New entries in the Sketchbook section

Just caught up and uploaded sketches done last autumn and this March. They can be found in the Sketchbook link to be found on the right. Quite a lot of flowers - from a friend's garden in Shropshire, another garden in the village and my garden. Also got to do some sketching while out on the fields with the dogs - although they didn't appreciate all that stopping!

I managed to sketch a bit in Morzine in the French Alps, while the rest of the family were skiing this March. Always end up sketching Point du Nyon - it dominates my walks along the river Dranse, which runs through the village. March is the only time I manage to sketch here while the snow is on the ground. Any earlier and frankly my hands would just be too cold to draw, but there can be some really lovely sunny days in March when it is very pleasant to be out.

It is a shame that Rotring seem to have changed their ink (at least it seems like they have). It used to be really water soluble, but sadly on this trip I brought out a new set of ink cartridges - and found that the ink hardly moved at all when I applied the water brush - hence the more mark-making on the Morzine sketches.This was not good news. I asked last week at the art shop if they had come across this, but they weren't sure. However, they pointed me in the direction of some calligraphy ink cartridges that would fit and state that they are very water soluble, so I'm going to try these out in the near future and see if they are better.

Normal service is about to resume....

At last - builders are out, I'm not away on holiday and I have put everything back into the studio. Well, not everything - the exhibition stuff is now in the attic (which I can walk in to easily), which has had another section boarded over to facilitate my stuff - wonderful! All duly covered in plastic sheets to protect it from the bats.

A few boxes next to the fireplace that still need sorting out - full of articles from art magazines that need to be indexed when I have a moment.

Now have a good bookshelf with everything in order. I got rid of a large number of books, as although they were useful years ago, I haven't looked at them for a long time. All got donated to the local art club for their library. Also moved out the videos I had on art - as I don't have a video machine any more!

Lots of cupboard space and drawers, with everything in its place.

Best of all - a basin with hot and cold running water - what bliss..... I have put up with a big bottle of water and a bucket for the waste for 20 years!

Another pile at the end to be sorted, but I've done pretty well in getting it organised. Found a use for the old wine boxes my husband gave me - look good, are strong and stack well in that little space.

This is a funny little area, but now utilised with the upright sections, so I can stack canvases, portfolios, art boards etc without them getting damaged.

Yes - I've started painting again. Acrylic inks at the ready, flowers on table to inspire and looking forward to it. Been out of action in terms of painting for so long, so it'll seem strange getting back up there again. But what a lovely area to work in now, rather than the mess I was in before.