Blog

I think I promised you a few images the last time I blogged, so I shall endeavor to do so.  I have to say using my phone camera and uploading stuff has been an interesting experience, I'm sure there is an easier way to do this, but it yet escapes me!!

It has taken rather longer than I expected to pack up eight years work of art materials and 'studio clutter', but I've taken what I need to work in a reasonably tidy space, and ditched the rest.  I have yet to set about personalising the studio, adding the little bits that will make it mine, but at least the ducks have moved in and there is a bit of music from the radio, and Rome wasn't built in a day!!



Hopefully I will have a woodburning stove installed in here for the winter as the fireplace is a fake one.  I think it will be nice and cosy and a great space to work from.  I can't wait to get some new work going and get the walls filled with exciting new paintings.  All those ideas I have built up over the past few weeks are about to become a reality, its so very exciting.

On my weekly outings to the hosptial I have passed a row of untouched terraced houses, blackened with years of soot from the nearby railway line and general traffic, they will make excellent reference material for some new pastel work.  I have made a mental note to go and make some on site sketches soon,  there is only so much you can achieve from photos from the car as you whoosh past!

As you can see from the photos, I have already got a new piece on the go on the easel, I got my first hours painting in last Wednesday, It was a grand feeling indeed!!
All things being equal i'd like to spend a couple of afternoons next week just sitiing quietly in there, getting used to the space and enjoying the freedom, however, if you fancy dropping by, drop me a line to see which days I'll be in!

Be back soon with more updates, in the meantime, take care,
Mxxx

New Studio

Well, here it is, the big day has arrived, I have my studio keys. Whoo hooo!!!
I begin moving my stuff in tomorrow with a bit of help from my Dad, and slowly as the summer progresses I will begin producing some new work.  I am so excited. 
The studio is located at Eshottheugh just off the A1 between Felton and Morpeth, you cant miss it, there is usually a huge Yellow truck parked at the turn off which belongs to one of my neighbours who produces Beef Jerky and runs the coffee shop.
On site there is also a soapmaker, Studley Soaps, who is right next door, a lovely smell of lavender fills the studio, I shall be very chilled out in that space! Next to that is the coffee shop and British Beef Jerky shop, just behind this is a wonderful little 'farm' complete with Meerkats, Smokey and Bandit!  In the next unit you can find homemade Jams from Coquet Valley Preserves, wonderful smells of freshly made jams and chutneys fill the courtyard, Im not sure how I shall resist!

There are quite a few more units and you can find out more from the B&B website at www.eshottheugh.co.uk/links.php

Gosh, can you tell Im excited?  I have to take this slowly though, as I am not quite finished my treatment (four more weeks), but what an incentive to get back to work and in such a beautiful location.

On that note I shall get back into the current chaos of the studio at home... really how much stuff can one person fit into a 14 foot square room? er, don't answer that one!! I've still got a fair amount of packing to do, and thats before I even think of moving the paintings!

So dear reader, drop back soon, I may even have managed to get some images on here at last, a wee sneaky preview!
See you very soon,
Mxxx

Well, here we are, I have officially taken the plunge and taken on a nice shiny new studio!  I get the keys on 27th June and will begin moving in that weekend all things being well and good.
I am going to be a bit naughty and keep the final details unwraps until then, so check out the website and look out for the big announcement on the homepage :)
The studio will be open to the public, you can come and watch me at work, browse prints, paintings and cards and enjoy the peace and quiet.  There are other units around me selling a wide array of products, once I have the OK back from them all I will post some links.  Most important of all there is a little tea room with a toasty conservatory from which you can enjoy the view.  Home from home really!

I will be having an open weekend at some point, so if you would like to recieve an invitation and details please drop me an email and Ill add you to the list.

I have spent most of the past week or so getting on with some new pastels of terraced streets.  I got quite a shock when I realised how long it is since I seriously sat down and did some pastel work, having concentrated for a while on the cheeky ladies, so its nice to be back on with that, although I am in a terrible mess (dark blue pastel gets kind of ingrained!)!! As usual the painting efforts are accompanied by many cups of coffee and a wide variety of cakes and biscuits, a girl cant paint without them!!

On that rather sweet note, I shall tootle off and tidy up in anticipation of tomorrows painting efforts.
See you again soon,
Michelle.

PS apologies for the lack of apostrophies in this post, the button on my keyboard has stopped working for some reason, maybe its got jam on it!!

I am very very happy as I sit here writing this, because at last the sun has been shining!  It's so beautiful, the fields and trees are suddenly lush and green, flowers are blooming in the garden and the birds are singing loudly.  I've been happily kicking back in the garden with a slice of cake or two.

I am also happy to announce that from the beginning of July I will be the proud owner of a new studio/gallery.  I am so excited!!  I will announce this officially with all the details in a few days time on the main page of the website, so be sure to look out for it.

Needless to say I am feeling all creative at the moment, and when I can't paint I am scribbling down ideas for new paintings in a little notebook.  there will be a large selection of different paintings at the new studio space, from Terraced Streets, Cheeky Ladies, landscapes and architecture in pastel, acrylic or watercolours as well as cards and a selection of gifts.  Many of these will also be appearing in my new online shop which will be live in the next day or two, provided I haven't thrown the laptop out of the window by then!

So merrily onwards, lots to think about, lots of fun to be had, so I had better get cracking then!

I hope you'll drop by again soon, you can keep up to date with things either here on the website or on my facebook page if you like, it's good to stay in touch! :)

In the meantime, enjoy the sunshine,
Toodle Pip,
mxxx

It has been ages since I was at the keyboard, or at least it feels that way, so I figured it was about time I added an update on my progress.

I don't much like rattling on about my illness on here, but having had my mid point scan I felt it was relevant to do so.

Things are going extremely well, the scan showed that my cancer has reduced by more than 70% which is amazing, everyone is very pleased :)
I still have a further 2 months of Chemotherapy to do, but knowing that we are going in the right direction seems to make that much more bearable. I will up the fight and keep heading forward.

In the meantime I have a little treatment break to gather my strength, so of course, being me and possessed of little patience, I had to head straight for the studio. 
It is always at the back of my mind, my painting, even in those wakeful hours at 3am, so I was a little worried that maybe I wouldn't be able to produce anything worthwhile.  Not to worry, it's still there!!  Those half dozen canvases that have spent months in a preparatory state had just better watch out!!  The first one I attacked is about 3/4 finished, then maybe I can get cracking with the backlog of work, even if it's only for a short while, or in sporadic doses.

I am still thinking in terms of a solo exhibition next year, where it will be remains to be seen, but one has to have something to work towards no matter how long it takes, so there it is my current motivation.
I'd also like to have a little studio set up in Morpeth next year, it's getting to be time to move out of the studio at home and meet the world head on, get the ladies out and about and be a little more sociable, but that will keep on the back burner for a bit yet.

I will try not to be so long in blogging again, so thank you for dropping by!
Until next time,
Mxxx