Today was a Waterproof Mascara kind of day...
Pull up a chair and let’s share a moment together. ☕
A warm welcome to everyone who’s new here. It means so much to have you join my little corner of the art world. I hope something here lifts you, comforts you, or sparks a little joy. 🌿
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Here's what's included today...
1) A 'Waterproof mascara' kind of day...
2) Moving inland - is it all concrete and chimneys?
3) Work in progress on the easel - 'Venice'
4) Seals, robins and a reminder to 'Go for it' (while you can)
5) Morning rituals and gentle ambition. New galleries stocking Lorraine Field art in Cheltenham and Stratford.
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A Waterproof Mascara Kind of Day
One of those days that catches in your throat and makes you see life a little differently.
A lady who fought the same cancer (same stage) as I did is now in hospice care. Yesterday, her son, as she nears her end, thanked her for being his mum for 24 years and it just broke me.
It made me stop. And feel. And remember again how incredibly lucky I am to still be here; healthy, painting, and close enough to see my kids every week.
Today, gratitude is oozing out of me. Not the tidy kind, but the raw, teary, real kind.
Because ordinary days, the ones filled with cups of tea, familiar faces, and quiet moments, are the ones we’ll miss the most. 🌿✨
**Don't forget, I donate 10% of all sales back to cancer research.
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Moving Inland - Is it all concrete and chimneys?...
Moving back to the Midlands has been a wrench in one way and a blessing in another.
People often picture the Midlands as all concrete and chimneys, but there are some truly beautiful spots here. There’s a lady I follow on Instagram (@aimeegetsoutside with 36.4k followers!) who one year ago simply Googled “Walks near me with a café at the end” and has built a little movement of joy around that idea. It’s proof that beauty is everywhere if you’re willing to go looking for it.
Aimee mentions feeling guilty about not spending enough time with her little ones which was her motivation for setting up the Instagram account in the first place. I told her about the old lady who once told me (as I struggled with my own 3 little ones) to relish the time I had with them because it goes 'oh so quickly'. At the time, I could quite cheerfully have shouted at her, but now, 25 years later, I realise she was absolutely right!
🎨 On the Easel — Venice
This morning I decided to paint; the light was too lovely to ignore.
Since moving house and losing my studio, I’ve been working from a back bedroom. It’s not ideal. Much smaller and the light doesn’t always reach me, but when it does, I make the most of it. (*new studio on the list!)
There's a little Italian cafe who display these paintings for me (unless they get snapped up by my lovely Collectors here first! - Dm me if you can see it hanging on your wall!)
The last piece I sold there was bought by an 89 year old lady who does yoga every morning and she told me she loves to look at the painting because it brings her calm before her day gets going! How lovely is that?
Seals, Robins, and a reminder to just 'Go for It'
On my last trip to Cornwall, I got up before dawn to watch the sunrise at Porthgwarra, right down on the south coast. It's a beautiful cove with rocks the colour of caramel. The tide was still, two seals bobbed in the bay, and a little robin came to perch on the rocks beside me.
One man was already out, swimming amongst the seals, so peacefully that I thought, why not get in?
After a few moments of deliberation (and possibly a tad of madness thrown in), in I went! Thankfully, the water wasn't quite as cold as I expected. It was exhilarating and the seals stayed exactly where they were, enjoying the rising sun. When I got out, every inch of skin tingled! It sets the tone for the whole day. (Although when I told my neighbour back home what I'd done, she told me I'm a crazy fu***er!) Would you go in?
(Can you see the seal - the pointy triangle bit?)
Morning Rituals and Gentle Ambition
As you probably realise most mornings start early for me. I’m an unapologetic dawn-chorus girl. I sit with a cuppa and my handwritten diary (yes, paper and pen!) to plan the day ahead. There’s something grounding about writing things down. A small act of order before chaos takes over.Last week’s diary held a few exciting plans:From seals at sunrise to handwritten diaries, there’s a common thread running through it all; resilience and finding a way.
Whether it’s carrying gratitude through grief, moving forward in smaller spaces, or simply showing up when the light is good enough to paint…it’s all part of the same story.
Thank you for being here to share it with me. 💛
