Sunny Spring has arrived

Now January is behind me it is time to pull my socks up and take this year seriously.

I don’t know about you but I always struggle to take January seriously. After the highs of Christmas and then the two week break of not doing very much, kick starting the creativity can be a struggle. But the sun coming out on the 1st of February has given me a well needed boost of energy and optimism.

Also I had a great catch up with members of my art group The Arienas Collective yesterday and it felt like a happy therapy session. We shared our processes both good and bad and our reasons for creating and for sharing our art with others through workshops.

For me I have always felt a little out of my depth telling others what to do. I am not a teacher, not a trained teacher anyway but I remember the good teachers I have had and I am patient and encouraging. I am simply sharing what I do and how I do it, the shortcuts I have picked up having sketched this city for over 10 years.

The real buzz I get from running workshops is the boost it gives to those who come along. When they look down and see what they have done and feel pride and a sense of achievement. It builds confidence and is the same feeling I get, usually when I create a sketch. And it is very addictive.

You can see the locations I will be running workshops in 2025 via the link above and new for this year is Kellie Castle, a gorgeous mix of Medieval stonework and Victorian family home. With a creative history, pretty walled garden and architectural details everywhere you look it is the perfect place for my sketching tour.

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Journaling brings inspiration for the year ahead

This afternoon was the second of my Sketch Journalling workshops with The Arienas Collective. I am loving these relaxed and open sessions, telling my story and hearing from others about their creative and personal journeys which have brought us all to be sketching in Edinburgh.

I find it so inspiring watching others create art, seeing people from all backgrounds come together and spending a few hours chatting, bonding and building confidence in their own abilities is great and a real privilege.

The colourful and creative hands of my workshoppers

We drew inspiration from the things around us but also from our own hands. So individual and taken for granted they can tell a lot about our journey in life and they deserve to be sketched in watercolours.

Creative concentration in todays Journaling class

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And Finally…

Be sure to put the dates In your diary for our very first gallery exhibition. Artists from The Arienas Collective will be filling a very large room at St Margaret’s House on London Road from Friday May 23rd to Saturday 31st and we can’t wait to showcase both our wide range of art and also the community that is The Arienas Collective. Still in planning stages but we will have lots to see and get involved with, plus you will be able to see the process as artists will be working on site. More news and lots of details to come but I hope to see you there.

A sketch from the car this month looking up Dundas Street

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