Can I start with something sad and get it off my chest?

Part and parcel of living in the countryside…

Where I live, it’s pretty much bird paradise. Well, as much as it can be in these days of threatened wild life and dwindling bird numbers. So it haunts me that I killed one of their number. A beautiful bird of prey. I can hardly bring myself to write about it.

The lanes around me are almost all single lane traffic with high hedges to either side, so I always drive slowly. And especially at this time of year, as pheasants and partridges, for some reason known only to themselves, love nothing more than to strut around in the middle of the road, playing dare-devil with the cars that come along, rather than seeking the relative safety of the fields that surround us.

Last week, as I was driving down the very narrow lane near my house, a hawk, obviously startled from its pursuit of devouring its latest kill by my approach, flew straight into the side of my car. I didn’t even see it, and I didn’t have time to slam on the brake, but I heard the bang. I felt sick.
Even driving at 20 miles per hour, that bird was no match for the hard metal and wheels. They stopped his flight dead. I pulled over and picked him up, beautiful but lifeless, and placed him gently by the side of the hedge. Then I got back in my car and cried on my journey for that beautiful bird.

I don’t know what this all has to do with art, but I needed to unload. And somewhere along my next painting, I’m sure that sadness will be revealed.
(Image from Pixabay)

But there is beauty and privilege in living where I live, and I do feel lucky to have the fields, the woods, the lanes all around me. They are a constant source of pleasure and inspiration. 

In fact, I have just come back from a few days of painting in Derbyshire (about an hour away from my house) at the wonderful Bullclough Art School. The landscape there is pretty similar to ours. Soft rolling hills and woodlands, fields and hedges.

It was a ‘painting landscapes in oils’ workshop with @Tom Voyce – winner of Landscape Artist Of The Year 2017.

The workshop, with 8 people was great fun and Tom is an excellent, patient and knowledgeable teacher. I’m not proficient in oils, but it was a great start for me to see if I could get on with them. I liked some things… didn’t like others. I love the creamy paint and how manoeuvrable it is, but was irritated by the time it took to dry enough to paint over without creating mud. I’m just so used to acrylics and it took a while to get over the waiting times.
Below are a few of the stages we went through, starting with:

Stage 1 and 2

1. Covered our boards in Naples yellow.

2. Outlined our paintings in red

Stages 3, 4 and 5…

We then added in the darkest darks, followed by the mid tones… and finally, on the third day, we were ready for the lightest tones. Here is a selection of images from the week.

In other news

I told you last month that September was a busy month for me. It was made more stressful by the fact that I had completely forgotten I’d put my name down for a solo show at the Stamford Arts Centre Anteroom in November!

It was a case of ‘make do’ with whatever art I had available, though I did manage to pull a mini series of new still life paintings out of the bag in just under 2 weeks. I guess I work OK under pressure (must be all those years of ultra-tight deadlines in my previous life).
This show runs until 30th November – so if you can make it, I’d love to see you.

So what’s next?

I’m hoping for a prolonged period of TLC.
I fancy gathering myself up under cosy blankets with roaring fires and steaming cups of hot chocolate for the foreseeable.

In reality, it’s only going to be a couple of weeks before I will be rushing around getting the house ready for the onslaught of Christmas guests. Planning food, presents, and getting out the decorations.

I will let you know how the show went in my Christmas newsletter.

Til then, I’ll be driving very slowly!

Love

Shani xx

Phew… September has been hard work!

My first taste of NROS Open Studios

Northants & Rutland Open Studios is a vast and exciting yearly affair for its exhibiting members and the public to enjoy.

This year is my first time exhibiting with them, and I reckon I got a bit carried away. Instead of doing the sensible thing and giving one or two venues a try, I signed up for four venues in four different locations! That’s four hanging sessions, four lots of stewarding, four lots of social media… and eventually, four dismantling sessions. (Well! Many of you know me by now, so maybe that does not come as such a surprise … but more on that later).

As I write this, I am reflecting on how taxing this whole thing has been for me. Not just physically exhausting, but mentally too.

