Well, I must then fill you in on what I have been up to!

I’ve got into the Christmas spirit, that’s for sure.

A few weeks back I  illustrated a little Robin that I named ‘Rocky’.  Rocky has been adored by friends and family and he gave me an idea – Rocky could have his own Christmas Card range…

…Producing Rocky into a range of Cards for Christmas would also be a great opportunity to raise some money for my favourite Charity beat (www.b-eat.co.uk), the UK’s leading charity that supports people and their families with eating disorders.

I’m delighted to be able to produce these cards with the support of beat.  The packs of cards of Rocky and his friends  will be available to buy from my online shop, launching on MONDAY!  (That’s Monday 9th November 2009 folks!) and I’ll give 50p to beat for every pack that’s sold.  Hurrah!

The Shop on my website is the other project I’ve been working on.  Finally getting my online shop open means that customers can now buy my work at a click of their mouse and can pay with credit cards securely online.  Then I simply mail artwork out (or if  you live locally I’ll deliver for free!).  This means that can browse my work from your armchair.  I buy so many things online these days, it just made sense for people to trade with me this way too.

And there’s new prints too!  Two brand new prints for the modern, happy home, titled; ‘Smile you are beautiful’ and ‘Life’s great when you eat cake!’  These prints would make perfect gifts and would look great framed in your kitchen, or near to your desk at work -  I have one above my desk in my studio. These prints are priced at just £15 (and free postage!)

I also have a print of the ever popular ‘Knoll Bay Beach Huts’ and ‘Cornish Blue’

… finally, I’ve taken up eating chocolate again.  Well, it is Christmas after all and how can I possibly resist those tempting selection boxes in Marks and Spencer’s for just £3.99?  I’d also forgotten how delicious Terry’s Chocolate Orange Segments were… I can see a trend!

I will be starting on a new painting that I’ll be painting live in the studio too – so do pop along if you can!

All purchased paintings can be taken away on Saturday too.

Have a great weekend!

I have also been working on a new painting of a lovely beach and boat scene from Goran Haven, near St Austell.  I’ve been working on this piece from the Pop Up Studio every day this week and am pleased to report that I completed it today!  I can’t wait to upload it to show you, it’s in the exhibition at the moment -  if you like my St Ives pieces, you will love this one (it’s in the same tones and style) and is everyone’s new favourite!

Sorry I haven’t had an opportunity to blog for the last week, but I’ve been working down at the studio every day where I do not have the internet (yes, internet withdrawal symptoms are starting to kick in).

I have now settled into my exhibition space at the New Brewery Arts in Cirencester and all the hard work over the last couple of months has all been worth while to see my work on the walls, finally!

Everyone is saying how colourful, summery and vibrant the space looks too – which is wonderful -  Just how I hoped it would  make people feel!

I even had a double page spread in the Weekend Supplement of the local paper this yesterday.  (Yes, it was very weird seeing my face starring back at me from the page…)

If you’ve  not managed to get down to see me yet, there’s still some time left.  I am there until Saturday 17th October.

Thank you to everyone who has visited so far!

If you have been to the exhibition already, what was what your favourite piece?

1  Old Harry Rocks, Dorset

2 Painswick Hill, Gloucestershire

3 St Ives, Cornwall

4 Montpellier, Cheltenham

5 Lake Touberine, New South Wales, Australia – I remember the day I took this photography, the sand was so hot it was burning my feet.

6 St Ives (again), Cornwall

7 Rottnest Island, Perth, Western Australia

8 Paihia, The Bay of Islands, North Island New Zealand

9 Poole Harbour, looking across to Brownsea Island, Dorset

I hold a personal memory of each scene as I have taken the photograph that was the starting point to the painting at that precise place.  The painting of Paihia for example, was taken on New Year’s Day 2009 and the Painting of Poole Harbour looking across to Brownsea Island was taken just the other week!

I hope to turn these into notecards and greetings cards too.

Must go and wash my hands before making dinner – I’m covered in blue paint.   I’ve been painting a very ‘special’ piece today which I hope will be the key piece to my exhibition which starts on the weekend.  I haven’t finished it yet, but have already given it a title – ‘Liquid Lunch’.

I’ll let you guess what the piece is of!

I’m petrified.  There’s so much still to do and I feel like Anneka Rice on that 80′s program Challenge Anneka (do you remember that?)  Well, I guess she always managed to get the job done in the end.

I just hope that some people turn up, otherwise over 100 cupcakes get eaten by my sugar loving Dad  (and he’s on a diet!)

This morning the postman bought me a lovely parcel which included my new greetings cards and notelets (with my artwork) that I will sell at the exhibition.  They have turned out even better than I could have imagined and I am already thinking of getting some Christmas inspired ones made.

I also received my new business card which I will be palming off on everyone!

My pictures need new owners!  Maybe you can help rehome these?

So with the framing sorted, I now just need to paint some more canvases.  Only problem is that somebody forgot to order some new blue paint (ok, I forgot to order some more blue paint)  and what with blue being quite a key ingredient to my paintings (sea, sky, etc) I need blue like I need oxygen!

I had plenty of blue this morning, but sort of used a ‘lot’ of blue in a new painting and now there’s no blue.  So I am feeling blue.  Ok, enough puns….

All going well, Blue should arrive tomorrow with a few new canvases too.