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Vintage Book Review: The Naturalist in the Isle of Man
Last year, I was browsing the natural history section of the very impressive Leakey’s Bookshop in Inverness, when I spotted a copy of ‘The Naturalist in the Isle of Man’ by Larch S. Garrad. This 1972 publication details the flora,…
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Moss Hunt
One of the benefits of having an extremely untidy garden is the biodiversity that develops within it. At this time of year, it can seem that there’s not much of interest out there, but take a closer look and it’s…
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A Little Post About Little Egrets
The little egret, Egretta garzetta, is a small, slender heron with a predominantly white plumage. It has become an increasingly frequent visitor to the Isle of Man and, as it feeds on crustaceans and small fish, can be seen in…
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Kingfishers and their Surprising Beauty
It’s hard not to be impressed by the striking beauty of kingfishers. The kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), with its orange, cyan and blue plumage, is easy to recognise and hard to forget. Seen each year on the Isle of Man, I…
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Book Review – Spectrum: Heritage Patterns and Colours
Art books are fantastic sources of inspiration for creative work, and books about colour inspire us to use new colour palettes and push us out of our colour comfort zones. I recently received ‘Spectrum: Heritage Patterns and Colours’ as a…
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12 Days Wild
This year, I took part in the Manx Wildlife Trust’s nature challenge ’12 Days Wild’. The aim is to do one nature-based activity each day between the 25th of December and the 5th of January. I thought it would be…
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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.…