'ello again!!

I'm not sure where to start with this blog post, I'm a bit frazzled!!  We're supposed to be 'on holiday' this week, in my book that means chilling out, relaxing, eating chocolate in the sunshine with a good book... in reality I've never sat down, walked for miles and miles (all of it seems to have been in town), the reason behind this is the purchase of a new bed.  Ordinarily I LOVE shopping (as girls do), but finding something that a) we both like, b)is comfy enough (think the princess and the pea story here) and c) seems like a reasonable amount to pay has taken all the fun out of it.  Obviously there have not been enough cake and coffee stops along the way!!

I do, though, have a new exhibition in the offing YAY!  I will be represented by The Art House Gallery from Kelso at The Newcastle and Gateshead Art Fair 1st - 3rd October.  I'm really excited about this as I will be showing a brand new collection of cheeky ladies, in fact I'm painting them as we speak.  I won't be unveiling these until the fair, so all I will say is they are being extra cheeky and daring.  It's only eight short weeks away, so not long to wait.  I am hoping to be at the fair at least one day over the weekend, I'm already planning what to wear, it will have to be something with an expanding waistband... the chocolate cake from the coffee shop is AWESOME!

I am struggling to leave the paints and brushes alone at the moment, I'm enjoying this work so much, I've sneaked a couple of canvases home for 'the holiday'.  I've been finding new material to paint as we've been out and about (as the boredom of looking for a bed has got too much, I'm easily distracted!), people do the most extraordinary things as they wander round the streets.  I am a bit of a 'people watcher' so be careful when you're out shopping... you may end up as my next subject!

I'll be back in the studio next week, cracking on with the work, turning the tidy space into total chaos and generally being in my element. 

I'll say ta ta for now as that last layer of paint has dried, and as you know time waits for no man (or artist!).

see you again soon,

Mxxx

It's been a pretty good week this week, I've been out and about and cracking on with new work.

I'm gradually getting over the 'new space' feeling at the studio and am at a point where I can just go in and get on with things, it still looks too tidy but another couple of weeks should sort that problem out!!  It's lovely to work in there and have other people working around me, very sociable, and of course there are visitors and new people to introduce to my work.  I've got all my different styles of work in there now and of course my cards and prints, so there is something for everyone.

I've been away over the border this week visitng the Art House and catching up with things up there and getting to see the tail end of the Rolf Harris exhibition.  I was gutted that I missed the opening weekend, but thats the way the cookie crumbles and I'm sure I'll make it to the next opening.

Speaking of the Art House, Tony and Yvonne are very kindly taking my work to The Newcastle and Gateshead Art fair at The Sage in October, thats given me the much needed focus for the next collection of 'lady' paintings.  I'm hoping to go along to help out and meet some new folk, plus there is the added bonus of the amazing chocolate cake the cafe serves up!!

I'll be keeping the new work under wraps until the fair, although I might allow you the occasional little close up snippet!!  It's only 9 weeks away, not long at all :)

Just a very short blog today, I'll be back very soon though,

take care and keep eating cake,

Mxxx

Hello again!!! 
I thought I'd wander by and see how you're doing today.  It's hard to believe we're at the beginning of the summer holidays again.  I love the summer hols, spending time with my daughter, I must be one of the few parents on this planet who actively look forward to the six whole weeks!!

A quick update on things generally, I had my last dose of Chemotherapy yesterday, YAY!!!!!  I can't say I'm sorry!  Heres hoping it has done its job.  We'll know in about 5 weeks, it'll be good to get some normality back into life.

I am already getting itchy feet to get into the studio, I've spent the morning looking at ideas for new paintings and trying to get my rusty brain into forward gear!  The dining room is full of sketch books, some of which I haven't looked through for ages, collections of photographs and bits and pieces I have collected as inspiration are strewn everywhere!!  I'll drag all of these down to the studio next week, but for now I'm glad they remained at home, something to fire me up over the next few days.  There is quite a backlog of 'things to do' from the past few months, and an even bigger list of 'things to look forward to',  I really can't wait to start pulling together a new collection of paintings!

In the meantime, there is still a collection of Cheeky Lady paintings available from The Art House in Kelso and Terraced Streets from Harrison Lord Gallery in Brighouse.

So for the time being I will wish you a happy summer, hope it stays warm and dry and I'll be back very soon :)

Toodle pip for now,
Mxxx

Hello again!
I thought I'd drop back in and see how you were getting along.  It's been a busy old weekend here in the Milburn household.  I thought I'd share a little of that with you today.

On the work front I am delighted to confirm that my terraced street paintings will be showing with the Harrison Lord Gallery in Brighouse, Yorkshire from 17th July in their BIG Summer Exhibition.  The exhibition will, I am told, be featured on their website from this wednesday, so be sure to drop by and take a look. The work was sent off last week, has arrived safely and is being framed up as we speak.  It's particularly exciting for me to be showing my work in Brighouse, during a recent spell of family history I discovered that my Dads family orginated from Brighouse, being carters as far back as the 1700's.  It's funny how these things come around.  I am looking forward to being able to visit Brighouse in the summer and have a good look around and hopefully draw some inspiration from the sandstone terraced streets.  I'm sure painting in those beautiful mellow colours will be very stimulating, I can't wait.

On the home front, we've been decorating.......
I've worked from home for the past eight years, in a part of the house that was converted from an old tractor shed, and used to be our dining room until working at the kitchen table became too difficult.  It's a lovely space with a huge arched window that overlooks the rolling fields and moors beyond our home, very light and airy.  It's not a huge space, about 15 x 15 feet square maybe, but has been big enough for the job until now.
This weekend the whole family joined in to return this space to a family dining room, by whole family I mean my long suffering husband Andrew, my daughter, Bethany and my parents.
I can't believe how much 'stuff' accumulates over the years, most of it not needed to be honest, i'm a bit of a hoarder!!
Anyway, after two days of clearing, cleaning, painting and wall papering we now have a beautiful bright dining room, fairly modern but with a touch of vintage about it.
My great grandfather left me a beautiful Edwardian dispay cabinet when he passed on, it's not had a purpose for many years as it had a broken pane of glass, this is now getting a makeover to be filled with all the pieces of china and vintage jewellery I have collected (did I say I was a hoarder?!).

So, having had a fairly relaxing day today, I feel very fired up to get into the studio, maybe tomorrow and do a spot of painting of the artistic variety, I'll sleep on it tonight and see what tomorrow brings.

In the meantime I can feel the urge for a creamcake coming on....
See you soon,
Mxxx

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