A new home beside the forest - and a new lease on life and work!

What a year last year was, and it led to a massive life change in mny ways. I now find myself living with my three girls in a lovely little house right next door to Sence Valley Forest Park. I have been here for a month, and have a new workspace right at home here. The greatest sound here (apart from the girls barking) is birdsong. The morning chorus is tremendous and we all go out into the garden and listen, using the Merlin app to identify unknown voices. You can hear birdsong echoing through the forest next door.

I had already begun a new series of bird paintings before the move, and the inspiration here is helping things along! And the sky here is wide and such a deep startling shade of blue in the evenings. I’m trying to recreate that stunning blue in some of my pieces.

I have returned to my love, oil painting now too, as I have a space that I can close the door on, in case of fumes. I’m really excited about what Im going to produce this year.

In the Art Studio - A Peek at my Workspace

Behind the scenes!

One day last week I arrived at the studio and decided to de-clutter and have a bit of a move-around to maximise the space. I took some photos during the tidying session but forgot to take any before-and-after. Space is always at a premium when you paint quite big canvases! It is creative chaos!

Ill get some more photos this week

A Giant Painting of a Stag

Large Stag Oil Painting, as yet un-named - 100 x 150 cm

A big new deer painting in the works

My latest large painting (100 x 150 cm ) is a painting of a stag, with proud antlers festooned with undergrowth and bracken. Im using beautiful natural shades of leaf-green, sage-green, gold and warm browns to give a contemporary yet classical effect. Once finished, he will be available to purchase on my website here

'Wearing Bracken'

Check out my new prints here

A New Stag Canvas Print has been Released This Week

The original oil painting has sold, but I have released an open edition print, on canvas as shown here, and also on best-quality fine art paper. I am working with a specialist printing company that makes the prints to order and ship them directly to the customer from their premises. This helps me offer efficient shipping times, particularly as they have centers worldwide, so international shipping is economical too.

Hares today

Wildlife Paintings for Sale UK

I have been working on some wildlife paintings, beginning with these new hare paintings. I enjoy the challenge of trying to capture their expressive faces. These most recent hare paintings will be available on my website in a few days. They are smaller pieces at 45 x 65 cm and 50 x 60 cm.

Pukaar Magazine Feature!

I was delighted to be interviewed for a feature in Leicester's Pukaar Magazine. A magazine that celebrates cultural diversity, local news, events and the arts in Leicester and Leicestershire. I had a chat with Louise who asked me lots of questions about my painting practice. This was a couple of months ago, and the article will appear in the August issue. I love this photo with Bonnie, the Poochon who was just having a quick flick through while she spent the day at work with her Mum

A gentle English Longhorn in the studio - work in progress this week

I had to take her off the easel to photograph, as there is so much light hitting the shiny surface of the painting. I hope to have this lady finished by the end of the week, I ‘might’ take her to Patchings with me if she is ready in time.( Knowing me, I wont actually decide which paintings will come with me until the day before!)

I love painting Longhorns, there is a big beautiful herd of these at Calke Abbey just up the road and I must pay them a visit over the Summer . Im using some of my beautiful earth tones, and copper for this piece, mixed in with some purples, pinks and brights.

Buying an original piece of art - 10 reasons why you should.

Detail from ‘Bluebell Season’ 2022 Sue Gardner

1) When you buy an original painting or sculpture, whether directly from the artist or through an art gallery, you are helping to support the arts and perpetuate original art-making, which makes the world a better, more enjoyable place.

2) Original art carries all of the texture and original mark-making from the artist’s hand and has a much more tactile quality than a reproduction print. There may be lumps, bumps, scratches and heavy brush marks and even finger marks all adding to the uniqueness of the artwork.

3) There is a cachet to owning the one-off original, there is only one available, and it’s yours.

4 ) An original painting will usually carry the signature in paint on the front of the work, and a certificate of authenticity so you have all the official provenance, in case you decide eventually to sell the piece of art.

5) An original piece will accrue in value over time, so that when you are buying an artwork, you are making an investment, rather than just filling a space on your wall as you might with a print.

6) Original pieces of art are collectable. When you purchase from an artist, you become a collector of their work. If you really love the paintings by the artist and follow them, it’s exciting to see new pieces come onto the market.

7) Original art seems to bring enlivening energy to a home, perhaps its the excitement of owning a one-off piece by an artist that you love, or maybe the piece carries with it some of the heart and spirit that caused the artist to create it. Either way, its always a positive addition to your living space.

8) A painting is a truly elegant way of bringing your own taste and style to a room, when you choose a painting that resonates with you, it’s a bit like playing your favourite music, your guests will immediately see what you are all about.

9) Originals are a talking point and a focal point. The clarity of colour and variety of texture grabs the eye and can be a great conversation starter

. 10) The sheer joy of owning an original that you love will make you smile every day as you look at it.

Another painting from Pit Prop Woods

This woodland is a stone’s throw from our house. It feels quite magical and has quite a history. Originally planted as part of the local mining industry, the trees were grown to provide pit props to use down the mines. There are humps and hillocks which is where spare earth was dumped. The woods received a community grant about 10 years ago which has been used to make the walkways safe, clear some pathways, and create a nice little children’s play area complete with a fairy ring of toadstools to sit on. There is a wetland area that is thriving with wildlife, a butterfly bank that is beginning to become established, and areas of fallen and cleared wood which has been left for the wildlife to make use of. I have spotted a fox creeping around here in the early morning, many, many squirrels and birds. There is a woodpecker who I usually hear but have yet to see. It’s a really lovely area to visit and is typical of the National Forest regeneration project. I am going to make a series of paintings from this little wood.

Rainbow Clouds of Comfort

I have always been crazy about seeing rainbow colours all together, ever since discovering the glass prisms at school age 7. Later in a succession of new schools, I’d spend way too much time staring through my clear plastic ruler to watch the rainbows appear. Dont we find strange things to take comfort from?

I have managed to include much of the rainbow in this new cow portrait and I love it.

All that remains is to find her a name.

Plenty of parcels!

How I ship my Oil paintings

My moving sale was a tremendous success and lots of fun too. The first purchase came ten minutes after the sale opened and by th eend of the week 32 pieces were sold and off to lovely new homes up and down the country and abroad! Im delighted that these pieces will be seen and enjoyed, rather than going into storage after my move. This photo shows the first batch of pieces ready to go. There were cardboard boxes everywhere that week!

A finished colourful bird painting!

Here is my ‘Springtim Chickadees’, featuring Blackcaps. Ive enjoyed painting these uplifting little birds so much!

Beginning work on a new painting commission - Highland Cow in bright rainbow colours

Each Highland Cow portrait is a one-of-a-kind, unique oil painting. This little video shows the beginning stage of a new painting, which has been commissioned recently. Im going to film the whole process on this one and give the client the video along with the piece.

Dog Portraits for Christmas - All safely delivered

This week and last, I have been getting Christmas orders for dog portraits  packed up and off to their new homes. 

I have had a lovely selection of beautiful dogs to paint!

This is a portrait of Gilbert, a handsome Border Terrier. And a very good boy, by the look of him .

This little lady is Lola, a young and lovely Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x Poodle)

Here are a couple of the oil paintings that went to new homes this Christmas. Gilbert the Border Terrier was painted on a stretched canvas 40cm x 25cm.  Lola the Cavapoo  was also painted in oils, on a canvas panel 25 x 30cm