I still get the same nervous anxiety before a show. The same suspicion that my work is not quite good enough. The quality of the work exhibited in the Open is incredible, so there’s a fair amount of compare and despair goes on inside – much as I try to fight it. Sometimes I think people are just being kind allowing me to participate at all 😂.

Once I got into the swing of things, I tried to relax a bit. Telling myself, "it doesn't matter if you don't sell any work. You've had fun making it and that is the most important part". And it IS important. But then, let's not kid ourselves, we all want to sell really, don't we? That's where we get the buzz... the 'applause'. The validation – whether you like to admit it or not.

So, I dived into the process, and the process took over my life!
NROS kicks off at the ‘Central Hub’ of Lamport Hall in Northants every September.
The Hall boasts an impressive array of stable buildings and barns around an ancient cobbled courtyard that is transformed with the skill and dedication of NROS Director Katie Boyce (and her team of volunteers) into a stunningly curated art gallery, displaying the work of 300+ artists.

We’re talking over 600 pieces of artwork, sculpture, ceramics, embroidery, textiles, artisan-made furniture and more. No mean feat since there is no ‘theme’ and the work is so diverse. I have 2 pieces in here.

The Central Hub forms the starting point of a journey that enables art enthusiasts, collectors and gallery owners to plan their individual art trail – by noting which artists they love, and the art that fires them up so that they can then cherry-pick the artists they want to visit later at their studios and pop-ups. It was lovely to get some positive feedback from other artists in there. And indeed, my painting  'The Picnic' sold in the first week. 

OK it’s obligatory…

The photo in front of your art.
Has to be done, LOL.

I entered 2 still life paintings for the Central Hub, “The Picnic” sold pretty quickly. This one, “Jolly Jug in Striped Pyjamas” is still available.

A few action shots from the 4 locations…

including en plein air painting workshops and cakes I made for the opening at Buckminster, lots and lots of installing at Stamford and Oakham, the Deputy Mayor opening – and best of all, a wonderful visit from my friend Wendy who came all the way from London for the day!

That moment when you
know you’ve taken on
too much!

Victoria Hall in Oakham was perfect venue for my new ‘The Collector’ series of still life paintings – but boy was it hard to manage!
With just a week to go before we opened, I was informed that there would be no staff available to help man the building as previously promised. Nightmare!

I made a flip book for those that couldn’t make it to the show,
click on this link:
https://heyzine.com/flip-book/bfdf99a669.html

Use password SWJ_Still-life-series_2024

…and catching up with
other artists at
Stamford Arts
Centre

A fabulous big bright gallery where I decided to show my new “Fresh From the Garden” floral paintings. This is my favourite series… but I have yet to sell a single piece from here 😩 which doesn’t help with those blues I was talking about earlier.

So what’s next?

I’m hoping for a long period of reflection and a gathering of spirits through play in my studio – in preparation for a 3 artist still life exhibition I have been asked to do next March at a lovely gallery (OMG how nervous that is making me).

Through Nick Wilton’s CVP I am trying to get to grips with sketch-booking, though I can’t say it comes naturally to me yet. I really have to make an effort, and I’m not sure that’s how it should feel? When I’m feeling creative I’m more likely to turn to bigger pieces of paper – these feel more like me.
I still love to paint on top of a brush wipe-off page. Most of my finished paintings start on a messy background. So I have to start playing with ideas for how I want to develop the new still life series!

On reflection…

I took on too much. But it has served a valuable lesson. I need to really figure out where I want to devote my time. So I have planned another little art retreat – just 3 days away in a gorgeous Derbyshire studio. I’ll let you know how that goes in my next newsletter.

If you’ve enjoyed this read, or have any questions, do let me know 😊.

‘Til next time… lots of love,

Shani x

Best gift ever!

My first professional photography shoot

My big ‘0’ birthday celebrations didn’t end with the art retreat in Italy.
I came back to a wonderful surprise gift of a professional photo shoot for my studio with photographer, Ruth Clements, courtesy of our kind and thoughtful daughters. I can only think they must have been so fed up with me begging them to come over and help me take photos.

Way better than my selfies!

I don’t know about you, but I delete almost every selfie I ever take as I always look a dork, so I was pleased to get some half decent shots of me in my studio, complete with paint splashes!

Painting in the garden

Ruth arrived at 9.30am sharp and set to work getting me busy painting so that she could catch some action shots. That included a session in the garden ‘en plein air’.

I was so happy, just messing about, and yet the result is one of my new favourite paintings!

Of course there were plenty of brush shots…

Believe it or not, I had tried to tidy up my studio and clean all my brushes before the shoot, but I guess an artist can never hope to keep them looking too pristine.

… and action shots!

There were lots of action shots of me having a ball splashing paint around. This was indigo ink on a cradled panel that I’d first layered with Golden’s Crackle Ground. It created a beautiful textured surface, and when I sprayed the ink with water, the crackles leaped into life with zillions of tiny blue lines – amazing!

Forgive the messy hair do – I was having too much fun to care 😂

Can’t leave out the mucky apron shot can we?

This is actually as clean as it gets… the grunge is so old on there, it’ll never wash out! But I love my apron just as it is – all splattered with paint. I can feel the artist in me stir into action as soon as I put it on!

Do you have the same feeling I wonder?

…and I’m into the ‘scribbling in
my journal’ shots

OMG! What rubbish you draw when you know someone is taking a picture over your shoulder 😂😂😂.

One of the nicest things about a professional shoot is that you can hopefully get some great shots of your work on the wall.

Unfortunately, my studio doesn’t have the kind of gallery wall space that allows for this, so we opted for showing a few on the floor – here’s one I’m framing. It’s an abstract floral/still life called “This pot ain’t big enough for the both of us”. I’ve entered it into a curated show, but haven’t heard yet whether it made it in – fingers crossed eh?

Talk about getting inspired!

Remember back at the beginning, that super-quick little painting I did in the garden? I loved it so much that it inspired me to go BIG!

I couldn’t wait to get back into my studio and start on the 80 x 80 cradled panel that had been sat there, waiting for a light bulb moment.

Who’d have guessed that the humble wallflowers that grow wild all over my garden would one day be featured on a big old canvas?

Thank you Ruth for making me do that!

Reflections…

I enjoyed every moment of my photo shoot. I was relaxed and confident that Ruth would capture some of what I wanted to show.

My studio is small and a tad funky in layout, with no straight walls, yet it’s my space, my happy place. I love being there and creating and I hope you could see a little of that in the few images I’ve shared.

If you’ve enjoyed this read, I’d love you to share with your arty friends – feel free to forward it on (and do let me know 😊).

‘Til next time… lots of love

Shani x

The Italian Job!

Creativity, culture & cameraderie! 

Five go on an art adventure!

My big birthday bash in Bassano del Grappa

A big ‘0’ birthday is a milestone worthy of a grand celebration, and what better way to mark this occasion than with an art retreat in the enchanting landscapes of Italy?

Last month, I had the pleasure of immersing myself in a week-long artistic adventure that not only invigorated my creativity but also allowed me to experience the rich cultural tapestry of Italy in ways I had never imagined. Joined by five other passionate artists, including our leader Lynette Reed, our retreat was a symphony of creativity, culture, and camaraderie.

A Creative Haven: Our Studio for the week

The beating heart of our retreat was Lynette’s fabulous big studio located on one of the old cobbled streets of Bassano del Grappa. The walls were filled with inspirational art by Lynette – the perfect environment to get the creative juices flowing.

Each day was something new to experience as well as painting. We went out on the streets taking ‘rubbings’ of interesting textures to use in our art, we stood on the famous bridge in the town and did quick blind drawings or non-dominant hand drawings before bringing our inspirations back into the studio and getting to work!

Prosecco, Prosecco and more Prosecco

Beyond the studio, our retreat organisers “Live Like a Local Italy” – run by Phil, (an affable and knowledgeable Irishman) curated a series of unforgettable excursions that introduced us to the lesser-known delights of Italy.

We ventured off the beaten track to visit local artisan wineries, where we sipped on exquisite Prosecco (the wine of the region) and learned about the meticulous processes that make them so special.

