The annual open studios event has rushed up on me this year but I am just about ready. Next week sees the final preparations with Mary McCarten setting up her glass sculptures in the garden and her decorative glassware in the gallery. Mary has some exciting new work along with her familiar bowls, dishes and trinkets. It is well worth a visit to see Mary's glass sparkle in the sunshine. All her work is frost proof and her stands are powder coated to protect against rust. Samantha Nixon is an...

British Summer Time was heralded in this week with some very cold weather but the promise of Springtime is already here. The early clematis are in full bloom and the wisteria is covered in buds. This is my favourite time of year; when the sun shines there is no better place to be than in my garden. Winston Churchill's famous quote is so true for me: "A day away from Chartwell is a day wasted." We have sheep in the meadow and one gave birth to 3 lambs yesterday before our very eyes. We helped...

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year with good vibes, peace and more sunshine. I am feeling very positive about 2026. I can't believe how far I have moved forward since my last studio news with big changes in my creative process and a series of work in the offing. I have to thank Sally-Anne Ashley for pushing me forward in a very gentle way via her course Creative Shift and her wonderful membership group "The Arthouse" where I am a guide. It is such creative place with a wealth of guided...