A Spring painting and re-connecting with creativity

 Spring is finally springing here in this beautiful corner of Galloway, Scotland and what a welcome relief it is. There are treasures peeping up in the garden and the hedgerows, sure signs that mother earth is waking up again, promises of new life and things to come.

In my previous post, way back in July last year, I mentioned changes I had made in my life and my move back to the garden studio, as I tried to re-connect with my creative self  in the hope that my inspiration for painting would finally reappear. I had no idea back then if I would ever feel like picking up my brushes again, it was a rather scary place to be. 

I can look back now over the last 3-4 years and remember some of the wonderful collaborations and projects I have been lucky enough to work on, but I also see I kept saying 'yes' to everything that came my way, and in the end the price for doing that was complete 'creative burn out', (I don't really like that saying, but can't think of anything else so fitting), and that awful feeling of being totally disconnected from all the things that inspired me in my work. 

So, Spring has a very special feel to it this year, for I feel I am waking up again too, coming back to myself and the things that inspire. I have spent my days immersed in the things I love doing, taking long walks and visiting old haunts (as much as we are allowed just now), reading treasured books, re-discovering my love of knitting, watching favourite movies, family history research, working in the garden and rekindling my joy of taking photographs.

Then for Valentines Day my lovely hubby (who has been so wonderful encouraging and supporting me every step of the way), brought me this scrumptious set of  Coliro Finetec Mica pearl and shimmer watercolour paints,  and suddenly I couldn't wait to get into the studio to try them.

So at long last I am seeing inspiration all around again and can feel the magic rising. My fingers are tingling to pick up my pencils and brushes, and my sketchbook which has sat dormant for many months, is beginning to find little creatures, Spring blossoms and gnarly trees scribbled on its pages again.

And this happened . . . 

 . . . the beginnings of the Spring painting to accompany the Summer and Autumn set! I will share progress in my next post, and hope to have her finished by then.

I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be creating again, and feeling much more like my old self. I really hope I have learnt my lesson and will take time to listen to my heart when it tells me to pace myself and consider what it is I truly want/need to be doing.   

I wonder what do you do to re-connect, recharge, or even keep from taking on too much? 

Settling down to Autumn

What a busy Summer that was, the days passed by so fast, and my travels have taken me here and there and everywhere. It has been one of my busiest years in business yet with workshops and exhibitions, Pop Up shops and projects on the go. Trying to keep my feet on the group and remembering to Breathe has been a definite challenge.

 When I first sat down to compose this post  I thought I hadn't done much but as I started to write I see it's no surprise I ended the Summer feeling burnt out. So I'm trying to slow down again and find my own rhythm with of working. Changes need to be made!

 Amid all the rushing about there have been some precious moments, pockets of quiet and calm that I have been much thankful for. At last we finished the summer house (you can see the before picture above in the bottom right hand corner!) it has now become a wee oasis of quiet, somewhere I can retreat to when I need time out. It has a tiny log burner, though it needs some attention as it has been belching out smoke. We decided no electricity, for candlelight and solar lights are all that we need.

I spent my birthday visiting dear friends in the South of France with various members of my family, including my lass and her partner, the honeymooning couple! Such a hidden treasure tucked away up in the hills in the quaint village Embres et Castelmaure. Delicious food, good company, beautiful scenery all did much to help me mend. Then I had a trip to visit my beautiful Granddaughters and my eldest lass and a weekend away with Mr O!

 And so back home and into the studio, with pockets full of lovely memories, easing into this my favourite season of all. Autumn, it feels like a dear old friend, the trees all clothed in their final finery of the year. The colours always inspire and make me want to paint!

I had this snippet of a poem by Thomas Hood waiting in my sketchbook for a long while and at last I finally felt inspired to  work on it.

I built up watercolour washes and finished it with gold and bronze acrylics to give a hint of shimming leaves in the evening light. Beautiful old Autumn. I hope to get prints of this in my Etsy shop very soon. But i'm not quite ready to part with the original yet.
Happy Autumn all x

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?

Becoming a self employed artist - This time ten years ago

So much to tell!  

