We did something good!

We did something good!

Earlier this summer I pledged a percentage of my sales to War Child, and I’m delighted to say that my direct sales raised £284.

That doesn’t include sales through my lovely independent stockists, but £284 has now been despatched to War Child.

A huge thank you to everyone who bought something and donated. You helped make that happen.

A little thank you - 5% off house portraits

To celebrate, I’m offering 5% off my bespoke house portrait commissions for the next two weeks.

And yes, I know it feels horribly early to mention the C-word… Christmas. 🎄😂

I’m busy working on commissions at the moment, and because everything is individually painted by hand, please allow up to around six weeks for larger commissions. So if you’ve been thinking about a house portrait, painting or something special for Christmas, now is a very good time to start thinking about it — without any last-minute panic!

If you’d like me to paint a favourite home, head over to my Bespoke House Portrait Service page and scroll down to the enquiry form. Simply add HOMESTORY in the discount code box for 5% off your commission.

Discount code: HOMESTORY
Valid until 26 September

Thank you for supporting my work. ❤️
Harriet x

Painting the Hebden Bridge Open Studios Mural

This week I've been hiding away in my attic studio, painting, catching up on admin, recovering after a very busy (but fantastic) Hebden Bridge Open Studios, and getting ready for my next fair, Art in the Pen, on 15 & 16 August (click the link below to find out more about this wonderful fair and buy tickets), all while trying not to melt!

It is so hot up here at the moment. But I kind of love it, it feels so exotic and rare! Give me sunshine over hats, gloves and blankets any day, which is pretty much my standard peak winter studio outfit here in the Yorkshire hills.

https://www.artinthepen.org.uk

For the second year running, I joined the lovely wicker weaver Sara Abbott and Sheralynn of Waste Not Textile Art to paint the giant mural outside William Holt's, corner of Bridge Gate and New Road, for Hebden Bridge Open Studios. Have a look at the header photos to see our progress (although they're not quite in order!)

We start by wrestling a rather enormous stencil into place (Sara and I made it at my house last year), tape it to the wall, and then gradually fill each letter with tiny artworks by the artists taking part in Open Studios.

Painting in the middle of town means you never quite know what the day will bring. There are always plenty of curious onlookers, the odd heckler, lots of questions and, thankfully, plenty of encouragement too... and, this year, deliciously melting ice creams!

Like Open Studios itself, the mural is only temporary. Over the next few weeks we'll be painting over it and restoring Doris's wonderful illustration, leaving the wall exactly as we found it.

As a little thank you for following my journey, I'm offering 10% off all bespoke house portrait commissions booked between Saturday 11th July and Saturday 25th July.

To claim your discount, simply click the Bespoke House Portrait page, scroll down to the Let's Work Together form and enter the code SUMMER10 in the Discount Code box.

Whether it's a family home, a favourite cottage or somewhere full of memories, I'd love to create something special for you or someone you love.

As many of you already know, 10% of every sale and commission also goes to War Child, and I'll be continuing that until the end of August. It feels like a small way to support children whose lives have been turned upside down by conflict.

Have a wonderful week. And if you're somewhere just as warm, I hope you're finding somewhere cool to hide!

Harriet X

Introducing the new Illustrated Map of Todmorden

I’m very excited to introduce the brand new illustrated map of Todmorden town centre, published early last week!

This has been a dream project from beginning to end. I’ve worked with 18 wonderful sponsors, whose venues are illustrated around the edge of the map and correspond by number to their locations within the town centre.

The map was drawn by hand, using good old-fashioned pens and paper, before being coloured digitally. I wanted to create something that was not only useful, but also captured a little of the character and individuality of Todmorden; its buildings, its landscape and all the small details that make the town what it is.

The map has been designed to be genuinely useful, particularly for first-time visitors to Todmorden. Perhaps you want to start the day with a cup of coffee, have a wander around the shops, explore some of the town’s wonderful buildings and attractions, and finish with an evening meal before heading home. The map will help you find your way around, as well as showing all the practical things you need to know, including trains, buses and places to park.

On the back, you’ll also find a warm welcome from our very own Todmorden Information Centre, along with more useful information to help you explore the town.

In a few weeks’ time, you’ll start to see the maps appearing in venues and locations around Todmorden. They’re completely free, so pick one up, have a wander and discover what our wonderful little town has to offer. ❤️

Introducing the new House Portrait Gift Voucher

Introducing

House Portrait Gift Vouchers

A House Portrait Gift Voucher is the perfect present when you want something personal but don’t yet have the resources to make it happen, like photos of your loved one’s house. Redeemable for any portrait size, it’s a thoughtful way to celebrate weddings, anniversaries, Christmas, or new beginnings.

Here is what your loved one’s will expect from a commission:

“Oh my. I opened the picture on my birthday yesterday and was thrilled with your representation of our much loved home. The lovely, unique touches you incorporated have made it so personal and fitting to our experience of living here - I can’t stop looking at it! Thank you for the care taken in understanding what I wanted; you got it absolutely right and I completely love it.” HF

To celebrate, I am offering 15% discount on all vouchers until 24th November 2025, which gives you plenty of time to think about your Christmas shopping! Use Code: HAPPY HOUSE. Click the link below to see the house portraits and get a gift voucher!

Much love, Harriet x

I'm shutting my shop for a while!!

Hello dear co-creatives! This is an update to say that my shop is now shut until the beginning of November while I close down the computer/social media and channel my inner gypsy into mainland Europe (woohoo, so excited!). I want to thank you all so much for your support, follows and likes, my gratitude to the retail shops that stock my work and for all your wonderful custom. I have had some perfectly peachy projects this year (not all possible to show yet  but will post upon return) and met so many of you wonderful human beings. Working with you is always a pleasure and so an enormous THANK YOU to you.

May all beings be happy x

Enjoy a magical 20% off and transport yourself to the enchanting Yorkshire Moors

So very excited that spring is just around the corner. And with the sunnier days, we love to get out to the great outdoors and feel inspired by the abundant majesty of spring. After a long slog of wrapping myself around a hot water bottle, and wrapping blankets and a sleeping bag around me, I find myself chanting, ‘almost there’.

And talking of the great outdoors (I rarely paint an inside scene), I would love to share with you a super small (exclusive), new launch of signed, limited edition giclée prints, which are part of a series of paintings called Tales from the Valley. You can see the paintings below. They are a contemporary homage to the world's oldest painting tradition, which is Folk Art, also known as Naive Art. Folk Art serves as a vibrant reflection of cultural life within a community. It captures the essence of traditions, stories, and values passed down through generations. The unique styles and symbols found in Folk Art often tell tales of everyday life, celebrations, and the collective identity of a community. It's a beautiful way to preserve and showcase the richness of our cultural heritage.

Please come and join me to celebrate the launch with a 20% discount on both prints. The offer is on until 19th March. Just click on the button below and type the discount code HPNEGAL at checkout.

Much love, Harriet