I’ll admit it…. it’s December

Posted on December 10, 2009 at 11:20 pm. 1 Comment

I’m not very good at winters.  From September onwards I wear so many layers of clothes that getting dressed in the morning takes ages, but I’m still permanently cold.  Bracing walks after a day at the drawing board are out of the question because it’s gone dark by then – and is usually raining too.  And I’m one of those grumpy people who hates any mention of  Christmas before December and I shout at the radio when they wheel out the cheesy Christmas pop songs.  I’m either turning into a grumpy old woman or I’m just a bit short of sunlight and vitamin D!

But now it’s mid December I’ll admit it, Christmas is imminent.  I can tell because I spend most of the time doing a wide variety of bits and pieces instead of getting stuck in to one big project.   There are Christmas commissions (this week including a wooden name plaque for a boat, a portrait of a Dunkirk Little Ship, and a sketch of a pilot cutter), as well as stocking up galleries and helping Perry sort out online orders.  Talking of  Christmas galleries, here’s a reminder to all you east coast dwellers to visit that unique emporium of all things nautical, Salty Dogs, brainchild of the inimitable Den Phillips.  This year it’s at 57 High Street Maldon so pop in if you get a chance; it just gets better each year.  Another east coast gallery I’m topping up for Christmas is the delightful Sea Pictures Gallery in Clare, Suffolk – not near the sea but that means all the more reason to buy seascapes!  Meanwhile, back here on the west coast I nipped over to Cardigan today to drop some work in at Frame byFrame, run by the inspirational Chloe and Emma. 

After new year I’ll change hats and be an illustrator again, but for the moment it’s good to make more space in the studio and get stuff out there.  Actually, in January I’ll also have my tutor’s hat back on as I’ve a full two classes of keen students waiting for me on a wednesday in Haverfordwest.  Great fun.

The image  above is called  ‘Silent Night’ and it’s one of the Christmas cards I designed for the Nancy Blackett Trust (www.nancyblackett.org).  Unsurprisingly, I don’t do winter sailing, but I know there are those that do!  Which reminds me, good luck to Geoff Holt setting off on his Atlantic Challenge today.  The lengths some people will go to to get some sunshine….. (www.geoffholt.com)