In praise of slow
Some folk like to set off into the New Year with a sense of drive and purpose. And some, go at a more gentle pace. Personally, I treat January as a "good to go slow" time and I don't buy into the New Year, New Me culture of having to change and push and drive myself forward to being The Best Version of myself.

And how does this play out in the studio?

Well, I didn't set foot in it until January 3rd and I certainly didn't go in with any wild goals or mayor plans to achieve. In fact, this year I had signed up to a course starting on that day and offering me a gentle supportive structure in which to limber up my creative muscles.

Studio time at the moment is based on play, experimenting and reflecting. It is the taking time to look back at what I have done that is reaping rewards. I'm wanting to understand my processes more so I can use what works well, and avoid familiar dead ends and leg traps. And only by watching and listening can I see what these strengths and unhelpful habits are.

The result? I ENJOYED the race. And that is more important than the statistics of time, seconds and age category placing! Because of the planning I was able to enjoy it. That's the point.

​ In praise of slow, in praise of going at a comfortable and sustainable pace.

So, I have dived headlong into "Approaches to Abstraction" with Sally Hirst  It's six weeks of play, thinking and developing ideas. Having the format is something I found I needed to help prioritise my time and focus in the studio. Too many distractions were calling me away. Enough!

I love having someone else coming up with a plan, and it is really clear that Sally is an expert teacher and very experienced artist herself. I love her approach, style and sense of humour. 

I've been collecting this week - colour - line - shape - texture, and from here we will go on to working with some of our reference material. My overall theme is the tidal river estuary and beach at Llandanwg - we often go and stay there in the campervan....I love it.

I'm really excited to be working further with some initial photos and sketches I have from visits this year into more developed work. It's a way that I can stay connected to this beloved place when I can't get there in person - though I have booked myself a week in a house there in Spring...just me and Ruby the dog. Even my husband isn't allowed to come on this art retreat that I have gifted myself.

Come back and see what happens ...

Thank you all so much for coming. I was delighted to see so many smiling faces and hear many positive comments - the best was "this is my kind of heaven" How good is that?

Our house does lend itself to a good Open Studio - lots of space and a beautiful garden leading onto my studio through the big french doors. I wanted to show that "art makes a home" and used the sitting room to its best advantage. It did help folk view the art in a possible context of their own home.

I will definitely be doing another one - maybe in the spring.

To be clear with you, this isn't a post about how great my holiday was. It isn't a "look at me" and "look at what i did on holiday, aren't I amazing?"

I want to inspire you to see the things around you with fresh eyes AS IF you are on holiday. This is what I loved so much about being on Mallorca - and even though I know the island well - I delighted so much in looking again and looking anew.

After the past year, we all need some pleasure, some soothing and some uplifting. I get that through looking at the world around me.

Up close, from afar, from beneath or from above - a change of view is essential. We thrive and grow because of difference.

And we can benefit from this feeling of difference without going on holiday. Here are a few ways I do it-

• I walk down a new street on the way home from the shop.
• last night I put a different blanket or throw on the bed, one I haven't used since last winter
• make a meal from a new recipe
• I look at things up close in the garden and then the same things a week later
• get outside without my phone and imagine describing what I see / hear to a friend

​I'm sure you get the idea, and I'd love to hear of somethings that you can suggest i do...

Here is your invitation. I do hope you can come. I have a made a Facebook event page with more photos and information - click here...

I'm developing some small series of works on paper to be framed and made available to buy. I've been exploring a fascination with the diagonals in the landscape and using a process of masking off paper in order to focus on this. The results can't be planned 100% and I don't know what the image is until i peel off the masked area.

Oooooh, i love a reveal!  I've got one set in at the framers at the moment, and this is the next set to go.

Stay tuned if you are interested. Those on my mailing list will get first dibs and a discount.

I do like a coherent and fairly neutral colour palette in my work, alot of the time. Recently though  I am getting bolder at chucking in the odd curve ball. It takes an leap of faith to do this, but, you know what, I am a gutsy artist and I am confident that the more I am willing to risk the more I stand to gain.

Been drawn to orange recently, and this gets a lots of positive feedback on my social media feeds.....it is a delightful colour isn't it? Makes me feel alive, happy and positive.

What does it do for you?

Words can help my experimenting and exploring stay on track. Bit like a map. I mean, it is OK to get lost and sometimes it is also really helpful to keep some kind of focus. I am still looking for new territory this way. It helps the work get richer, deeper and more interesting. My tutor at art school use to say "don't show me a drawing until you've done at least 50 on a theme"

So, here, I am working with the contrasts between two kinds of marks - the smooth and the jagged. I write key words on a piece of paper in front of me to refer back to.....often.