Seems there’s always an occasion to break into another bottle!

Cheese… I LOVE cheese!

One of the highlights was our trip to another artisan producer, this time, a cheese maker's farm. Here, we got a the story of Italian cheese making on a small scale, from the milking of his cows to the aging of wheels in his specially built cool cellars. The flavours we tasted were creamy and delicious. Shame we were not able to bring some home.

Yes… alpacas too!

Adding a touch of whimsy to our adventures was a day spent walking with alpacas. These gentle, curious creatures led us through the vineyards and provided plenty of laughter and photo opportunities. It was a unique experience I must say.

Not sure my hubby was quite on board with it though LOL.

A Venetian Highlight

The crowning jewel of our retreat was an unforgettable day in Venice.

Rather than exploring the bustling streets on foot, we embarked on a private boat journey that took us down the hidden canals and lesser-known waterways of this iconic city.

It afforded us a way to discover a side of Venice that many tourists never see – quiet, intimate, and incredibly beautiful.

A ‘community’ painting

One of the most fun and collaborative activities was the creation of this ‘community’ painting on a big 1mt canvas. We all added brush marks and flourishes willy-nilly all week long with no thought for the composition or end result. It was such a hot mess at one point!

Enter Lynette with her curating hand and ta-da! A vibrant and eclectic masterpiece that represents the collective spirit of our group. Can’t wait to see our prints of it!

So much joy and laughter

Especially the evening of my birthday, when we ate at a stunning restaurant set high up in the hills on a beautiful vineyard. Complete with balloons and a birthday cake, it was magical and absolutely unforgettable.

Move over Banksy :)

Couldn’t resist this photo
opportunity on the way back
from my birthday meal.

Reflecting on the Journey

The chance to take this extraordinary adventure has filled me with gratitude for the experiences and connections made. Celebrating my big birthday in Bassano with this fabulous group of people was the best gift I could have given myself.

… and new art to come!

The time spent in the studio gave me new courage to create my own way.

Left and above are two of my latest Italy-inspired works – soon to be available as prints on canvas!

Here’s to many more adventures and the continued pursuit of creativity at any age.

For more info on how to enjoy Bassano, Venice and the region in true Italian style, contact Phil at https://www.livelikealocalitaly.com And I know that https://www.lynettereedart.com would love to hear from you if you fancy taking your own ‘art retreat’ – I can’t recommend them highly enough!

ART WORKSHOP ESCAPES!

Fun times were had at the Bullclough Art Workshop
deep in the heart of Derbyshire’s Peak district.

We spent a couple of amazing days in the little bit of heavenly countryside that surrounds Bullclough, an amazing art retreat in the Peak District, in the middle of England. The perfect place to have fun with art and learn at the same time, with two wonderful artists, Nellie and Barbara.

The pace was fast and furious - with fun exercises that
made sure we all loosened up!

Nellie Shepherd ( https/www.instagram.com/nellieshepherdx ) and Barbara Crane (https/www.instagram.com/crane.barbara12 ) the two artists leading the course, took us through a non-stop, full-on gamut of playful exploration! We skipped swiftly from drawing with our non-dominant hand, to blind drawing and collage, in a ‘musical chairs’ type circle around the room, painting or drawing for 90 seconds what was in front of us before moving on to the next bit.

Next we tried a session of mono printing, which resulted in some fantastic ideas forming on how to manipulate the ink for different effects. I loved the monochrome results and will be looking for ways to incorporate these into my work somehow.

On the last day, we finally got to put all that play into action on 3 panels. What an excellent workshop it was!
If you fancy looking into it yourself… go to https://www.bullcloughartschool.com for details of all the available courses.

It was pure pleasure from the first to the last. Not only were the two artists leading the course fun to be with, they were informative, encouraging and engaging! The group were all at different stages, some complete beginners, others with years of painting under their belt, but we all had a great time.
Especially come afternoon tea time, when the home made cakes came out! 