I've been away from blogging for far too long and missed it so much! But finding the time to write my lovely long posts like I used to is proving difficult with life being so very busy just now, so I am changing the way I post, smaller snippets of news more often me thinks, we shall see how it goes.

I just realised today that this time ten years ago, being a full time artist and working for myself was just a dream! It was such a scary thing to take that first step, but I'm so very glad I did and I've never looked back.

I'm feeling so blessed to be doing a job I love. 

Be brave my lovelies and take that small first step, you just never know where it might lead!

A blessing tree and a special place

At last I can share with you some very special news! 

Late Summer I was approached by the design team for the spiritual care section in the new Dumfries and Galloway hospital, who were looking for work by local artists that would fit their vision.

I am very honored to say that my blessing tree 'May you have' was chosen to hang at the entrance of the palliative care unit.

You may remember that early last year our precious Dad passed away, he had been cared for in the wonderful Alexandria palliative care unit at the old hospital. The care and support he received there was outstanding, and we could never thank them enough.

For me the fact that my painting now sits in the new palliative care unit is so very poignant. I hope that whoever takes a moment to read the Blessing it carries may find a small measure of comfort.

A Celtic Blessing - May You Have 

May you have walls for the wind

and a roof for the rain

and drinks beside the fire

laughter to cheer you

and those you love near you

and all that your heart may desire.

Dear Dad you are always near us x x x

A garden of flowers, travels and midnight strolls

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I can hardly believe Summer is almost over and September just around the corner! I've been so busy with exhibitions and art trails it passed  in the blink of an eye, but I did find time to enjoy some of the beautiful weather pottering in the garden. It's coming along beautifully now, it was so sad and neglected when we moved in last Spring.

I have loved bringing the garden back to life and it is so rewarding to hear the buzzing of the bees now there are lots of flowers for them to visit. Did you know that in Deeside,  the old name for bees was 'Foggie-toddlers - 'fog' being old Scots for moss or grass and 'toddling' meaning meandering with a gentle sound. Lovely!

Flowers have filled my studio with their perfume this Summer too, some from my garden and some gifted by a fellow artist, the very same lady who provided me with so many delicious cutting of plants last year so that I could stock our new garden. How  rewarding now  to see them growing and filling the beds. The wee posies of flowers below were another gift, left on our doorstep by the sweetest faerie girls who lived next door. They have now spread their wings and flow off with their family for adventures far afield and I will miss seeing their cheeky faces appearing over the fence.

Thinking of wee smiles, I got lots of those  from my wee Granddaughter a few weeks ago when myself and my two lovely daughters spent a week under the stars down South. Very posh camping as you can see! We spent every waking hour in the fresh air and when we weren't cuddling dwarf goats, blowing bubbles or exploring we were sitting up late into the night snuggled in our woollies and under blankets, playing scrabble, and watching the stars. Precious times.

I got a second weeks holiday after that too, when Mr O took me off exploring in Yorkshire. We stayed in an old inn built in 1613 and slept in what must be the comfiest bed I ever knew! We spent our days exploring places that caught our eye, like Hardcastle Crags, Gibson mill, and the lovely town of Hebden Bridge, stopping for cake and tea and mooching through second hand shops!

On our last day we visited the lovely  old village of Heptonstall, once a centre for hand looming. It's cobbled streets were discovered in 1980 when the paving was lifted.  Of course I had to have a peep at the ruins of it's original church, founded in 1260 and once dedicated to Thomas a Becket. All together we had a lovely few days away.

Whilst away Mr O and I remembered how much we love walking. When did our days get too busy to go walking regularly! So we are trying to do a walk every day again and are already feeling the benefit, feeling fitter and healthier for being outside more.

 I haven't shared with you before my 'In the gloaming' painting have I, I finished it earlier in the year and the original has already sold. The word 'gloaming' comes from the old English word for twilight 'glom' meaning to glow, what a perfect description for that magical time of day when the setting sun leaves gives it's last whisper of light to the evening. The painting is available as  limited edition prints in my Etsy shop here

 So I shall leave you with a taste of 'the gloaming' and some images that I caught on my full moon walk down the lane last week,  I love walking in the evening it is a magical time! Such lovely silhouettes to inspire new paintings I hope!

