25th April 2026

Here comes the long awaited warmth but still very chilly early morning sat in the woodland painting but at least the paint is not freezing and a thin layer of ice forming on the paper.

I had a little break for 3 days , it was my birthday and i was quite tired from over thinking, so, i gave myself permission to sit outside in my garden with Stella and just relax soaking in the sunshine. Stella was over joyed as its her favourite thing for us to do.

Once again i had found myself off course with my painting. Impatient and believing those old stories rattling around in my head i bought oil paints to do some textural work. I am going to work on 4 pieces ( i bought 4 canvasses ! ) over the next 6 months as now i have spent the money. Not wanting to being hard on myself , i had been through this many times and came to a conclusion of concentrating on watercolour and finding my own techniques ; so this one slipped my net !

Sometimes when i am sat painting and photographing in the woodland it feels like its awareness is on me , especially painting which creates a feeling of serenity along with ideas streaming into my mind. Those ideas got me to realising what i need to do with my art : i think i need to discuss any changes with the woodland from now on before i go spending money !

Once i had returned home i was welcomed by an email from a Gallery wanting to do a magazine interview of my watercolours ! A little synchronicity and a hopefully a positive sign.

I have been so curious about how we believe that everyone has negative views of us because we hold that belief of not being enough or something else. It is deeply and strongly persuasive enough for you to lose mindfulness and lose yourself. I listened to a neurologist describe what happens when we are focussing our mind on things we do not have and want as it has negative consequences and is counter intuitive to us as that mental noise covers up signs and separates us from being present.

I know through my mind workings that being consistent with my practice allows me to connect and to embody the process and all i need to do to keep this alive is be playful. I was thankful of the reminder and spent sometime sat in the sunny garden writing why i love using watercolour and how this medium compliments what i find in the woodland.

Bull Crag Peninsular

I do not even know whether they exist nowadays , but i had a thought passing through Bull Crag within its scatterings of new spring life of “paint by numbers” . According to others (they shall not be named ) i didn’t follow the precise instructions and for that reason not very good as i went off piste with colour and shapes to be filled. Spring feels like the most unlikeliest of paint by numbers image of a Jackson Pollock painting of a myriad of colours slowly building up through spring and then summer . I can do what people call chaos, very well !

The warm light with yellows and sap greens creates an uplifting feeling of hopefulness and knowing eventually we will overcome bad actors by individually and collectively becoming the light ourselves. Goodness will win over. Seeing it in nature shows us that its inclusive , there are no vetting procedures , being greater or smaller than others , it is just simply being yourself with embodied kindness and compassion. Within us all lies innate wisdom of love , harmony and understanding.

I am quite excited going back at the end of April/ beginning of May as i can see now from my window that spring has leaped forward once more. I moved here last April and i was finding my feet for the first 2/3 months to find places to tell a story of Kielder Forest making all of these three places still new to me for spring.

What i do know due to my painting session this week that the Fern Fiddleheads have started to pop up in places and i am quite eager to collect some for my paintings.

In the Wild , Painting

Sing me

my song

dear birds

so i can

awaken with

the trees.

Top Left : Watercolour on 56 × 76 cm Bockingford Watercolour Paper

Top Right : Watercolour on 33 × 50 cm Bockingford Watercolour Paper

Middle Left : Watercolour on 170 × 250 mm Leda Supplies Sketch Book

Middle Right : Watercolour on 140 × 210 mm Watercolour Sketch Book

Bottom : Watercolour on A3 Canson Watercolour Paper

Bakethin Nature Reserve

Having “Aphantasia” does present challenges but one of its joys for me is that each and every time i wander into the woodland everything is brand new to me. Quite often there is feeling of dread when i am preparing to paint as my mind automatically tries to visualise which is something i have had to learn to allow and integrate but that dread feeling going out into nature turns to excitement of seeing a friend once more.

We have to remember to hold our feelings without creating patterns of thoughts because of them. Your attachments and conditions of life maybe sending you wrong messages. Mindfulness helps notice this and allows you to change the story and let things unfold.

Just go and sit in silence and let everything be which unfolds within you without judgement.

The mornings are crisp and cold still forming frost on the ground. I love how frost transforms old plants along a verge into sculptures. Like the wicked witch of Narnia is still on our doorstep whilst Jack Frost fingers are letting the surviving winter plants know its OK now to go home .

Hareshaw Linn

The woodland is preparing for a feast of yummy greenness , very soon the most delightful lichens will be covered up with delicious saplings and ready to burst out flowers. One by one from nothing buds appear , mosses lighten in colour and shoots jump into the sky. The summer is like a full symphony crashing on your senses but in early spring there are ever decreasing in-between spaces forming a beautiful ethereal melody beckoning you home.

The birds know the song , creatures coming out from slumber know the song, if our ears were attuned better we would hear the plants and trees singing and i expect our ancients knew the song which is innate in all living things.

We may not know the song of our ancients but we can create new songs of our own that re-connects back to nature. The song is not about being a musician but about the joy which comes from your heart when you see the wonder of spring. Try humming a tune without thought to call out your presence , your new beginnings and announce that you also belong.

Thank You