All the Little Things

These past few weeks I have been redrawing and painting the notes on summer originals that got lost in my studio. Notes on Summer was a book I made last year (all the pristine books arrived in my studio just before the fire!) It has taken me such a long time to do the drawings again but I am finding some joy in that they look better second time round. Practise makes perfect!  I made the drawings with the idea that I wanted them to have the feel of my sketchbooks.To be a bit free! I painted washes in watercolour...

My first Open Studio in Hebden Bridge was in my house. It felt scary opening it up to the public. It was a trek for them too; the furthest end of Market Street, through a secret garden courtyard and up some stairs (passing my cat who did not like guests). But people visited and they were lovely! My neighbour's little daughter did her own Open Studios in the garden and made a killing on her works of art. Next time I was still at that end of Market Street in my neighbour's beautifulshop; Hat Therapy. Some of the people that...

I never intended to be a landscape painter. I was in love with books and stories and felt completely at home in my choice of illustration. I studied this both at Edinburgh College of Art and as a Masters at Brighton University. I made little screen printed books about the characters I loved in northern literature such as Billy Liar and Kes. Looking back now after twenty years of painting landscapes it seems obvious that they were always there.. in my sketchbooks and choices. Why did I draw things from my hometown when I was away from it? What did...