‘Forest Pansy’ leaf
Watercolour
23 x 20.5 cm
Cercis Canadensis (Redbud) var ‘Forest Pansy’ has deep purple-red leaves through the year, which turn to gorgeous reds and oranges in autumn. This leaf is from the shrub at Hyde Hall. I painted this one at twice life size to get as much detail in as possible.
May the road rise up to meet you (Hollow of His hand)
Ink
23 x 16 cm
When I read the words of this prayer, I loved the image of being held snugly in God’s hand and wanted to combine it with lines of Celtic patterns and colours to go with the lines of the prayer (yellow for sunshine, green for fields, blue for wind and rain and brown for the road).
This design is available as a greetings card from the Northumbria Community online shop: http://www.northumbriacommunity.org/product/hollow-hand-greetings-card/
Anemone blanda – winter windflower
27 cm x 15 cm
Watercolour
These just turned up in my garden one spring, and I loved the brightness of the flowers.
This is one of the four pieces I submitted to the Royal Horticultural Society, and were considered to be of Silver Medal standard.
Corylus maxima purpurea – hazel – red filbert
29 cm x 38 cm
Watercolour
I had seen the glorious colour of the leaves in springtime, and then in the autumn, I was amazed by the pink of the casings surrounding the nuts, so I wanted to paint the hazel as one of my submissions. It then took a year, as I slowly added the next stage of growth to the picture.
This is one of the four pieces I submitted to the Royal Horticultural Society, and which were considered to be of Silver Medal standard.
Tomato ‘Lemon Tree’
24 x 32 cm
Watercolour
The seeds for these were in a pack of ‘heritage’ tomatoes, and I loved the intensity of the golden colour of the ripe fruit.
This is one of the four pieces submitted to the Royal Horticultural Society Picture Committee and considered to be Silver Medal standard.
Snow
12 x 12 cm
Watercolour
In a private collection
In the February after we moved to Essex we had 15 cm of snow, more than I had seen since I was a child. Familiar walks were transformed, and I particularly liked this view through a hedge, and the way that the brambles framed the oak tree on the far side of the field.
Rachel said ‘I could imagine this as an illustration for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.’
Ivy leaf
Watercolour
13 x 15 cm
In a private collection
I liked the heart shape of this leaf, and the particularly vivid mosaic effect of the veins – a challenge to paint!
Rocking-horse-fly
Papier mache, wire and plastic sheet
45 x 25 x 7 cm
In a private collection in North Carolina, USA
I have loved the ‘Alice’ books since I was a child, especially ‘Through the Looking Glass’, so I decided to make my favourite looking-glass insect, the rocking-horse-fly.
Winter afternoon
Watercolour
17 x 24 cm
In a private collection
This oak tree is a particular favourite of mine – I love the way the branches twist, and the twigs are like lace against the sky.
Ruth said, ‘Is this a painting or a photo? Cos it’s brilliant! Love it!!’
Red apples
Watercolour
12 x 23 cm
I loved the deep red glow of these apples. As I painted them, I noticed more and more the variations in colour and the pattern of spots all over the surface, making each apple unique.