Sunsets, silhouettes and a painting

I always feel a rush of excitement when someone loves my work enough to commission a painting. It's a joy to work with customers trying to interpret their ideas and come up with a design that they will like.

The painting above was for a wedding gift and needed to have thistles and shamrocks in it, combining the bride and groom's Scottish and Irish heritage. I can't share the whole image yet as the gift hasn't been given! The sun I finished in 23.5 carat gold leaf so that it glimmers when the light catches it.

I always have my camera to hand for I love taking photo's and many of my paintings are inspired by the photo's I take near my home here in beautiful Dumfries and Galloway. You might have guessed that I love the gloaming, sunsets and silhouettes, quiet times and magical moments.

I love to take a moment to sit quietly in the garden at this time of night to listen to the world softly settling down to sleep. it feels like I have stepped into another time, another place. Just the sort of place for me to conjure mystical images to work into my paintings.

This last photo was the view I caught on my way back from home one evening, driving along the coast road, it was so dramatic I just had to stop and try to capture the light!

This is one of the things I love about living here in South West Scotland, the light and the sunsets, and every day when I drive along this road I feel so blessed to live here

I wonder, what do you love about where you live?

Summer workshops at Kirkcudbright Galleries, Dumfries and Galloway

There has been a hustle and a bustle in the studio lately as this Summer finds me putting on my 'ART EXPLORERS' hat! My brand new business partner Susi Briggs and I have been designing a whole heap of crafts for the family drop in workshops we are running at Kirkcudbright Galleries.

We were so pleased to be asked to work in this beautiful B listed building which has recently been completely transformed into a gallery of National significance here in the Artists town of Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. You can find us up on the mezzanine floor every Wednesday throughout the Summer.

We have developed a lovely range of topics to delve into and are thoroughly looking forward to meeting all the busy bees who come along to participate. Our 'Nip Nebs' workshop with crafts inspired by our new book (more about that in a later post) was a huge success. We did wax resist painting, web weaving and peg doll pixies.

and the paper stained glass inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh went down a treat today too. 

18th July - Mad Hatter hats

25th July - Puppets, 1st August - Clay house tiles, 8th August - paper portraits, 15th August - Masks

22nd August - Lanterns

29th August - Create your own family tree

5th September - Art Journaling for kids

So do hop along and join us every Wednesday through the Summer for a fun filled workshop!

The workshops run from 10.30 am -12.30 pm.

There is a minimal charge of £2 per child.

No need to book just pop along.

All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Aimed at ages 7-12 years, though we can accommodate younger children too.