Well there’s no denying it’s been a funny old year: tragic for many, stressful for many more, and difficult for everyone in ways we never could have anticipated.  I consider myself very lucky, living as I do in a beautiful and friendly rural location.  I have plenty of space both indoors and out, two adorable dogs, and a companionable and tolerant husband.  Through the marvels of modern technology, I also have regular contact with family and friends.  But despite all that, I have still found this past winter a long and difficult time, and I yearn for social and cultural events and regular physical contact with family and friends.

This past weekend the clouds seem to have lifted, both literally and metaphorically.  Optimism about Covid is in the air (in the UK at least), the sun is shining and all the countryside is finally turning green.  I have just returned from a few days staying at the family hideaway in an isolated spot on the Norfolk coast, and meeting up with my best girlfriends each day to be creative and relax.

Cathie incorporated pieces of driftwood and smooth beach pebbles into her beautiful mosaics, Sue sketched sea birds and worked on designs for her wonderful prints, and I painted en plein air with my pochade box and tripod.  The sun shone, we walked on the beach, we had a little fizz and far too much tea and cake.

We laughed, we chatted, we put the world to rights, and most importantly we were able to forget about the pandemic for a little while.  I came home feeling wonderfully refreshed and inspired.

My new paintings are now on my website.

Both Cathie and Sue’s wonderful work can be found on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sue.welfare_artist/

https://www.instagram.com/mosaicsbycathiefiddling/