Exhibiting with Wiltshire Artists

In July my university friend Patrick Bull contacted me asking if I’d like to take part in an exhibition in Marlborough with Wiltshire Artists. Patrick and his wife Karolinka had taken over the organisation of the groups annual summer show and wanted to invite some new artists to take part.

I decided to make some new ink and brush drawings especially for the exhibition which was to take place on august bank holiday weekend. I had been on a hot summers day walk in Micheldever Woods and had taken some photographs of the woodland which I thought would translate perfectly into some atmospheric drawings.

The exhibition was held at a stunning church on one end of Marlborough High Street. I attended the private view and was delighted to receive really positive feedback about my two pieces, both sold at the private view with other parties also interested which was a huge confidence boost.

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A Little Life Update

The last time I wrote a blog post titled ‘A Little Life Update’ was in 2018 when I shared that my partner and I were buying our first home together and expecting our first baby. I seemed to share a little more personal news back then and as 2018 was ‘pre-children’ I had a lot more time to write so my journal entries were looking pretty healthy with lots of artist interviews as well as other musings.

I didn’t share much about the next life update that we had which was moving from our first home to our second in June 2021. Mostly because our first home together didn’t end up being the exciting new chapter that we’d hoped for. We experienced some challenging times while we lived there, challenges that were no doubt exacerbated by having a newborn baby to look after. We’re happier in our new home (which is in a different town as we were priced out of our hometown).

The main reason I wanted to write a life update was to share the happy news that in the autumn we are expecting a new addition to the family. I’m currently seven months pregnant and feeling all the exhaustion and aches that I did the first time round except with a heatwave and a three and a half year old to look after thrown in the mix. I’m glad to say that I’ve still been drawing and taking part in exhibitions which I hope to continue to do though likely at a reduced capacity for a while.

I like to keep those that follow me and my work in the loop as I’m a bit of an open book sometimes and it feels strange keeping things to myself - especially when they affect my life and work to such a big degree. I estimate that going from one strong willed child to two children will be a big transition but I’m looking forward to the challenge - and the challenge of keeping up an art practice too!

As with before my shop will remain open and I won’t be technically on maternity leave or receive maternity pay so your support with purchasing my work and sharing/engaging with it on social media will be even more appreciated than usual.

I’ll leave you with a rare photograph of me from a few weeks ago, in the woods.

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Danebury: Past and Present Footsteps Exhibition

An exhibition at Andover Museum and Museum of the Iron Age in Hampshire inspired by the beautiful and historic Danebury Hillfort, near Stockbridge in Hampshire.

I was invited by Sarah Maddison to take part in the exhibition, over the course of a few months I visited the site to photograph the landscape with specific focus on the trees. I returned and painted en plein air while also taking in the rich atmosphere of the environment. Danebury was once an Iron Age Hillfort, the site is perched high on a hill with commanding views over the Hampshire countryside. I made some loose ink drawings inspired by the light in the wooded part of the site but for my exhibition pieces I decided to make two detailed pen drawings in the style of my woodland studies series.

The exhibition ran from 9th June 2022 until 17th July 2022 and was varied, with large abstract paintings, embroidered art work, watercolour, textiles, ceramics, printmaking, jewellery and a sound installation. The artists that took part: Jo Arkell, Kate Bennett, Kenton Clarke-Williams, Emma Cooper, Joel Davies, Annette Hobbs, Claire Leach, Marta Lichocinska, Sarah Maddison, Rebecca Maynard, Teresa Munn, Keith Pattison, Rebecca Perdue, Jo Richardson, Trudy Slade and Rosie Wesley.

The exhibition was supported by Hampshire Cultural Trust, my thanks to Andover Museum, Hampshire Cultural Trust and Sarah Maddison for organising such an interesting show.

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️