Christmas is coming

The days are flying past and now we have snow! Where has this year gone?

I still have lots of work to finish before I settle down with my mulled wine and mince pies in front of the fire. However, I just wanted to show you the painting I have made for The Black Sheep Brewery to use as their Christmas Card this year. For those of you who are not familiar with Black Sheep Ales they are one of the two Breweries that we are lucky to have in Masham. Another good reason to visit!!

I must admit that it was my daughter Ali that came up with the idea for this one.

Thanks Looby x

'Honey I'm Home!'

I have been having a proper giggle with my paints recently as I have been planning my next pieces some of which are inspired by my recent visit to Iceland. Having spent happy times watching the comings and goings of these comical little birds on the cliffs amongst the wild flowers I just had to create this one taken from the many sketches that I made while we were away.

News from the gallery

Just to let you know that I popped into the gallery today to drop off this years Christmas Cards which will be available as of tomorrow both on line and in Masham.

Sunday afternoon walk

we have been enjoying some fantastic October sunshine today before dropping in on Jane at the gallery. A lovely circular walk through Hackfall woods just outside of Masham. As well as the beautiful autumn colours which are changing by the day the views from the ruin are spectacular reaching right across to Roseberry Topping in Cleveland. I just wanted to share some of our walk with you.

Introducing Mrs Nichols

 

Autumn is on its way, the colours are changing, conkers are ripening and the orchards are rich with fruit. It is time to get the preserving pan out and make our jams and pickles to see us through the winter. I love this time of year when berries appear like jewels along the hedgerows, cobwebs sparkle in the morning dew and the air is full of the smell of autumn. Today I counted the different fruit as I walked the dog, wild cherries, elder, blueberries, sloes, rowan and hawthorn all in one field. So let me introduce you to a lady who lives down the lane who also loves this time of year and who features in my latest painting, her name is Mrs Nichols.

'Mrs Nichols' Jams and pickles'

Amazing Skies over Yorkshire

  I wonder who else saw those amazing skies yesterday evening. At about 6 o'clock I looked up as I often do to watch the clouds and was amazed to see what appeared to be a second sun in the sky surrounded by bright colours and then appeared an inverted rainbow which lasted for at least half an hour. The wispy clouds were very high in the sky and very beautiful like lots of dancing ladies. The rainbow colours surrounding a ball of bright white light were truly astonishing and I stood transfixed as I watched what is the nearest thing to the Northern Lights that I have ever seen.

Did you see it?

Cliff top comedians

 

On our way to Iceland recently we stopped off in Shetland and while we were there we took a walk up to the lighthouse. The cliffs beneath are home to hundreds puffins, they are so comical with their big orange feet and bright bills. They were not at all afraid and happily carried on their daily routines whilst I sketched and photographed them. We could have stayed there all day but time was limited as our ship was due to leave. However I made lots of sketches ready to make some happy paintings featuring these little clowns.

By now they will have flown out to sea where they will spend the winter on the water, returning to Shetland next year to raise their young. They are tough little guys!

Mia lends a hand

 

Sorry I have been absent for a while but things are so exciting and busy these days I am having difficulty fitting in all my correspondence or my blog entries. With the Harlow Carr Exhibition about to open, and lots of lovely happy paintings to make for lots of lovely happy people, and lesson plans to arrange for workshops coming up in the next couple of weeks and clothes to pack for a trip to Iceland to see whales and geysers and puffins and more. Not to mention more happy seaside paintings to make for The RLNI to choose for their calendars and note cards. So all in all it has been a busy couple of weeks. So I was grateful for the help of Amelia who worked alongside me last week for her work experience, she was so helpful not only in practical ways but also as my PA taking notes for me at meetings, and quickly getting the measure of me and my butterfly mind. Her constant nudges have you remembered to do this and don't forget to do that, was so helpful and we shared lots of silly giggly moments during the week which flew by.

Here is Mia helping in the gallery

 

 

Mia doing the stock taking

 

 

A sunny corner in the gallery

 

Well, I had better get off and frame my latest painting for all the lovers of Yorkshire sheep ready to go to the exhibition this weekend.

'Come on up the view is lovely'

Good Morning !

 

The sun is shining and all is well, I have just pottered down the garden for my usual check to see what has appeared overnight. New shoots every day and my sweet peas are racing each other towards the top of their climbing frame. My runner beans are waking up and stretching like lazy teenagers being dragged from their beds and my peonies are like shiny green and red marbles getting ready to burst open like a chorus of loud overdressed ladies trying to out sing each other. Just outside my studio is a pot of pretty pansies who make me smile when I look into their cheerful faces and see them wink back at me and wriggle in the breeze like giggling school girls.

 

And now the kettle is on and I am going to treat myself to ten minutes of me time just sitting and watching the bumble bees.

 

Have a lovely day!

If you go down to the woods today.....

 

You're sure of a big surprise ! Hidden amongst the bluebells you will find me and my friends grabbing the opportunity to capture this truly gorgeous scene. I was giving a workshop on composition and how to make use of your sketch book to record the colours of a British woodland in May. What a treat !

  

 

And Alfie came too.

 

More exciting parcels arrive

 

It was just like Christmas once more this week, parcel after parcel has been delivered with all sorts of goodies. New packs of Sunshine and Smiles collection 3, the latest published cards from Glebe Cottage Studio and lovely little packs of note cards commissioned especially by the RLNI which will be available in their shops very soon. I gather there is to be a calendar too before long, can't wait to see that! The most recent box to arrive was my lovely new tea towels taken from my painting 'The Garden Party'. They will be available to buy from my web site very shortly, I hope you like them. x

Spring time in Yorkshire

 

The Spring is sprung and it is time to welcome all the new life. I took some time out with a friend this morning to visit one of my very favourite places Jervaulx Abbey in Wensleydale. A place of tranquility and calm in our otherwise hectic world, and surrounded by lots of spring babies to make us smile.

 

How cute are you!

Family bliss

At home we are playing host to numerous nesting birds who are all going hysterical grabbing anything they find to line their nests, pulling all the moss off the roof, digging up my newly planted pots and generally causing mayhem. I will just have to wait a couple of days until they have laid their eggs and are sitting quietly on their nests whilst I remake the garden! A small price to pay to have the joy of watching the fledglings take their first flight in days to come.

Love is in the air

 

it is that time of year again, how time flies! Everywhere you look there are hearts and flowers sprouting all around. So in order that you won't feel left out I have painted some little cuties to raise a smile and share a little love. Hope you like x

 

'Love is in the air'

 

'Love Ewe Babe'

Happy New Year

 

So here we are in 2010 and let me wish you all a very Happy New Year! Well what a wonderful white Christmas we had !

I love to see the snow especially with some beautiful bright blue skies. However, it did cause some difficulties, particularly on the roads which were so difficult and icy we couldn't get to Masham to open the gallery on several occasions so apologies to anyone who travelled there expecting to find us open only to be disappointed.

We now have 12 inches of snow in the back garden and are promised more tonight so the adventure continues. Martha and Freddie think it is just great rolling about and chasing snow balls. Luckily I have a cosy heater in the studio that keeps me warm while I work and I have lots of new ideas bouncing around in my head for new paintings so I can't wait to get cracking on those.

 

       

 

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