Dear Reader,
Welcome to my monthly catch-up.
This is where I give you an overview of what’s been going on this month and highlight any particular projects that I think will be of interest.
I will also include a favourite sketchbook spread, flowers that I see springing up on the Lizard, a comment on the weather and any thoughts on the season and at the end share with you what’s coming up for June.
June Stats
Wildflowers spotted: Hedge Bedstraw, Lady’s Bedstraw, Poppies, Dyer’s Greenweed, Clovers, Common Knapweed, Common Mallow, Tree Mallow, Burnet Rose, Dog Rose, Betony, Dropwort, Evening Primrose
Weather: We have had some really warm days, which for Cornwall was still quite a bit cooler than the rest of the UK highs reaching 22-23 degrees
This month I have mostly been: Finishing client deadlines, launching a mini online workshop, travelling, having a cold, exhibiting work, celebrating my birthday, sketch walking and meet-ups
This month has been a hive of activity!
Beginning with running some private sketch-walks and meeting fellow artists visiting Cornwall to launching a new online workshop, celebrating my birthday, having my parents visit, to getting a really heavy cold, travelling up north to buy and sell a car, visit in-laws and collect baby stuff, completing client deadlines and running more workshops online and in-person I finally have a quiet morning to write and fill you in on some of the details!
Grab a cool drink (my current favourite is an Elderflower Presse over ice) and scroll on to read some of the highlights of the last month.
Rock Oyster Map
I completed the Rock Oyster Festival site map at the end of June having worked on it off and on over the last couple of months. It always takes some time as festival maps can change due to their temporary nature with activities, events, facilities etc. It’s nice to know this map may help festival goers to navigate the site and get them excited for what is on offer.
In-person and online workshops and exhibitions
Since running my collaged flower pop-cup card workshop at Open Studios in May I have been writing and filming a version that I can offer online. This is now ready to enrol in and you can find all the details here.
I’ve already had some lovely feedback on how enjoyable the process has been to create the card. If you’re looking for a fun Summer art activity you may like to sign up below:
Roskorwell Lavender Farm
I hung and set up my framed originals, cards and prints at Roskorwell Cornish Lavender Farm for their opening season which began June 7th and will run until August 1st Thursday -Mondays 10.30-4.30pm.
If you’re visiting the Lizard peninsula this Summer be sure to pay a visit- there is a selection of artists work on display as well as refreshments, cake and of course the lavender to enjoy!
You can also find my work for sale online, and at the following places on the Lizard peninsula:
Cards + postcards-Rising Tide, Mullion Cove
Cards + zines -Tregullas Farm, Lizard Village
Cards - Fat Apples, Porthallow
Lavender themed 3d Card Workshop
I’ll be running a Lavender themed tunnel card workshop there on the 18th July in the afternoon 2-4.30pm.
We’ll be taking inspiration from the lavender fields accompanied by refreshments and Sam’s homemade cake. This is suitable for any level and a really enjoyable process to learn how to create something from a mix of artist materials that will end up looking 3D. You could go on to create a range of these unique tunnel cards exploring a range of themes.
Summer Wildflower Draw-along
It was lovely to have returning co-host illustrator Pauline from
to run our Summer Wildflower draw-along in June. We spent a good 90 minutes drawing a range of summer flowers together joined by our lovely community.
The replay is now available to view and you can join us and be inspired by the mix of wildflower photos we shared and chatted about.
Woodland Sketch Walk at Fat Appples
At the end of June I ran my first sketch walk with Fat Apples Cafe. This is a delightful family run business based in peaceful green surroundings not far from Porthallow beach.
I ran the sketch walk on the private woodlands at the back of their property that belongs to a pig farmer. The pigs we saw were enormous and furry, and one of them had tusks!
There is a row of Monterey pine trees that line the woodland path running from their campsite to a stunning view of the sea and cove below. Legend has it that these trees were planted from a single seed that was taken from the Isles of Scilly.
However they came to be there this quiet, sheltered area gave us ample opportunity to sketch the wildflowers, landscape, pigs and woodland trees undisturbed and produce some beautiful sketched memories.
Favourite Sketchbook Page
Each year I make the effort to do a sketch on my birthday so that I can have a memory of the day to look back on and this year was no exception.
I also recorded the audio version of me sketching the view for my Explore and Draw podcast. So if you’d like to listen to that you can find it below:
If you’re interested in finding out which greens I like to sketch with during the summer months then you may like to watch this video:
Thanks for your support
I just wanted to take a moment to say a big thank you to all of you who have chosen to support me here on substack either through a monthly or annual subscription over the last year. You really don’t know how important it has been for me particularly in allowing me to work on more personal projects, courses and develop my sketching style.
For those of you eager to hear an update on my postcard book project this has been on the back burner for the last couple of months but I am intending to bring it back to the foreground now that some larger client deadline pressures have passed. I hope in the next roundup I can give you more progress.
Coming up for July on Substack
Here’s what I’ll be writing / sharing with you on Substack this month (P for paid and F for free)
Process and Play video-make a Lavender themed zine! P
Explore and Draw podcast Ep.26 P
Lavender Farm Draw-along July Zoom gathering 17th July 6-7.30pm BST P
Swatch and Sketch Zoom meeting Wednesday 30th July 4-5pm BST P
In this month's process and play I'll be inviting you to make a lavender themed mini sketchbook zine with me! We’ll also be drawing inspiration from Roskorwell Lavender Farm, for our July Draw-along- not just lavender but also sheep, butterflies and bees, orchards and ponds. Lots to inspire us for Summer days.
Want to join? Just upgrade for the month
Paid members catch up with our June videos, posts and podcast here
You can upgrade to paid to support my work at anytime and access the growing library of posts.
And that’s it for now! If you’ve read to the end, thank-you and I hope this newsletter find you well,
I love the idea of sketch walks, and I do want to visit Cornwall 🔖