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Rediscovering A Love of Drawing

The past few months have been so busy that I haven’t kept up with my monthly blog. Our new venture Interview Room One has started to get some traction. I have been preparing for a new exhibition. And last month we had an extended vacation in the US. Every time I sat down to write…
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An Exhausting, but Enjoyable Weekend

This weekend was the Alnmouth Arts Festival. Located in a small Northumberland village, it is a bustling event designed for all the family. The organisers did a great job of developing a mixed programme from workshops to storytelling, music to craft and of course a variety of artists. The area punches above its weight in…
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All the ‘ations’!

My last blog post was all about gathering inspiration. Today is about preparation so all the ‘ations’! Alnmouth Arts Festival In June I am taking part in a 2 day Arts Festival. It takes place in Alnmouth, a rather gorgeous small village on the coast of Northumberland. Over the past few years, the village has…
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Gathering Inspiration

One of the most regular questions I get asked is where I find my inspiration. I guess as an abstract painter, the source of inspiration isn’t always as obvious as it is with representational artists. When I remember I do try to post photos if there has been a very obvious prompt. I did this…
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New Chapter

As I’ve had just over a month as a full time artist, I thought I’d share some insights into what I’ve learned and how the transition has gone. I guess it’s worth saying that having worked continuously for over 30 years I fully expected to struggle with the transition. Particularly with the lack of structure.…
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Art Challenges

Art Challenge I thought I’d start 2024 with an art challenge. And my favourite challenge is the Insight Creative 30 day Sketchbook Challenge. What is an Art Challenge? Art Challenges are generally shared projects that have a set timeframe and a series of prompts for artists to work from. They are incredibly popular on social media,…
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Studio Remodel

Many of you may have been following my various posts on social media and my blog documenting the restyle of my home studio. Well, I’m finally ready to show you the results! Just in case you were unaware, for the last few months of 2023 my studio was in a state of flux. I had…
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Happy 2024!

Happy New Year!!! I hope you have all had a fabulous festive break and are feeling fit, healthy and positive about 2024. Our Christmas break was somewhat subdued. I tested positive for COVID on the Saturday before Christmas, so that scuppered our plans to see family and friends. To top it off my husband then…
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A Very British Summer

How are you enjoying the British Summer? It certainly feels as though we skipped a season here in the North East and jumped from Spring straight into autumn. That said, given the heatwave that has consumed most of Europe over the past month we should probably be thankful for the grey skies and rain. …
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Music and Art: The Perfect Companions

I often paint whilst listening to music and am very aware that it can influence my painting. This is especially true when painting larger pieces (60cm+). The physical gestures become about your whole body rather than hands and wrists. The rhythm of the music starts to show through in the mark making. And the mood…