How to create a gallery wall

MIX IT UP! Add summer colour and eclectic vibes

How to create your gallery wall

One of the most exciting ways to elevate your space and add character to your room is to choose a few beautiful pieces of art that complement each other, and bring them all together on a gallery wall for maximum impact. The beauty of this approach is that you can mix and match according to the season, your style and your personality.

ARTIST TIP #1: Mix the sizes and shapes of the paintings, but keep all the framing the same colour if you want harmony, or go the whole hog and mix those up too!

Choose your colour theme

Start with a colour palette you like, say greens, pinks or blues, and as long as the paintings you choose have a touch of those colours in, you’ll create a cohesive look!

ARTIST TIP #2: pick a complementary colour to your decor, not necessarily the same colour – after all, you want this to have impact. 

Add some seasonal magic

Whatever the season, there’s always lots of inspiration around. Think spring flowers, summer beaches, autumn trees, and snow scenes.

ARTIST TIP #3: Seasonal paintings could be smaller – or you could consider prints as a more affordable alternative. 

Don’t be afraid to go bold!

There’s something really striking about a well placed bold graphic design in amongst the more ‘painterly’ paintings.

ARTIST TIP #4: Mark out the size of your wall area on the floor and lay your paintings down – move them around until you’re happy with the layout. Take a photograph!

Will a still life painting work?

Absolutely! Mixing genres within the same wall space is the very essence of eclectic! Choose something fun and contemporary and you won’t go far wrong.

ARTIST TIP #5: Look for strong shapes and accents that are echoed in other paintings, like curvy lines or splashes of colour.

Add that final quirky touch!

You can go to town on this last one, showcasing your personality and making a statement with something that really gets people talking.

ARTIST TIP #6: Take your time in choosing your paintings, your framing and your layout. This is not something to rush. Creating the most stunning gallery wall is an art in itself, but remember to also have fun!

For more great ideas on how to put together a gallery wall – go to my Pinterest site

Rutland Open Studios – September 9/10th, 16/17th, 23/24th

I’m so excited to be participating for the first time at the Rutland Open Studios this year. Over 55 talented painters, sculptors, potters, jewellery-makers, print makers and textile artists will be opening their studios to you so that you can see where all the magic happens!

You’ll find me on page 27 of the brochure – with the Morcott studio address.

We’ve all been working so hard to create beautiful art for you to enjoy, and now we are working extra hard to make our studios a welcoming place for you to see the work on show. You’ll be treated to refreshments whilst you browse, and of course it’s your chance to chat to the creators and find out more about their processes, about their work and even commission unique work for yourself or as gifts.

My own studio is up a precarious flight of stairs on the second floor attic of my home, and I’m used to them. Like a mountain goat, I can skip up and down them without a problem, but I wouldn’t want anyone breaking their neck! So, I have teamed up with Mo Gardner and will be sharing her lovely country studio in Morcott, Rutland (details in the brochure image above – or download a copy of the full brochure on the link below).

Download the brochure with all the details from https://www.rutlandopenstudios.co.uk

You are welcome to come and simply browse, and of course to buy. I have something for every budget, from unique printed cards, not available anywhere else except from me, to small abstracts and landscapes on paper, right through to mid and larger size finished paintings, framed and ready to hang.

It’s open house!

When you pop in to see me, you’ll find a warm smile and a huge welcome. I may even break out the biscuits!

Love one of my paintings that has already been sold? I can order a quality giclee (art) print for you. Printed on heavy watercolour paper, it captures every bit of texture, every brush stroke and is almost as good as the real thing! These are done to order – so just grab me and ask.

See you there?

Rutland Living Magazine features me!!

Me, looking nervous, in my art studio

Getting to know my local audience

It occurred to me, when someone in my art group mentioned ‘making the most of our local market’ that they were right. Of course it’s good to showcase the artwork I’m doing on my website and on social media to a worldwide audience, but what about the art loving audience right here on my doorstep? Was I making the most of that opportunity?

The answer was an emphatic no!

So I set about remedying that. First call - talk to my friend who also happens to be a journalist for Rutland Living magazine. I was quite prepared for there to be no chance, but Amander was thrilled with the idea of interviewing me and crafting a story around my journey from fashion designer to writer to full time artist. There was plenty to talk about, and you can read the full story here

The article came out this month – just in time for a couple of local art exhibitions I applied for - and got into.

