be there tomorrow morning, and all day Monday if anyone wants to come and say hello!
Technical issues held up the laser cutting of my last lantern design today so I had whole day of painting. Something I haven’t had for weeks and weeks! I’m well on track for the Saltaire Arts Trail and have a big pile of prints all gilded and wrapped.
I am painting a large piece at the moment. It takes up the whole desk and this is just one end of it. It’s a commission for some nice (and very patient) people near Midgely.
I painted while listening to After Henry from the Radio 4 archive. It’s felt like quite a decadent day!
I’m about to take this new painting to the framers, ready for The Saltaire Arts Trail. It’s a bit smaller than usual. I’ve been experimenting with text!
Only two seeks to go! I’ve also just finished gilding the range of prints I’m exhibiting there. I’m getting a few framed up this time.
I am hoping to cut the last of the lantern designs on Monday. Then they will be packaged up ready to sell for the first time in Saltaire. I can’t wait to be able to post some photos of all of them finished.
I’m very excited about this years Saltaire Arts trail. I’m exhibiting at 19 Titus Street with the photographer Martin Priestley. It is just over a month away, over the first May bank holiday weekend:
I’m going to be allowed out – CHILD FREE! – for some of it to help with the exhibition. I’ve been preparing a range of prints to show and hopefully two original pieces. Having found a man that can (at last) I am pressing ahead with my little lanterns and am very hopeful to have them available for the first time that weekend. Here’s the latest progress:
The laser can cut so fine that there are bunting flags hanging from a hairs breadth of paper!
