bluebell island

i live in a valley
a valley in the heart of the forest of dean
just behind my cottage (and to the front and either side is the forest)
its a mass of bluebells during may
this year has been particularly wonderful
the photos above are just outside the back garden in an area i call my island

ian took this portrait of me there last year


there's more of my bluebell island in the video below
including some of the paintings it inspired

lavender fields

last month i visited snowshill lavender fields

once again it was harvest time...
in fact the very last field was being harvested....

luckily the test planting area was still uncut




and there was an added bonus this year


i was looking at the photos and my sketches because i wanted to paint lavender today...

but maybe i want to paint sunflowers...
oh decisions decisions...
i'll go to the studio and see what happens

...or maybe roses...
i am listening to this

arraiolos memory

arraiolos memory
100 x 100 cms
mixed media

a painting inspired by stitching and churches and walls and music

and grasses and being outside in the sunshine

the alternative name for this painting was

'this is my church'

silver and gold...

in the evening the shadows on the walls were blue....really really blue
we tried to draw them

then i painted the walls

back home in the forest i have been painting to this