First of all, I chatted with Amy, the owner of a wonderful little cafe/gift shop called The March Hare in Corby Glen. She often features the work of local artists and was so encouraging when I approached her, nervous as all hell. Within a week, I had several small pieces of artwork on show there, and as it’s practically on my doorstep, I am able to regularly update to keep it fresh and seasonal.
From that initial enterprise, I am planning a series of fun art events throughout the summer with Amy and a couple of other local artists which could prove very exciting and engaging for our local audience - I’ll keep you posted on that!

Next, I applied to have some of my original art shown in the Every Which Way mixed exhibition, in a lovely little art gallery in my local town of Stamford called Stamford Contemporary Arts. There’s 39 artists showing in total, so quite an exciting mix of styles and genres at prices that suit most pockets. I got three pieces into the show, including one large mixed media abstract and two smaller abstracts. The show runs for a month until 15th April 2023. If you’re in the area - it’s well worth a visit.

Coming up… I am putting several pieces forward to The Welland Valley Arts Society Spring Exhibition. I’m thinking my abstract landscape series will be good to show here - as it’s a really well-established exhibition that gets a good turnout. I’m a newly appointed exhibiting member, so this will be yet another first for me. I will let you know if my art is chosen - I sincerely hope so!

The emails you missed!

Art by Shani

Mad March in my studio

Disastrous spills, blinking big bills… and finally, the thrills!

A big hello to my arty friends! 
Thanks for clicking through. To me, connection is everything. 
This month in my studio has been manic and is about to get even crazier. It definitely earns its title of ‘Mad March’. 

It started off with a spill! Well, maybe ‘spill’ is downplaying the action a tad - it was more of a ‘chuck a full tin of gesso over the banister and completely coat the walls, stairs and carpet fiasco’ really! I wish I’d had the forethought to catch it on camera though, because it was quite spectacular. It put me in mind of those videos on Instagram where the gorgeous young artist in dungaree shorts and chunky boots, hair tied up nonchalantly in a scruffy bun, throws paint with creative abandon at the canvas and gets a thousand likes. Yeah, OK. I know what you’re saying to yourself right now. “Don’t even think about it Shani!” 
I promise, I won’t - anyway, I’ve mislaid my dungaree shorts.

But seriously, I’ve been working on three different series simultaneously, for 3 different exhibitions. The first one kicks off next Monday, in the gallery in Stamford (mentioned last newsletter). I really thought I’d nailed the three pieces I wanted to show. I’ve cold-waxed them, had frames made, and signed them (one upside down, but that’s another story), and the closer I get to the delivery date, the less sure I am about at least one of the paintings, if not two. 

So… I set to and started another set of paintings in a slightly different colour balance (actually from the same palette - but less turq and more pinks and neutrals). I’m using the process that seems to be working for me on my abstracts - creating intuitively painted (ie. messy) playgrounds using the same hot colours to completely cover the substrate - and then careful editing with a cooler shade or a neutral, allowing glimpses of what was underneath to show through in scratches and scrapes. I’m beginning to fall in love with these new ones now - and of course, it’s getting to ‘make your mind up’ time. Only one thing for it - put it to a VOTE! 
I asked my art buddies in the facebook group to pick their two favourites from the three old and the two new paintings. (They’ll sit alongside the ‘big one’ - the first image). 
Of course, it’s Sod’s law there were no clear winners - everyone liked a different set. Maybe you can chip in and tell me your favourites? Better still, if you can, come along to the exhibition and see what made it! https://www.gallerystamford.co.uk

BLINKING BIG BILLS! 
Or more to the point, the price of following my joy and painting big! I know everyone is feeling the pinch at the moment, and I COULD just paint small, but oh I absolutely love the feeling of the huge sweeping motions I get to make, and the freedom it brings when I have a huge panel to work on. However, bigger panels equals waaay more paint and new, bigger tools to paint with (no I’m definitely not doing the ‘mop’ thing!) And that’s even with the benefit of a handyman husband who can turn his hand to cradled panel making and frames. Incidentally, I looked up the price to buy in large custom-made cradled panels and whoah!!! It made my eyes water.

