Things I’ve Noticed…
For a long time, I called this journal Studio Notes — a place to share glimpses into my painting process and the stories behind my work.
Over time, I realised that the beginnings of my paintings often happen long before I enter the studio. They begin with noticing: a shift in light, the colour of a field, the sound of birdsong, the texture of a hedgerow, or a fleeting moment in the landscape.
This is a place to gather those observations — the small things that catch my attention and, sometimes, find their way into a painting.
The Quiet Before The Marks
I think I may have reached the slightly less romantic part of a creative pause.
The part nobody really talks about.
The part where you have spent weeks noticing, gathering ideas, walking, writing and allowing things to quietly develop… and then you look at your sketchbook and think:
Why am I still not making?
Because the truth is, I have loved this slower season. I have enjoyed having time to pay attention. I have enjoyed writing, reflecting and noticing the small things that might otherwise have passed me by.
It has been a good place to be.
But it isn't always an easy place to be.
Field Notes: A Few White Feathers
I almost walked past them.
Just a couple of white feathers caught amongst the dry grasses at the edge of the path.
They weren't remarkable in themselves. There was no bird in sight, no dramatic story unfolding. Just a quiet reminder that something had happened here before I arrived.
I stood for a moment, wondering.
The Hares, the Stubble Fields and the Passing of Time…
Cooler today.
More cloud.
The sound of combines working across the fields.
Raucous crows calling overhead.
The soft susurration of wind moving through the trees.
Two hares chasing each other across the stubble.
I wonder if they’ve noticed me.
They move quickly, playfully, completely absorbed in their own little world. For a moment, I am simply another part of the landscape — a quiet observer sitting with my coffee, watching.
Opening the Studio Door: What I Learned From My First Open Studio
Well… that's a wrap.
My first Open Studio is over, the signs have come down, and the studio now looks as though a small art-shaped tornado has passed through it. Tomorrow's job is tidying up... but for now, I thought I'd share a few reflections while they're still fresh.
If I'm being completely honest, it wasn't quite what I'd imagined.
Friday was hot. Not pleasantly warm, but the sort of heat that makes you question every decision involving movement. The air was heavy, the sun relentless, and if I'm truthful, I wasn't entirely surprised that I didn't welcome a single visitor through the door that day.