Today’s moment of calm has been found whilst working on this piece. Listening to the beautiful voice of Dolores Keane singing, I courted a soldier. “Followed the road of the sparrow and wren through leaves we searched for them”. A beautiful song and a beautiful voice for such a small brown bird.

Today’s moment of calm, a close up look at my finished painting of Doves in the Espaliered Apple Tree (available now) possibly a perfect gift for someone you love, if they like doves. Painted on cradled gesso panel

Somebody is enjoying the cooler weather and having a late start to the day

Good morning There can be no lotus flowers without the mud

Sometimes walking into my studio is a bit like stepping inside my brain. There’s a lot going on and it’s hard to see exactly where the beginning actually is

Friends for lunch Garden raided Salad days

“I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries and very frankly give them fruit for their song” Joseph Addison 1672 - 1719. As True today as it was then.

It’s been a summer of making ginger beer. A lot less sweet than shop bought and a lot kinder on both stomach and wallet.

Time to break for lunch

Today I’m working on a commission for a silver wedding anniversary gift for a moth lover. It’s a miniature of a Silver Y Moth in a vintage Italian gilt wood frame. Selfishly I adore these commissions because I know they’ll be treasured by the recipient & I get to share in their story just a little

Today’s moment of calm

I’m ditching single use paper napkins and bringing back hand embroidered vintage linen. It’s cheaper, this haul cost £5 from a charity shop. Better for the planet, nicer for your guests, easier on your purse and a donation to a good cause. I’d call that a win win win win result

I get to see a stage beetle every morning when I have my toast and marmite because I painted one on a plate. I still remember the all over excitement of finding them when I was a child. They were the kings of the insect world, the Crown Jewels

A Canary shoulders moth looking extremely dapper after waking me up at one thirty in the morning by landing on my deeply sleeping face. Possibly the most attention seeking moth in the world?

Bryn here, just chilling at the pub in Narberth with the Mrs and wishing everyone a great weekend.

Orchard Inhabitants, in recycled solid wood frames painted in Farrow & Ball Hardwick white. Signed and finished with watercolour, so each one is an individual. This is my attempt at producing some affordable real art. I much prefer a real print to a signed reproduction.

Today it’s all been about the blackbirds in my studio as I finish a commission of a miniature blackbird and proof a new linocut

It’s been super hot and super busy in the garden today. Dodging horse flies, finally getting the sundial set up and putting the last few plants in, grown from seed. It’s definitely a dogs life. As the humans dripped with sweat they jumped into their paddling pool. Lots of dragon and damsel activity

As I work on the portrait of my mother sleeping her way through the last part of her life her favourite song The Sally Gardens comes randomly on my playlist and then a butterfly flies into my studio. We are all so fragile and death walks beside us every day we are alive.

Hot hot hot, even the stained glass is doing a bossa nova

Continuing with my stained glass wren theme re yesterday’s post here’s the next piece now finished and available. Orchard Wren, kiln fired, hand painted, leaded stained glass.Ready for a window in a new home. Dm for details

The first panel is completed and I breath a sigh of relief

Two Doves in the Espaliered Apple Tree, painted on cradled gesso panel. Ready for the Art in the Garden exhibition at Stackpole Walled Gardens this August

Good morning from the vegetable garden.The watering complete, the first horsefly bite of the day acquired, it must be coffee time. Happy Monday everyone.

Mainly in the shade under the bench

Sunday morning and with the watering/weeding done I sit coffee at my side and Bryn asleep on the grass beneath the apple tree watching the cabbage whites laying eggs on my Brussels. The birds are singing, the sun is shining, a gentle breeze keeps the horse flies at bay. So I’d say it’s a perfect day

Created for Art in the Gardens in Stackpole, & now ready for soldering. Available from the exhibition should you wish to own such a bit of hand painted stained glass? I will also be opening my studio by appointment through August if you would like to see my paintings in person

Tthe fleeting season of wild strawberries will come to an end very soon. I pick bunches of mint,sage,thyme and lemon verbena to dry for winter. I swear the bay trees flinch as I approach them secreters in hand. It’s okay I say you’re evergreen and I prefer your leaves fresh 💚