Features

Olive's trademark triangle mouth.



When Olive was first born Martin noticed that her eyebrows weren't there - but now they're growing in!

Blue

I've been feeling really low and blue recently. Hormones, lack of sleep and life stresses all have a lot to answer for. But can you believe that the photo of blue (above) is the sky! In the UK! In the summer! To prove it here is the same sky (below) including the trees in my garden.



I have to admit that it is pretty hard to feel blue for very long in one go when you have a face like this smiling at you everyday!!

Inspiration

My first break away from Olive was just what I needed. A day out with my art group Borderlands, spent drawing and photographing lots of inspiration at Haslemere Museum. We'll be exhibiting our completed works there next year. I had such a lovely time I came back the next day to do some more work!! I do find it takes a while to get back in the groove with drawing (and concentrating). Haslemere Museum really is such a lovely place to visit - take a picinic and explore their fab garden too.

Olive's First Swimming Costume

Here's Olive in her little swimming costume, just before her first dip in the pool, during a visit to relatives at 'The Farm' in Norfolk.



Olive really loves splashing about in the bath every morning so I thought she'd enjoy the pool - and she really did! I now feel much more confident about taking her regularly to the public pool.

Butterflies and Pockets of Pattern

A few photos of my mixed media butterflies displayed in their new glass backed frames from Otterspool (which I'm really pleased with) before I sent them off to the exhibition at Baker Tilly!



This is 'Fly, Float, Flutter' and in the new frame you can see that the butterflies cast interesting shadows on the wall behind.



This is 'Dinky and Pinky'!! Isn't that a great name?!



You can see here more clearly how I've made each one using coloured wax, paper, beads, wire and threads.



Each paper butterfly is handmade using a stencil on the deckle when the paper is being pulled up through the water. You can just make out the stencil line on the edge of this example.



One of four mixed media panels entitled 'Pockets of Pattern'. Each one includes a photo printed onto fabric, stitching, tissue paper and white ink.



Close up.



Closer up.



From the back!

Farm Visit

On 12th April we met up with family at this farm and had a lovely time. I especially liked the Alpacas with their funky hair style's - so cool!

Otterspool Exhibition

After joining the Surrey Artists Network online here I was lucky enough to have my 3D cardboard sculpture selected to be on display at Otterspool Studios in Guildford for the first anniversary exhibition until 22nd of May. Olive proved to be a popular guest when we attended the private view.