Open and closed studios

Open Studios 2025 was, as ever, a wonderful occasion. After taking pieces to my framer, the transformation began with a grand tidy up, then a coat of fresh white paint and finally the curation of recent work before I opened the doors to visitors.

Open studios is a fantastic opportunity to connect with people - so many are interested to talk about what inspires my work and the process of producing my paintings, and when someone buys one I get to hear about what it is that makes someone want it for their own home.

Unfortunately bad news came soon afterwards - the lease on White Horse Arts Studios studios was not going to be renewed and we had to leave at the end of September.

I didn’t just paint in my lovely light filled room, I did my best thinking there so as well as paint, I wrote important letters, kept a journal, planned my wrkshops, made decisions….

I was so excited when I got the keys to my first shared studios, I’d spent two years searching for such a space. It didn’t disappoint - a highlight was building new friendships, learning together through peer critiques, organising exhibitions and events. If my door was left open my studio buddies knew I was ready for a coffee and a chat, and when the door was closed they knew I was busy.

So, sad times, but there will be somewhere new, fresh beginnings….