House of Illustration fair

All super busy here in the studio in the run up to Christmas. Leading on from opening my studio in June with Suffolk Open Studios, many of my visitors asked to come back near Christmas, so this Sunday 22nd November and again on 6th December I will again be opening my studio door for visitors, from 10am to 4pm. It's a great chance for people who follow me and my work to come and take a look around my small studio, browse through sketchbooks, see my folios of work, and have a chance to buy my work. It also is a great opportunity for me to meet those wonderful people who support me, either through their kind comments or by buying my work and commissioning pieces.
There will be originals, prints, cards, mugs, hand painted decorations and gifts to buy, so hopefully you will find an ideal unusual pressie.

But it is still head down and on with work, as I have been accepted (along with my daughter Lizzy, 3rd year illustration BA at NUA) to have an exhibit/stall at the wonderful House of Illustration Christmas illustrators fair at kings Cross in London on 12th December. We are so excited to be part of this, a great opportunity to showcase what we do to likeminded art lovers. It sounds like it's going to be a big event, over 100 illustrators plus workshops too. I will of course have various things for sale, plus a sketchbook on the go, as I always do at fairs (people do love to see work in progress) a couple of folios too. Lizzy will be showing and selling her stunning floral prints and colouring in books (yes she's on the band wagon so to speak, but her floral line work really suits these mini books). But mainly for her it will be the experience to be in a hub for her future industry, you never know who may pick up a business card and I know her work will blow your socks off! I will be so proud to have her with me. Lizzy is the 4th generation to be arty, My mum Liz Hubbard, did machine embroidery and sold at Libertys and Harrods, and her mum Mary Robertson was a renowned oil painter and highly collected especially in North Norfolk. Our work is so very different to each other, but Lizzy has an eye for botanical art like my mum did. So do excuse me at the fair if I'm doing the proud mum thing!
http://www.houseofillustration.org.uk/whats-on/current-future-events/the-illustrators-christmas-fair

the fair is free entry, so do pop by and take a look and support the creative arts, buy something individual, hand crafted, or limited edition.

 

An illustrators admiration of others

 It's been a long time since writing again.
When I heard about this I knew that the good part of me should ask for it for Christmas, but the eager impatient child in me knew there was simply no way I could wait and I'm am just so glad I ordered it.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone/j-k-rowling/jim-kay/9781408845646

Oh how I wish I'd been at the House of Illustration the other night for the launch of the fully illustrated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, illustrated by Jim Kay. However I got tucked up early last night and devoured the book, the story we all know and love (I'm busy working on a new project and listening to them all on audio book, wonderful to work to), but Jim's re-imaginings are superb. The detail, colour, mark making and for me his superb use of theatrical light and darkness are just breath taking. 'Snape' made me gasp when I got to him, and 'Fluffy' well those noses are just perfect! He has simply woven his own illustrational magic into every image. It's a masterpiece. Very inspiring and there's a part of me that wishes I was a child again so I could read it under the covers. Spine tinglingly beautiful!

So duly inspired and in awe of such creations, I head back to my studio to paint.

I'm not going to post any pics, a copyright thing, but mainly a 'go out and buy it' thing, really you won't regret it!

Getting ready...where do I start?

Again it has been too long since I was last here. However I have been planning and creating, reading, more planning and just a teeny bit of panicking too!
I have signed up for the Suffolk Open Studios and will join nine other talented locals on the Shotley Peninsula Trail. We are eclectic bunch of creatives, producing a wide range of beautiful things.

This has lead to a revamp of a much under used dining room into a smart and welcoming extended studio space, a space to hang and display work. The walls got a splash of bright white, a nice new carpet and good lighting. That's the easy bit. I'm now frantically painting pieces to sell and reproduce as prints (large order placed with a fantastic print maker). This is one that I have sent to print, that will be hand finished with elements of gold... 'Dragon's Hoard'

I am juggling these pieces in with commissioned work, reading new novels for which I will be illustrating the covers, planning fairs to attend, making items, using my illustrations, to sell and all the while new book images and ideas are popping into my head and saying 'paint me!'

Well by the end of a day my brain is frazzled and I'm managing all this is with post it notes, planning on my calender and squeezing in the sketching between waiting for 'yays or nays' from customers and getting on with artwork, but as ever I'm feeling that I need more time to create all the things that are lurking in my head and longing to be on paper

I love this image used by Mecedes it just sums up a creative mind.

There are sketchbooks on the go, filling up with characters, notebooks of story ideas, big projects, little projects. And then, don't you just know it, the sun comes out, and the garden calls too, and the beach and the woods, all that places that inspire.

How to balance it all? I wish I knew! But one thing I do know, going full time freelance was the best decision I have made with my career, I'm now asking 'why didn't I bit the bullet years ago and listen to my creative heart?' OK so it doesn't pay big bucks, but for me it is all about doing what I love, as long as I earn enough to pay the bills, then I'm happy.

Now then....where's that paint brush?.....

Check out the artists on the local Open Studio trail and hope to see some of you on the first two weekends on June.

http://www.suffolkopenstudios.org/artist-trails#Shotley-Trail