February

Imbolc Greetings – as the days lengthen and the garden comes to life.

Outside my studio window I can see rhubarb emerging – with leaves, buds on the raspberry canes, blackcurrant and blueberry bushes and plum tree. The daffodils are out – after a splendid showing from the snowdrops, cowslips and crocus. I have managed a couple of days in the garden this month sorting out pots, the herb patch and a major pruning of one of my gigantic Pampas.

And Miss NancyWhisky has managed a bit of ‘all hail the sun’ worship.

We have managed a couple of trips out in the camper van – Alkborough and also down into the Lincolnshire Wolds to Snipe Dale.

I have completed the Fields and Farms of Lincolnshire – the seasons series, here are Autumn and Winter

Geese and Hedgerows – Drypoint/Monoprint

Birds and Bales – Drypoint /5

Winter Ploughing – Luscious Earth – Themed Drypoint/Monoprint

Elsham Wold – Wintertime Skulking

All eight pieces are now at the framers – It’s an expensive month.

February has been a sorting out kind of time – I have two pieces of work exhibiting with the Lincolnshire Artists’ Society – four pieces of work to be exhibited at the Ropewalk – Ropewalk Print Workshop/Feral Art School Northern Print Exhibition (plus browser pieces!) The Print Fair (fingers crossed) and the featured artist for July, also at the Ropewalk.

For Northern Print I have worked up two themed Drypoint/Monoprints with inktense marks – and these are also at the framers.

Woodland – looking down moon

Secret Pond – looking down sun

For the July display I have written myself an artist statement and brief – I have tried to explain how I work and what inspires me. It has emerged as:

Up, Down and Over the Humber

Basically I start at the Ouse and the Trent becoming the Humber at Trent Falls and work along both banks to the North Sea. The south takes in Blacktoft Sands, Alkborough, Far Ings the Humber Bridge – Waters’ Edge, Barrow Haven and Cleethorpes – Fitties Beach. The north bank is Hessle Foreshore, Saltend, Paull and Spurn. The ‘over’ is the both the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Wolds – either side of the Humber Bridge. I am making a painted concertina map to illustrate this. There are to be 10 (approx) prints of key places displayed on little wooden easels around the ‘map’.

I started with Alkborough and will work my way up and down and over.

Over Alkborough Flats – Drypoint /5

I have a lot of work in my tiny studio and only one plan chest so I have been archiving some – during this process I have had a good think about my commitments. I decided that one thing I wouldn’t do was this year was to enter the Ferens Open, I am a bit sorry about it but I feel I would have need three new pieces and I would be overstretched. There is always 2025 – if we’re spared.

Sorting 1

Sorting 2

Finally – remembering Kath who passed this month – a lovely lass.

Enjoy the progress towards the Spring Equinox and the emergence of the Oak King.