My sketchbook and I went out for a brisk walk around Longshaw this week. There are some incredible autumn colours up there at the moment (just look at that bracken!). I had fun trying to capture the mood. For those of you who are interested in these things, I sketched using a combination of watercolourContinue reading “Longshaw sketchbook”
Category Archives: Journal
Autumn in Ecclesall Woods
Autumnal scenes and fairy houses from a quick scoot around Ecclesall Woods this week. I love this time of year.
Walking, sketching, inspiration
Not much to report from the studio this week but here are a few snapshots from behind the scenes. As well as grabbing as much painting time as I can between all the Other Things, I’ve been working on lots of shop updates and improvements, and I’ve put aside the guilt (mostly) and made timeContinue reading “Walking, sketching, inspiration”
Return to the Secret Garden
Almost a year to the day since I last went to the Secret Garden near Surprise View. It was such a beautiful day I had to get a bit of outdoor therapy and moorland inspiration for some new Peak District art. Gorgeous spring colours, shadows and textures, and lots of silver birches of course. I alsoContinue reading “Return to the Secret Garden”
Moorland colours and textures
Some lovely late winter moorland colours and textures from Higger Tor and Hathersage Moor inspiring me this week.
Ilam Hall field trip
A quick trip to National Trust / YHA Ilam Hall, Dovedale, and then back home in the snow.
Sketches from East Yorkshire in September
I took a bag full of sketchbooks with me on our recent visit to the East Coast of Yorkshire, but it turns out it’s quite difficult to sketch when you’ve got a toddler. I’m sure it’s not impossible and there were moments I could have got a sketchbook out but I always feel too badContinue reading “Sketches from East Yorkshire in September”
Two or three seasons in one day
Just a couple of quick gouache sketches that were inspired by a weather-filled walk on Hathersage Moor this winter. The wind was wild, moving the swirly-whirly clouds along so quickly and allowing the sun to peek out and do its reflection-y thing again here and there, it was wonderful. I didn’t get rained on either, which was a bonus.
Hazy January Sunshine at Higger Tor and free February Desktop Wallpaper Calendar thing
Scroll to the bottom for the free Desktop Wallpaper Calendar thingy! The moors are beautiful on days like this. I mean, they’re beautiful always, but cold, bleak and hazy is one of my favourites. Colours begin so muted that they’re almost imperceptible. As the fog starts to lift, the odd flash of sunlight breaks through and bounces off silveryContinue reading “Hazy January Sunshine at Higger Tor and free February Desktop Wallpaper Calendar thing”
In bloom
Our garden is looking flipping glorious right now. I love it when it suddenly bursts into flower. The lady who owned the house before us was obviously an incredible gardener because it’s basically wall to wall posy material. I decided to trim these self-set aquilegias out of a hedge so I could actually see them. IContinue reading “In bloom”
