Lambeth Open Studios Weekend: 7 & 8 October 2023
I'm delighted to be opening my studio to the public together with two very talented invited artists on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 October, as part of the Lambeth Open Weekend. This is annual event that celebrates the diversity and colour of our wonderful South London...
5 Galleries to visit in London this Spring
In this blog post I share my recommendations for 5 art spaces worth visiting this Spring, starting with a double dose of Gilbert and George at their newly-opened Centre in the East End of London, and over on the other side of the city, at White Cube Gallery in...
Collecting images – still life
This is a mostly visual post, where I just want to share some images with you. I recently spent a few days in a very beautiful country house, and was captivated by some of the objects found in and around different rooms, as I felt these reflected the stillness of the...
Josef Frank at The Fashion & Textile Museum
On a grey February day, the unabashed colours and energetic shapes that characterise Josef Frank's patterns provided a welcome contrast with the outside, and it was a pleasure to walk into the Fashion and Textile Museum to visit this compact showcase of Frank's...
A few pages from my sketchbooks
My sketchbooks are where I play and try out ideas that may later find their way into my work. I often refer back to them no matter how long ago they were completed, and always find some inspiration - or even surprises and insights. The pages you can see here come from...
On the sources and uses of inspiration
I am often asked how I use my inspiration. This partly depends where I am or what time of the day it is - I often get flashes of inspiration just as I’m about to fall asleep, or in my dreams! When that happens, I know I’ll remember them when I wake up and they’ll be a...
Transform a Bekvam stool: decoupage tutorial
In this post I will show you how to transform a wooden Bekvam stool from Ikea into your own unique creation using just paint, paper and glue. This is a very easy project that can be done in an afternoon.Here is what you'll need:Bekvam stool, £13A tester pot of...
My life in nine objects: part III
This is my third and final post about prized objects: the ones I couldn't live without and would want to save from a fire. It was quite difficult to choose these three knowing they were the last ones; I kept telling myself they are just the last ones for now... The...
My life in nine objects: part II
In last week's post I wrote about the first three objects I wouldn't want to lose, the ones I would save from a fire. Today I share with you another three of my prized posessions: things I love for their intrinsic qualities and also as memory-holders. The first one is...
My life in nine objects: part I
A lot of my work is inspired by memories, and I see prized objects as memory-holders. Every once in a while I wonder which are the ones I couldn't live without, the ones I would want to save from a fire. Without much premeditation I settled on nine, and today I share...
My own version of wallpaper
In this post I want to share with you my biggest decoupage project to date: creating "wallpaper" from the pages of an old Larousse dictionary for a feature wall I moved house last year, and had been toying with the idea of creating a decoupage "wallpaper" on...
Pound shop transformations: upcycled glass
In recent weeks I showed you how I upcycle simple items from Ikea using just paper and glue. Other places where you can find interesting things to transform are the "pound shops" found in most high streets. I recently started teaching reverse decoupage on glass so I'm...
Ikea furniture hacks: kitchen chair
This is the second of two posts on furniture hacks where I share transformations of simple items from Ikea using just paper and glue. Last time, in the first of my furniture hacks, I showed you how I upcycled a Hemnes bedside table; this time it's different versions...
Ikea furniture hacks: Hemnes table
In this post I share the transformation of a simple item from Ikea using just paper and glue. This time I want to show you the first of two furniture hacks.Ikea furniture is very affordable and even more so if you buy second-hand. There is often a good selection...