Northside, Birsay

Northside, Birsay

size: 15.5 x 10cm (32 x 26.5cm including mount)

watercolour and pencil on watercolour paper

glittering sea, Birsay Bay

"Glittering sea, Birsay Bay"

size: 11 x 28cm ( 32.5 x 49.5 inc. frame)

oil pastel on card

light and shade, Eynhallow Sound

Light and shade, Eynhallow Sound

size: 13.5 x 33 cm (35 x 54cm inc. frame)

oil pastel on card

across the lochs

across the lochs, Summer

size:15.5cm square (18cm square including wooden frame)

oil on ply

I did a painting. Fancy that, it's been a while. Hopefully I'll have more new art work to share here soon!

new greeting cards!

Just a quick post to say I have five new greeting card designs available to purchase through the gallery. They've been added to the website if you'd like to check them out: https://www.hoxatapestrygallery.co.uk/product-category/greetings-cards/  My cards are on the second page or alternatively you can sort the cards by "newness" so the newest greeting cards (both mine and my Mum's) appear first.

more North Ronaldsay hand-dyed wool

Since my last post at the beginning of April I've been dyeing wool non stop! I'm absolutely thrilled that my hand-dyed yarn has been so well received, it's certainly keeping me busy. What started as a little side project has turned into an all-consuming activity! It's hard work (much more physical an activity than folk would expect) but very rewarding. It's a fun way to play with colour without having to worry about composition, quality of line, texture etc.

I haven't photographed all the colourways I've dyed over the last couple of months, but here's a sample of what I've been up to:

 Surf

Summer at Eastside

 Winter sunset

Sky and sand, Sand O' Wright

Hoxa heather

As much as I'm loving the hand-dyes I need to create a better work balance as I haven't had a chance to draw or paint over the last few months. I started a small oil painting well over a month ago and never got back to it. Hopefully I can set aside some time this month to sketch outdoors and gather new drawing ideas... and perhaps finish that painting!

North Ronaldsay hand-dyes

Last week I dyed my first batch of locally sourced yarn from North Ronaldsay, Orkney's most northerly island and famous for its seaweed-eating sheep.

It's a 2ply 100% wool in 100g hanks and similar to the 2ply Shetland wool I've dyed in that it's more like a fingering weight/4ply. It has a charming, hairy appearance and an almost lustrous sheen. So far I'm really enjoying working on this base and keen to keep a hank for myself!

Inganess

 Birsay

 January sky

Mirry dancers

Scapa Flow sunset

West Mainland

 Puffin riot

 Sand and pebbles