Colour and Light
The clock's changed today as British Summer Time ended in the UK. This time of year always make me feel a tiny bit melancholic - the change of seasons with trees shedding their leaves that have turned into hues of yellows, oranges and reds holds a special charm and beauty.
I enjoy seeing the bare branches and structures of trees being revealed when we go on our daily walks around the lakes where we live. As the seasons change so does my work. As the days become colder I paint fewer florals, with still life and landscape themes in richer, subtle and moody colours becoming more prominent.
Spending time in my studio is a joy, I love being in my happy place and getting into a creative state of flow. I've been reminded of this in the last few weeks since we returned from September in France, where I taught on a retreat in the Périgord, a beautiful area in south west France. I found so much inspiration in the villages and landscapes and it was a joy to experience this along with a fabulous group of creatives (I plant to be back here for a retreat in 2027).
When we got back home a few weeks ago I delivered a collection of new paintings to Iona House Gallery who represented me at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea. Some of the paintings sold at this London event can be seen below and a few of these will be available shortly as limited edition prints, just in time for Christmas orders 😀
New retreat destinations for 2026!
I mentioned the retreat in France, our hosts Harrison and Katel were wonderful and accommodating. The food was outstanding and we enjoyed excursions to many interesting places. This was also our experience in Portugal on the July retreat organised by Uptrek.
In April next year I will be teaching on a retreat hosted by Hotel Leone in Le Marche, Italy. This has sold out and I am delighted to tell you about a new excursion that's been added to the 2026 calendar. India has been on my radar for some time, and next October I'll be joining the team at Creative Art Safaris who specialise in hosting retreats in all kinds of exotic and unusual locations.
The art program of this ten day retreat is inspired by textile designs, with a focus on printing, patterns and using your very own drawings to be turned into block printing elements that will be used as elements for creations on paper and fabric.
There is no better place than India to be for colour, design and creative inspiration. The retreat promises to be a packed event with a lot of travelling to fascinating places in the Jaipur region. You can see more information on the Creative Arts Safari website where you'll find the link for booking.
