Teeshirts have arrived!

Very excited that the teeshirts for the 3 Valley Vegan Fair 2017 have now arrived! The quality of the organic cotton is excellent and the image very clear. Very pleased with them. Please buy a teeshirt, they are going to a really good cause. Anyone can wear one, you don't need to be a vegan, you just have to love and care for animals.

A big thank you to Jackie and Elisa for modelling the teeshirts at the last minute and for being so game, and to Hector, our canine companion for getting in on the act too... 

Please support the fair and take part in the pledge to be a vegan for a month with a vegan goodie bag. There will be lots of stalls, food tasting, talks, films, arts and crafts, a prize draw and more besides. Details above. I think going vegan was one of the best things that I have ever done!

Speed Drawing

I have always been mesmerised by the speeded up videos of people drawing. There is something about the unfolding of a picture that is so mesmerising and satisfying! They are very informative too, each film demonstrates the tools and the technique the artist is using and it is great to see this, because you don't often get to see an artist at work.

So here is my version! Tons of room for improvement. You might get a little seasick at the beginning, keeping your eye on the drawing, but it's good to go! Hope you enjoy it, if you have any advice on how to improve the film process or wish to see some more drawing, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks for watching x

3 Valley Vegans Vegan Fair

We have an announcement to make.

3 Valley Vegans are having their very own fair here, in Todmorden, on 4th February, from 1.30 onwards (for more details, see link below).

I'm excited about this because, well, this is a subject close to my heart. It feels so invigorating that this revolution is now picking up momentum. Up and down our sleepy towns and villages in England, at any time of year, you can now attend a Vegan Festival.

For my part I have designed a teeshirt, which will be on sale at the fair for the sole purpose of fundraising and raising awareness. 50% of all sales go to 3 Valley Vegans to promote kind and ethical living and eating. The more teeshirts we sell, the better equipped 3 Valley Vegans are for getting their message out there. Your support would make all the difference.

Sadly I can't sell any yet as they are coming back from the printers. But if you click on Shop here on my website, you will get a sneak preview and, if you like it, you can place an order, which I will ship out to you.

And the great thing is you don't have to be a hippie to attend the fair! It's a fascinating education and compassionate journey learning to live without dairy, meat, honey, wool, leather, etc. Once you start to see the many benefits, you won't turn back. Anyone can have a kind heart and high standards of ethical living (as much as possible, we still have a lot to learn). If science says we can live without meat and dairy, then who am I to argue the case?

Sadly, because we are so addicted to meat and dairy and embroiled in the industry, there is so much information about said industry that we turn a blind eye from. For example, all day old male chicks are of no use and, therefore, are extinguished. They are gassed, blended alive, crushed or left to die.

Why do we allow this to happen? If we knew this was happening to cute little puppies, there would be a national outcry, and yet, what truly is is the difference?

Here is the link for more info: https://www.facebook.com/3valleyvgns/?pnref=story

Happy creativity in whatever you are doing x

Here is a drawing of the finished product.

His Master's Voice

So, today I thought it would be lovely to draw our dog, Hector. Hector is a rescued wire haired German Pointer X Springer Spaniel. Two and a half years old. He mostly looks pointer and has this wonderful beard and characterful eyebrows. In fact, he has a huge personality and often makes me chuckle. Myself and Mr Quilty adore him. And he adores us. But mostly Mr Q. Mr Q has been top dog since they were constant companions when Hector was a pup. 

Mr Q's other name is DJ Gramophone. He has quite a collection of old 78's spanning several decades. When he cranks up the gramophone and music wafts through the house, I'm transported to another world. I love the sound of the crackle from the vinyl and, although the sound is mono, there is something authentic and real about listening to it.

That's why I had to draw this picture of Hector looking intently at the gramophone as if the gramophone was Ronan himself. It is a little nod to HMV......not that we go in for the whole Master/ownership thing. No ownership is needed and Hector definitely has an independent mind.

If you would like a lifelike portrait made of your lovely companions, or the companion of a relative with a slightly quirky twist to it, then please contact me. 

Happy creativity in whatever you are doing.

Ballsy butterflies

Been thinking about butterflies recently, how they are exquisite to look at but also have great meanings in our lives. Butterflies symbolise courage. Whenever I see a tattoo of a butterfly, I think that person must have had a struggle and led a courageous life (or they might just like them to look at, not everyone looks for meaning). They symbolise our own metamorphosis, how we change as we grow and, well, what happens when we shuffle off this mortal coil. Butterflies are cool. I love butterflies.

Just completed a logo for a Dutch based company using the image of a butterfly to represent transformation and metamorphosis on a psychosocial level and they are very pleased with the design! (phew!). Now on to their website.......

Actually, there are so many levels and strands that I love to the creative process but whatever I draw is like a meditation upon the subject that I draw about. I get to know my subject matter. It is part of the illustration process. There are many learned illustrators out there (although I can't really put my hand up here) who are a font of all knowledge and are quietly fascinating people. Hergé, when he wrote his adventures of Tintin, was too busy drawing to travel to all the places Tintin visited, but he was forever reading and looking at photos. He knew many friends from around the world who would describe their environment and he built up a very knowledgable understanding of all these different places. So much so that you would have believed Hergé himself had trekked in the Himalayas.... and I would know, because I have been there.

Have a lovely day all.... until next time. Happy creativity in what ever you are doing x

Welcome to my new website and Merry Christmasssss

Hello and welcome!

Please feel free to plump up a cushion, sip a cup of tea and peruse through the work in your own relaxing time.

I have to say I have had a bit of a disruption from illustrating due to illness and moving to a completely different part of the country, so, hello beautiful Pennine hills and hello fabulous, fine pencils!! Having a break is a good and healthy thing, though, I have returned to the drawing board feeling refreshed and brimming with ideas and it feels pretty damned great to be able to sit at my desk and just draw, draw draw! 

And as for the beautiful Pennine hills, well, we happen to be very artsy, craftsy here you know, and there seems to be a high proportion of artists in the village where we live. I've been getting myself involved with different local collaborations over the last few months; as a guest artist (jointly with artist husband, Ronan) for a Yorkshire calendar with a, umm, fun gnome theme; selling work at a couple of vintage shops here, hello to Al's Emporium and Homebird (I will write more about them on another blog) and exhibiting work at an open show with the Todmorden Art Group in our very own grand Town Hall. I've kind of fallen in love with this creative and quirky place, but that is not surprising, I have strong Yorkshire roots in this area, so it feels a little like coming home.

I'm still getting used to this new site and in the next few days will embed a mini Etsy shop, so I can't navigate you at the moment, and I'll be sorting out a few tweaks that are needed here and there.

And since it is the start of the festive season for many, I want to wish you a beautiful and happy and healthy break and an exquisite New Year.