A new studio and a faerie Queen in the making . . .

Hello my lovelies, it's been a while! In fact it's been almost a year since I last blogged!

How did that happen, and where did the days disappear to? Being a creature of habit, it has taken me a good while to settle after our move last April. A new wee house to grow accustomed to, new lanes, fields and shore to discover, a new place to create in. Lots of busy days have passed and it has taken all my energy to settle into the new pattern of our life. Now at last I feel like I'm waking after a very long Winters nap, waking into the warm  May sunshine full of stories, happenings and creations to share!

I have so much to share, so where do I  begin?  Slowly I think, as it feels strange to be writing here again, like meeting with a long lost friend and not knowing where to begin in the catching up!  I have missed this blogging, and the connections with all you precious readers,  it feels so good to be back!

One of my most exciting happenings this year began with  a chance discussion with a fellow artist, that revealed the possibility of some local studio space becoming available. Having recently discussed the need for such a space with the very patient  Mr O (who never grumbled as he shared our home with an ever increasing array of paint, paper, brushes, pens etc) it was decided  I should go ahead and apply for a space. The WASPS Artists Studios is 'a charity that provided affordable studio space to artists and arts organisations across Scotland'. They are currently helping 800 artists, 12 art organisations and have 17 buildings. What a wonderful idea!   

Well I am very excited to say I am now the proud owner of a space at the WASPS studios in Kirkcudbright, a lovely light and bright space where I can have all my arty paraphernalia to hand. It has made a huge difference and feels lovely to go 'out' to work each day. It has made a much clearedr definition between home and work as well and means when I'm at work I am not distracted by weeding or dusting that is calling to be done! And when I'm not distracted I get to finish pieces that have long been in the making! 

Back in 2014 I had the idea that I wanted to do a companion piece for Autumn Bounty, inspired by references to magical things in  Shakespeare's  'A midsummer nights dream'. 

As I started to doodle and sketch, a 'Faerie Queen' began to appear, as did other fae folk, a magical hare, a drowsy bee and Summer time flowers.

She is the Queen of the faeries and leads the merriment on Midsummer's eve. 

If you are awake late on Midsummer's eve, you may happen across the faeries dancing by moonlight in ancient circles of stone, a wondrous sight indeed.

 But remember, do take care, you don't want to be caught or these fae may just cause you mischief. It is said that if you carry a sprig of rue in your pocket it will confuse those wee folk and you can be on your way!

Faerie Queen - Midsummer Magic' is available as limited edition prints in my Mythweaver shop.

I am so pleased to have finished her at long last and can't wait to see what my pencils will sketch for the next painting in the set 'Spring'

It feels so good to be blogging again and I look forward to next time, but for now I shall leave you as the garden is a calling, it's a glorious afternoon and I have seedlings to plant. 

Settling in and a sketching group

The sun is streaming through the window, and I can hear the birds singing in the garden as I sit looking out from my new wee studio.  I always feel that the setting down of new roots and making fresh memories, the things that make a new place feel like home, take a wee while to happen and need quiet times and pondering times and so I have allowed the moments to tick by here as I have allowed those things to happen.

We have been exploring, wandering through still woods as the sun begins to set and  glimmer through the trees. We have climbing sheep strewn hills to catch  glimpses of sparkling sea, and we are feeling very blessed to live in such a beautiful part of the world here in Dumfries & Galloway.

The May blossom has been so late this year, it almost seemed as though it was waiting for us to settle and find time to appreciate it's tiny blooms. But at last the hedgerows are bursting into life all ready for the coming of July.

We can't wait to see what the coming month brings in the garden after all our digging and weeding and planting and a-building of walls. Next stop the vegetable patch!

June saw me run the last of my workshops for a while, so ending a wonderful first half of the year filled with meetings of  lovely folks all getting creative. It has been such a pleasure having the opportunity to share my creativity with so many and watching them spread their wings and start to discover the joys of creative play. Thank you each and everyone for coming along and helping make the workshops such special events. ( How beautiful is the bouquet of flowers I was given by the lovely ladies from Gretna!)

New workshops and happenings will be announced in September.

