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Experimenting with Watercolour and Coloured Pencil and the Final Inkvent Inks
To be fully creative, it’s necessary to try out new art supplies and new ways of working. The exploration of materials often sparks inspiration and is the point at which we become most childlike in our creativity (no bad thing).…
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Winter Activities and Inkvent Christmas Tree
The week after Christmas can be a great time to wind down and spend time with family. It can also feel a little empty and like there’s not much to do, but on the Isle of Man there are lots…
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Our Recent Waxwing Visitors and the Next 7 Inkvent Inks
We were recently lucky enough to have a visit from waxwings in Ramsey at the end of November. The European Waxwing is a distinctive bird species native to northern Europe, Scandinavia, and parts of Asia. Every so often, they visit…
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Countdown to Christmas
Christmas is fast approaching and I’ve been busy preparing for the upcoming open studio day on Sunday the 10th. Among the preparations of artwork and Christmas cards, I’ve also been enjoying a daily treat from my Diamine Inkvent Advent calendar.…
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Finding Inspiration in the Trees
Drawing trees has been a love of mine since my mum first showed me how to represent their dividing branches. There’s something in the ever decreasing, repeating pattern of their boughs that comforts me as I draw. Add to that,…
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Getting Ready for December
It gets pretty crazy at this time of year and with a studio open day coming up, things are even more hectic than normal. This week’s blog post takes a sneak peek at the studio as Grenaby prepares for Christmas.…
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A Walk Around Tholt-y-Will Glen
There’s nothing better than heading to a woodland in the autumn. The warm hues and crunch of leaves underfoot are a joy for the senses. The glen at Tholt-y-Will is a particularly good destination at this time of year, as…
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Colours of Nature: Luminance Pencil Swatches
Of all the art supplies that fill my heart with joy, Luminance pencils must be right up there with the most uplifting. I wanted to dislike them, mainly because they’re so expensive, but using Payne’s Grey and Silver Grey over…
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Vintage Book Review: Janet Marsh’s Nature Diary
I was delighted recently when a friend of mine surprised me with a present she had found in a second-hand bookshop. It was a nature diary, published in 1979, entitled ‘Janet Marsh’s Nature Diary’. In this blog post, I’ll share…
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The Value of Being Brave and New Additions to the Map
Inktober is the perfect excuse to explore ink as an artist’s material and develop your skills with this wonderful medium. This week, I’ll be sharing the drawings for the final two IOMNJ ink-drawing prompts, celebrating the value of being brave…