Kitchimama

18/02/2025

14/02/2025

It’s another time for a trip down memory lane - feeling very nostalgic with this one, as it was almost emblematic of my redefining of my direction with Art and a reclaiming - I had the vision for the drawing whilst on the train and watching the surf crashing into the beach on a stormy day, like the hooves of a horse dashing against the shore.

Today being Valentines I was hoping to find a picture from my past that represented love, but as I recently gifted this one to a friend because it looked like their horse this will have to do. Love comes in many forms….

05/02/2025

If you’re interested in purchasing one (or more!) of the little pictures they’re £50 each or two for £60. I’m delighted to say that several have headed off to new homes. Always happy to do commissions as well. ☺️

03/02/2025

This is what happens when I have to look through my old work for applications…

Introducing another blast from the past - this one framed by a bespoke cabinet made by Garry Brown who makes rather lovely drift wood clocks.

Painted with Egg Tempera and with real gold leaf on gessoed board.

03/02/2025

Continuing with the trip down memory lane - this was one of my first paintings in the icon style but referencing fairly contemporary themes. I do love Frida - not completely got her likeness here but it’s an ode to her none the less.

Painted on gessoed board and referencing themes from her work.

03/02/2025

This was done a wee while ago but wanted to show that I work in a variety of styles.

This is a portrait of my sister, referencing elements from her life and psyche. I’m a keen Jungian and love working with archetypes and dream images which I’ve incorporated into this ‘icon’. Painted using traditional techniques on gessoed board.

31/01/2025

Final Fun a Day Dundee

Sloth

So I chose Sloth as my final image - thanks to Liz Stewart for the suggestion. 🦥

I chose this as the final subject because they’re just bonkers and the thought of painting one made me smile - which was part of the impetus for taking part in ‘Fun a Day Dundee’. If you’ve not seen one in action I highly recommend watching some footage - they are just so uncanny valley it’s slightly off the scales. Very old man vibes with very carefully considered movements and an enigmatic smile. Strangely beautiful and hypnotic with humour.

My ode to Sloth.

30/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Flaming Squirrel

It might be fair to say I enjoyed doing this a bit too much - I seriously layered it - again. But there’s just something I love about squirrels. My son had a slight issue saying the word as a little boy and said ‘Sqwiwwel’ which honest to goodness is one of my favourite memories. 😂 (Bad mother).

Then there’s the childhood book of ‘Mr Saucy Squirrel’ who lived in Devizes (he was an antique dealer with very refined tastes). Squirrel Nutkins obviously was a favourite. They’re a beautiful native species in their glorious red coat, chittering away at any challengers or doing acrobatics in the trees. I created a character called ‘Woodland Spirit’ a few years back that was on an Edinburgh thoroughfare for a while. An oor Wullie made to look like Mr Tumnus with a woodland squirrel stashing nuts in his back pocket. Wee Scamp.

29/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Hope Boat

I can see where this came from. I’d been musing on puppet theatres and the old style sets. I was not sure where it was headed though - I began with the sun and clouds and nearly painted a landscape. Then scribbled some curves which turned into waves - I nearly had a fish or mermaid as the centrepiece - but a boat felt more right. Originally with a white sail - but I thought about the rain and the sunshine and chose to do a rainbow - which effectively is such a positive symbol of hope to many. So I’m calling it my hope boat - the seas may be stormy but there’s still a ray of sunshine.

28/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Pigeon Pair

So I might have mentioned that I appear to be doing pairs. This is the companion of the pigeon painted at the beginning of the month - slight differences. More of a purple hue and feathery fluffy legs.

?

27/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Shaman Cat

You may have spotted a Collie in the collection a few images back. Well this is his companion. I seem to be wanting to pair these pictures, so a counterpart often appears. The cat this card is based on is very assured and although friendly it’s on his terms. He has a very regal air.

I do love cats.

*SOLD*

26/01/2025

I was having a chat with a friend last night about these, and they imagined them as large images, so to give an idea of scale these wee paintings are 10cm by 6.5cm. So are pretty small - roughly the size of a playing card. I like that they’re bijou.

Here seen on my desk, which I’ve tried to use consistently as the background for them.

26/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Sacred Heart

Not really sure why this popped up in my thoughts, but the aim was to have the deep red against the blue - I love the Mexican images and am sure I’ll revisit this motif at some point - it’s left me wondering about the symbolism of the different elements.

25/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Seahorse

I find these wee creatures fascinating - they’re one of the few creatures that we know of that the male looks after the young rather than the female. They are so beautiful and mesmerising.

I got a wee bit carried away with the colour - there’s a lot more subtle layers in real life that the camera found it challenging to pick up.

*SOLD*

24/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

The Humble Turnip

Burns night is coming up and it’s blowing a Hooley out there.

There’s a vibe of hunker down and sit out the storm and if you’re waiting in over the winter months then some neeps and tatties are wholesome foods to consume. There was of course the Ladybird story of the Enormous Turnip which much like the sword in stone refused to be budged.

I might have to have another go at this some other time as I’ve not quite achieved the look I was hoping for - but part of my mantra for this series is ‘get it done and move on’ so here it is - fairly simply. A Turnip. Baldrick would approve.

23/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Primrose

My parents had a wee woodland behind their house and primroses always remind me of my mum. She had a very 1930’s vision of the world which is reflected in the colour palette - mum loved the woodland and her ashes are still there, which apparently is not ideal for the tree we placed them under.

22/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Snowdrop

This took an eternity to decide on and I was having one of those ‘I can’t draw days’ so was tempted to throw in the towel a few times. I bounced between different ideas got caught up in the notion of trying to map the layout of the grid and make it all look nice… it refused. I’d seen a snowdrop and been delighted by it - so thought that it would be apt. I wanted that weird misty green - like frosty mornings have. Today everything is shrouded in misty icy fog and all the colours have a white overlay like the world has a lens cap on.

21/01/2025

Fun a Day Dundee

Border Collie

I was out at a friends house at the weekend and we went for a walk with their Collie - I love Collies. Not sure if I’d be much good at keeping one myself as they are super intelligent and could literally be out on the hills all day. However I do know that my great grandparents had at least one - and there’s just something I find absolutely gorgeous about the breed. Very communicative. So I decided to paint one.

The paintings are all on Fabriano paper and the same dimensions, which is quite small. It allows me the enjoyment of knowing I can do it in a chunk of time and then move on.

*SOLD*