I have been making new work for Forth Valley Open Studios, mainly making smaller work with the odd large piece. I’ve found small works to be much more popular, and for this year’s FVOS I’m challenging myself to make more colourful work, I love using blue and brown but I’m aware these colours aren’t ideal for everyone so I’m aiming to bring in more vivid shades, as with these A6 Kelp Forest pieces.
I have also been painting, editing and formatting a special project that has been in the works for a long time. I illustrated a book when I was 17 and still at school, called African Dreamtime. I’m working on a similar project with my dear friend, Magdalene Sacranie, who has written a collection of stories taken from Chinese Folklore. I was initially just doing the paintings for the book, but making the text and other elements work with the art made me take a much more active role. Illustrating and editing a book is quite a big job! There’s so many things you don’t even consider to be important like font, or even font size, until you’re trying to make everything flow and not stand out for the wrong reasons. I’ve learned a lot in the past few months and the project is growing arms and legs. It’s very exciting! Here’s a cave painting piece I’ve worked on for the ancient Creation Myth, and the dragon Yu controlling the floods.
Pop back soon for more work updates! I hope all is well with my readers.