FIRST DIBS - YOUR EXCLUSIVE 
I have lots and lots of lovely little colour studies that I’ve been saving in a pile and wondering what to do with them. They’ve all been given a generously sized mount (mat) and Celophane wrapped - easy to post. 
If you’re interested in seeing these little gems, do let me know and I’ll send you a file of images - and you can have first dibs before I put them on Instagram and Facebook.

And finally, on a non-art front, but possibly the biggest THRILL for me this month, my oak framework for the kitchen extension is finally up! They can start on the roof. I can’t begin to tell you how relieved I am to get this one off the ground.

However, this next week they’re threatening snow - so I do hope the workmen are a hardy bunch. I’ll have big pans of home-made soup on the go every day to warm their cockles, so to speak 😂

And on that note, I will say my “adieus”. 
Keep warm and cosy everyone - see you next month.

Shani x

They told me I couldn’t… so I did.

I read this statement somewhere recently, and it took me straight back to my 16 year old rebellious self and probably the only time I ever wilfully disobeyed my parents and got away with it.

You see, I always wanted to study art, but my parents decided that art school was no place for a young lady, it was full of ‘drop-outs, bearded weirdos and drug addicts’ (their words not mine). They forbid me to go, end of! But that wasn’t the end of the story…

The ‘escape’ room

At high school, the art room was my sanctuary, quite literally sometimes. Being bullied constantly by a couple of girls, I would ‘escape’ there after the last class on the pretext of finishing some piece of work, stay for an hour, then walk the 3 miles home, rather than risk bumping into them on the school bus.

I was good at drawing, and loved painting, sculpture and pottery. And it was all of these ‘self-preservation’ after-school sessions with two of the most generous art teachers that made it possible for me to get together a strong portfolio to present at my art college, which was great, because a terrible error could have scuppered all that.

Art or commerce?

At the end of the previous school year, we had been given the choice to sign up to attend the local technical college for business studies every Friday afternoon in our final year. Being allowed ‘out of school’ felt so grown up, so of course, I put my name down. Little did I know that the only art lessons that year would ALSO be scheduled for Friday afternoons and I’d be missing them. When the realisation dawned I kicked up a stink, but I was not allowed to swap back to art – my favourite, my BEST subject. I was devastated. So, from that moment on, you’d find me every lunchtime and evening, in the art room, working on my portfolio.

 Chance meeting or destiny?

One Friday lunchtime, early September, I bumped into an old friend who had left school the previous year, and had just finished the foundation course at the art college, and had just started the fashion course. Chatting about how much she was enjoying it got me all excited and curious, so when she said “Why don’t you come back with me now and I will introduce you to my tutors”, I jumped at the chance!
It was magic. The smell of paint from the art studios, and the whirring of sewing machines in the fashion department. All of it so exciting to a 16 year old.
I had a long talk with her head tutor and was asked to bring in my portfolio – which I did that very afternoon. By teatime, I’d signed up to start college on Monday morning in the fashion department! I only told my parents the night before, so they couldn’t stop me.
I loved every moment and went on to enjoy an amazing career in fashion, and must say, it has been such an incredible source of inspiration for me. Travel to exotic places, exquisite textiles, beautiful patterns and colours – all the things I love are now represented in my art.

Becoming an artist.

It took the lockdown to catapult me back where I feel I’ve always belonged. In an art studio!

I don’t remember the exact moment I owned up to being an artist instead of an ‘artist’ in inverted commas. By that I mean, for a long time, there was definitely ‘imposter syndrome’ at play. I felt I was using the title without permission.

This was especially true in the early days of 2020, when I quit my career in fashion design and writing to devote time to my art. I was working on a tiny table in my bedroom, and somehow, that cramped, and mess-making set up was testament to the amateur nature of my endeavours. This is not how it was supposed to feel. I’d waited so many years to be able to stop work and paint (originally planned to be 6 years earlier) and now at last the time had come. It was fun, but it didn’t feel real.

