Crocus.

In my paintings over the years, a particular motif might hold my attention over a number of paintings. It may have been wooden animals, feathers, book covers, sailboats or certain ceramics. Recently, I have found that birds have appeared quite a bit and the flower which I'm most drawn to right now is the Crocus.
I find the colours so joyful, and at a time where everything else is so grey and we are all wishing for spring to arrive, I think they bring a little brightness.

January paintings

I am painting every day at the moment as I have lots of exhibitions coming up in 2014.

Here are three new pieces, two of which depict birds which seem to be appearing quite a lot at the moment.

Artists' Cards

Here are four new cards which have just been produced by Artists' Cards. (http://www.artistscardsltd.com/) This is the third set they have published of mine since Spring 2013.

The second batch of cards were mentioned in this post; in September.

New Gallery

For many years I have had my work in six galleries in the UK, but so far they have mostly been in the south. I was recently asked if I would show at a gallery in Ripley, just outside Harrogate in North Yorkshire and after a little visit decided immediately that it would be a lovely place to show. Ripley is a town right out of a Dickens novel and almost every house is a beautiful example of honey coloured stone and classical architecture. The gallery is called Chantry House, and is right in the centre, and easy to find. It is run by Emma Hargreaves.

The gallery can be found at:

Chantry House Gallery

Main Street

Ripley
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG3 3AY

01423 771 011

Byard Art Cambridge

Here are some of the pieces that I am currently exhibiting in the Christmas exhibition at Byard art in Cambridge.

Bircham gallery Christmas exhibition

Bircham Gallery (Holt, Norfolk) begin their Christmas exhibition on the 30th of November, and these are the pieces I will be including in their mixed show.

Owl cup and cowslips.

I have just finished painting this today, I am working towards a solo show at the Rob Fogell gallery in Stamford in April/May 2014. I will post new images as and when I have finished them.

New work.

Here are a couple of new paintings, done in the last couple of weeks. One of them includes a book cover originally designed by Enid Marx, and is part of an ongoing series of paintings depicting beautiful book covers from my collection.

Nursery Ware

I have been collecting nursery ware for many years, and occasionally I have included it in a painting. A recent commission inspired me to look again at this very detailed, decorative work. Here are a few of the paintings I have done on this theme:

Spring flowers.

Springtime has come later than normal here due to the heavy snow. Now that the snow has finally gone, the flowers are coming up in the garden and inspiring me to paint some new still lives.
This is a lovely time of year and seeing these flowers coming through after being buried under eighteen inches of snow only a few weeks ago is a joy.

Exhibition photos

I was in Norfolk on Tuesday and Wednesday and got to see my own show for the first time. Chris and Debby from the gallery have done a really nice job and hung the paintings very well. We spent some time talking with them and looking round. Chris said that sales had gone really well, with six sold before the show even opened.
The show continues until the 17th of April at Bircham Gallery, Holt, Norfolk.

Rabbits.

Over the last year I have been introducing more animal imagery into my work: Cats, dogs and birds etc, but recently I have been looking at Victorian illustrations of Rabbits. Coincidentally, my husband, the photographer Andrew Sanderson had photographed a toy rabbit belonging to a friend's (Jo Aylward) daughter. With it being Easter Sunday, I thought I'd share them with you....

Bircham Gallery 25 years painting

The opening of my solo exhibition at Bircham gallery went very well by all accounts, with good sales. Unfortunately I couldn't be there as I was at the Selvedge Art show in London. To commemorate the gallery being open for 25 years, I sent along a small celebratory painting.

Solo exhibition at Bircham Gallery.

I have just finished a rather busy period of painting and organising of framers, couriers etc. I have been full on since before Christmas and I'm just beginning to see the results. This is all new work and I have included some paintings which are a slightly different direction for me.

My work is now safely at Bircham Gallery in Holt ready for the opening of my solo show on Saturday 23rd of March.

Bircham Gallery are celebrating 25 years of being in business this year and my show is the first in a range of special exhibitions featuring artists and craftspeople. 

Saturday 23rd March to 17Th of April 2013

Opening times: 10.00am - 5.00pm.

Bircham online catalogue:  www.birchamgallery.co.uk

14, Market Place, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 6BW.

Robin Hood Staffordshire figure

My husband Andrew Sanderson recently photographed my Staffordshire figure of Robin Hood and it inspired me to include it in one of my larger paintings. My children have ridiculed my choice of ornament ever since I bought it from a local junk shop a few months back. I originally bought it for a bit of fun, but have grown rather fond of it.
This then led me to look at other pieces in this style. I found, and painted two Staffordshire cats and have done the drawings for lions and horses, but have not had time to paint these yet. I am sure there will be more curious finds to inspire soon.

New work for Beside the Wave gallery, Cornwall

I've been so busy doing paintings for my solo show at Bircham Gallery, Norfolk (that begins on the 23rd of March), that I only had time for a small selection to include in the mixed spring show at Beside The Wave Gallery, Falmouth, Cornwall. These three paintings will be on show in Cornwall from the 23rd of March until the 10th of April.

Sunderland ware jug commission

I've almost finished another painting commission for a couple in Norfolk. This one was based around an unusual Sunderland ware jug:

I have done a handful of paintings in the past, inspired by this particular pottery. They usually have a maritime theme and often have a proverb or saying on the jug too. I currently own one jug and it looks like this:

Here are some other paintings inspired by this pottery: