Tuesday 15 May 2012

Japan Time


Had to go for a walk this afternoon to ease the pre-travel jitters. I love adventure and seeing new inspiring things but I always get really anxious before I go anywhere. My to do list is almost done, my suitcase almost packed, last minute lamp orders almost made but still the stress hormones are coursing around my bloodstream...what is this about?


I saw this on Rachael Taylers blog today (lovely post about a year that has changed her) and it gave me some strength. That's it. I am about to step way out of my comfort zone. A new country and culture on the other side of the world, one that I would like to find my niche in, one in which I am a complete beginner! I'm a bit scared!

Right, brave girl boots on. I'm going to JAPAN! 

I'm going on Friday morning. I'll be back on the 1st June. I have done my best to get through my inbox. Sorry if I've forgotten to do anything before I go. Any web orders through Hannah Nunn will take  longer than usual. Matt will be looking after Radiance as normal. The next couple of days will be frantic so I thought    I'd say bye for now. Back soon with tales of  big adventures. x

Sunday 13 May 2012

Saltaire Arts Trail fun

(photo by Sarah Mason Photography)
Last weekend I had such a lovely time participating in the Saltaire Arts Trail. What a wonderfully friendly and really well organised event it was. I exhibited in an open house on George Street which is one of the larger houses on the trail and was home to eight of us artists.  The house looked amazing adorned in paintings and ceramics, sculpture and lights and SO any people came. On the Sunday 850 passed through the house!


It's always a pleasure to meet with other artists and makers and with every show you do you widen your circle a little more. This was a lovely bunch. Let me introduce you to them. The painting above called Valley Deep is by a lovely artist called Helen Hallows who was exhibiting in the living room with me. It was lovely getting to know her and hearing about her growing business (she's a fellow blogger and wrote a sweet post the other day) I had my eye on this print. If I wasn't going to Japan I might have bought it. Still, it's a limited edition print run and there are some left so you never know!

Me and Janet Browne talked about birds a lot as her beautiful textile pieces feature a lot of them and I had taken my bird lamps for their first outing. There are so many gorgeous ones to choose from on her website. I love her Jays with the oak leaves and acorns.

(photo by Sarah Mason Photography)
My lamps sat happily next to Paul Smiths sculptures and went rather well with the wallpaper.



 Paul Smith was a jovial chap. He knew the Summer Isles and had recently been walking in the mountains nearby. Ahhh nice. Just found this lovely fox on his website. He would look lovely on my mantelpiece!


Cath Brooke with her lovely pink hair was exhibiting her prints in the hall. Monoprints, collographs and dry point prints. They made me want to make prints too. Such rich colours and beautiful marks.


David Ashby's lovely ceramics were getting a lot of attention in the kitchen. He has a shop/workshop in Grassington in the Lakes. It's always interesting to hear how other artists make this work.


Catryn Henderson was the smiley one in the kitchen with the lovely oil paintings. We had a nice chat about Laugharne where I used to live in Wales as she knew it well.


And it was nice to chat to Nicola Winters who is my kind of next door neighbour as she works in Mooch cafe. I'd never really spoken to her before even though she's a familiar face. Now I'll be looking out for her when I go out walking as she is often out and about with her watercolours.. This tree was painted at Jumble Hole, one of my favourite spots.

All in all it was a very sociable and lucrative weekend. Big thanks to Sarah and her daughter Emily who were brave enough to open their house. It was a pleasure!

Thursday 10 May 2012

All new and all good!


Even though it had been bucketing down all night me and Sarah went for a walk this morning. Eight hours later I can still feel the zing of the woods. It's been with me all day.


It was deeply refreshing to walk among the trees with all their new buds opening into the freshest green leaves all soaked in rain drops.


Sarah took these beautiful photos and I think the woodland magic got to her too because today...drum roll please....

*** she launched her brand new and very gorgeous website! ***

I only met Sarah fairy recently really when she came to take my profile shot for Illuminate. We quickly discovered a shared passion for the woodland and everything in it and have since trodden many muddy paths around Hebden Bridge together marveling at it all. I love what she does and I know she would be very happy if you paid her a visit.

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Hello Brave Girls!


Today I have been featured as the 'Birdie Artist of the Day' over on the Brave Girls Club website with my new Coal Tit Lamp. This was a lovely way to start the day and propelled me out of bed (where I read the Daily Truth email on my phone as it's always the first thing in my inbox of a morning) to look at the laptop.
I was first introduced to these two AMAZING women on Hello Soul Hello Business e-course when one half of the duo, Melody Ross was interviewed. Hearing the story of how and why she founded Brave Girls Club was soooooo inspiring and I signed up to their daily truth there and then. Each day they write a little snippet of wisdom designed to help us all be a little bit bigger, brighter and brave every day! Happy to be there.

Here is todays...


Saturday 5 May 2012

Seed Pods at George Street


The Saltaire Arts Trail is upon us. It has started today and is on for Sunday and Monday too. Robert helped me set up at 71 George Street yesterday and my Seed Pod Window Hanging has found it's perfect match hanging in the grand window half way up the stairs. It's perfect when it has all sky behind it. I hope to catch a picture of it when the sky is perhaps a little bluer!

There are eight great artists and craftspeople in this house. What I've seen of it so far looks amazing and I and am looking forward to seeing their work (look here) and meeting them all in person tomorrow and Monday when I'm in the house. The weekend will start with Sunday breakfast at Salts diner with my Mum & Dad. Looking forward to that too! I'll be sure to be blogging about the whole weekend!

Whatever you are doing I hope you have a lovely bank holiday weekend. x
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