Everything is being delivered to Chantry House Gallery in Ripley tomorrow, ready for the exhibition opening at 10am on Saturday. This is the last thing I finished: It was on my ‘would love to’ list, rather than my ‘must do’ list, so I saved it til last. I love doing these old printer’s trays. This one came from the US – it’s an American tray lay out. The spaces were large enough to think about a whole, small picture and the theme was trees. I do love to paint trees… I start off with large sheets of stretched watercolour paper…

Opening on May 18th at 10am, my new exhibition at Chantry House Gallery in Ripley. This collection of new paintings seem to track my family holidays and days out this last year! I painted these little greennhouses first, from The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall. We were there in the summer holidays. I had an idea that the title for the exhibition should be ‘Gardens’. But then I went to Northumberland in Autumn Half term and got distracted by castles and beaches, and that incredible Northumbrian light. And then, while Daddy was away I took the children for a…

I don’t tend to do many commissions these days, and I tend to politely decline when people ask. It’s not that I don’t enjoy them, I’ve just too many ideas of my own for my little head to process most of the time. But this one was a bit special… I’ve always love printer’s trays. When I was little, my Mum had an amazing shop in Eye (Suffolk) called ‘Talents’. It sold crafts and pictures, and one half was full of second hand treasures. She called it a junk shop at the time, but now it would be classed as…

Not a very inspiring title? Here’s the thing… Hebden Bridge is an awesome little town. But like all little towns it’s fighting its battles. There’s the traffic (flood prevention works continue to strangle us). There’s the parking. There’s the rail strikes. Like all small towns – actually even big cities – the high street is struggling to compete with the internet. Folks venture into the shops to try clothes or shoes on, or look at a book, and then walk away and order it cheaper online. It’s not just my local bookshop The Bookcase, but even in a big Waterstones;…

My passion for beautiful books come from my Dad. He read to me every night until I was about 14 I think – though I’m sure I kept quiet about it at school! Even when I’d finished being read to, I’d listen to my little sister’s stories. Her tastes were different; one of her favourites was ‘Minow on the Say’ – Phillipa Pearce. And the Little House books. I was more for Tolkein and Alan Garner. We both loved Moonfleet and Sherlock Holemes. I love reading to my children, and Becky loves to read to hers. Hattie and I read…

I’m preparing for Art in the Pen next weekend! I just finished this large painting of Bolton Abbey, and It’s coming with me… “Downstream” Inks, acrylic, gouache, pastel, coloured pencil, gold leaf and gold thread. Image size: 116 x 55cm (painted image size) £5495 For sale at Art in the Pen. Please email me for details. And there’s also this little one of Staithes Beach: “No Dogs on the Beach” Inks, acrylic, gouache, coloured pencil, gold leaf and gold thread. Image size: 36 x 26cm (painted image size) £2950 “Peacock Moon” Collage, inks, gouache, acrylics, gold leaf and gold thread….

I’m tidying up! Ready to open the doors on my little studio on Friday July 6th. Please come along and say hello. I have many new things to show you! Lanterns, cards, note books and NEW Calendars! So new I don’t have them yet. But I have seen a proof, and I’ve been promised they’ll be here by opening time of Friday (they do look nice. I’m very pleased). There will be framed  and unframed prints (this one above is ‘Friday Morning’, from my recent Craggs & Fells’ exhibition at Heart Gallery.  There will also be some new original pieces,…

Such a lovely evening last Thursday, for the preview of Craggs & Fells at Heart Gallery. Sunshine was promised, but never materialised. Which makes it all the more amazing that this lovely and determined lady pitched up at lunchtime to bag her place at the front of the queue. The Heart Gallery Dream Team were ready with the warm welcome and the Prosecco…. Ready for action Mandy and Bart? Others seemed to be a little camera shy on Thursday! Cold outside. Warm and colourful inside. I have to introduce you to my own dream team: My Studio Fairy Nancyann (who…

So, this is what we’re hanging tomorrow, ready for Thursday’s preview at Heart Gallery: I hope you like them… All my pictures are done on watercolour paper in a combination of inks, acrylics, gouache, watercolours, gold thread, 23 carat gold leaf, coloured pencil and sometimes some pastel too, for good measure.  Really I like to use beautiful colours, in whatever pot, tube, bottle or stick they happen to come in!   Break in the Clouds Framed Size:106 x 87cm  –  £ SOLD The Piece Hall Framed Size:106 x 87cm  –  £ SOLD Late Summer Framed Size:87 x 106cm  –  £…

It really is – only a week to go. Last night I had my first anxiety dream. Heart Gallery had put my work in the basement, 3 floors below, and the lights weren’t working. I’d forgotten to get changed. Someone gave me a baby to carry that was screaming and in need of a change. I had one a few years ago where, upon going to to the framers to collect my work, found that he’d mounted them all on black sugar-paper, like in GCSE Art… Anyway – lighting, basement steps and screaming babies allowing, Craggs & Fells is a…