 So, was it when I took Louise Fletcher’s ‘Find Your Joy’ course for the first time, or maybe the follow-on course ‘Find Your Voice’? Quite possibly! She was and is an incredible influence on my artist mentality.
Or was it the day I moved into my very own studio? I think maybe that’s also a huge factor. And I have my husband to thank for both – and I do, every day. He bought me the courses for my birthday, and he made my studio.

 Probably sick to death of the mess and smell of paint in our bedroom, he suggested he turn our grown-up-and-flown-the-nest-daughter’s old attic bedroom into a studio for me – in time for the start of the course he’d bought me. Result!

 He’s a keen DIYer but he’s slow and meticulous… a bit of a perfectionist. It took a couple of months to do but wow he made such an amazing job of it.

 IKEA up-cycling king!

We were gifted a cartload of old Ikea shelving units and we already had an old Ikea wardrobe... and he managed to recycle all of these tall, upright units into much deeper lower shelves to fit under the steep, uneven, and curving eaves of our 400-year-old sloping roof. Quite a miracle of perseverance and rather a lot of measuring and re-measuring.

 What he has achieved is nothing short of brilliant. I think he may be the king of Ikea up-cycling! There’s ample space to hold all my art books, my journals, paints, mediums, and spare equipment etc., with room spare for storing paintings that are ready and framed.

I did a bit of up-cycling myself too – my late mother-in-law’s 50’s Formica top kitchen table is my painting table, and my late mum’s old hospital-style table on wheels that she ate her meals on every day as she got frailer, now holds my brushes and palette. These are daily reminders of two of the most wonderful, strong and resilient women in my life.

 Now all I need is some way to fit in an upright painting wall. Hmmmm...... a tricky one with those steep sloping roofs, but if I know my hubby, he will find a way.

THERE’S ALWAYS A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

2022 is turning out to be a year full of ‘firsts’ for me. 

The first time I’ve had the guts to go for it and open my own art studio. The first time I’ve shown my work on Instagram, built a website, sold a piece of my artwork, or taken on an art commission. You could say, this is the first time I’ve allowed myself to acknowledge the fact that “I am an artist!”. And right now, it’s full steam ahead for my first show which opens 10th October in The Art Centre Cafe at the Guildhall Theatre in Grantham. 
My exhibition is Inspired by the amazing and the ordinary! The people I love, the places I’ve seen, the mad and the mundane, the flotsam and jetsam of a life lived to the full - and the desire to make the most of every single day. It is summed up in the last line of a poem by Mary Oliver: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Well, my plan is to make the most of every opportunity to have fun and bring joy into my life. And this is definitely excitement and trepidation all rolled into one! My first ever show - what was I thinking? Can I really be doing this? And the answer is YES, of course. As mother used to say “There’s always a first time for everything!”

So, the last few weeks have been a flurry of action! Finishing off works that were in various stages of completion. Changing some altogether, and starting new pieces to complete a series. Adhering works on paper to cradled panels (another new skill I had to learn fast). Then came the isolation coats, the varnishing, and deciding where to sign my name - even HOW to sign my name! Picking a style of frame that would work across the range was a tough one, but I’ve always loved the St Ives frames. Trouble is, the frame moulding arrived as pieces, and needed making up into frames to fit all the various paintings. (Note to self: next time, pick a couple of popular frame sizes and make the artwork accordingly. None of these random sizes that simply depend on which paper you picked up on any given day, and how much was taped off!

However, I consider myself one very lucky lady. I have a talented husband that can turn his hand to just about anything and he has made all the frames and cradled panels for me. His man-shed has been a hive of activity. He must have glued and screwed 20 frames for me in 2 weekends! I did all the sealing and the painting of them though, so I did my bit. I’m so thrilled with how the paintings look once framed - it has really given my confidence the whack of ‘woohoo’ it needed!  

So, my first show is coming soon! And if you happen to live anywhere near Grantham, or are passing by and fancy popping in, please do, I’d be thrilled to meet you. The exhibition opens 10th October and runs for 2 weeks.