The 'sketch-a-day' facebook group I set up is going from strength to strength, and what began as a personal challenge to encourage me to stick to the task of sketching for the 365 days has now grown into a group with over 60 members from all around the world. It has proved so popular that numbers have had to be limited as we were overwhelmed with requests of people wanting to join and I really want it to stay small and friendly and manageable.

The group is now run by three sketchers, the lovely Valerie (who has a real eye for detail), one of my nephew's Stu (who always finds a fab and quirky way of representing a topic) and me!  Every day a new topic is posted to be interpreted freely by the groups members and then shared on the page. We have covered really varied topics and each one comes with it's own unique challenge, it makes you tackle subjects you might normally avoid! (sketch topics: Above~ hot air balloon, red and fox. Below: favourite film character, Japanese, self portrait))

I am a little astounded but very happy to announce so far we are up to sketch 173 already!   There is something very inspiring about doing this challenge with a group and there is much  encouragement and sharing of information that goes on too. I have learnt so much already and developed my style in leaps and bounds and look forward to the next 173 days!

My sketches will be on show at the 'Kirkcudbright Art & Craft Trail' from 31st July to 3rd August at my corner of the event at venue 16, the beautiful historic Broughton House.

If you feel up to the challenge of sketching daily topics such as a strawberry, a Hamsa or  some canal art and improving your sketching in the process do get in touch as we do have places to spare!

Autumn poetry, pictures & paintings

 The golden hues of Autumn have danced through the trees surrounding our wee cottage and trickled their way into my sketchbook. You perhaps already guessed that I love this time of year, it always fills me with the joy of being and ignites my creativity.

Walks in the ancient woodlands fill my pockets with treasures aplenty, each taken home and placed in pride of place on my studio 'seasons'  windowsill to bring me smiles through the darkening days.

 For me autumn feels like a comfortable ancient cloak wrapped about my shoulders, familiar & cosy an old friend to be greeted with joy after the longest of partings.

 Mr O tells says my hair is like "Autumn" and that as we walk in those quiet places I disappear into the surroundings, ha!  so it seems I am indeed an Autumn lass.

 I stop at every turn to take my photos, forever astounded by the hues and textures Mother Nature provides, inspiration for my paintings for years to come.

 Every once in a while I catch a glimpse of wee messages left by fae folk, hearts hidden here & there if you remember to stay still awhile and look for those secret places..

 Even the sunsets seem imbued with Autumnal colour.  It seems the perfect way to say goodbye to the day, to stand on our doorstep and watch the sun slowly sinking into the night leaving velvet darkness.

So I am away back to my paper and my paints to try and capture the essence of Autumn, I'm not sure yet who will appear on the page, but she does have glorious hair.  I shall leave you with some words from one of my favourite Autumn poems by Thomas Hood

"I saw old Autumn in the misty morn
Stand shadowless like Silence, listening
To silence, for no lonely bird would sing
Into his hollow ear from woods forlorn,
Nor lowly hedge nor solitary thorn;
Shaking his languid locks all dewy bright
With tangled gossamer that fell by night,
Pearling his coronet of golden corn."
			it can be read in full here

Nature's Treasures and a birthday giveaway . . . .

 On darkening Autumnal evenings as I have wandered lane & shore

I have come across some wondrous treasures, tiny hidden gifts waiting to be found.

Gloriously patterned stones, like some ancient artifact that fit snugly into the palm of my hand.

 Beautiful heart shaped slate, painted with many hues in the evening light

 a delicate blown thistle, perhaps a miniature faerie pompadour wig

A stem washed up on the shore, such an intricate piece of sculpture .

All gifts from Mother Nature to amaze and astound.

 

And speaking of gifts, well I have one right here.

It was my birthday very recently, such an Autumn girl am I.

 I felt it would be the perfect time to hold a giveaway. The prize is one of my new range of personalised A3 Blessing tree prints.  They are the perfect way to record special family events, make wonderful gifts and can be adapted to suit many occasions: births, christenings, weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries.

To enter, leave a comment below telling me which is your favourite season of the year and why.

I shall pull a name from the hat and announce a winner on Monday 29th September.

You can find the full range of blessing trees on my website 

www.ruthieredden.com