Art Fest North this weekend!

Really looking forward to exhibiting at the first ArtFest North this weekend in Kendal Town Hall, I'll be showing my originals, prints, greetings cards and coaster designs. There are a fantastic selection of exhibitors so don't miss popping along for a look if you're in the area!

A few recent commissions...

Aview from Calton hill...

A personalised house illustration...

and 3 characterful Havenese!

Plockton drawings

I was pleased to get the chance to return to this picturesque little seaside town during a trip to Glenelg and Skye this month. I couldn't resist doing a couple of little drawings while I was there.

Wordsworth Trust photos

At last a couple of photos of my finished illustrations for the Wordsworth trust in-situ in their newly revamped Family activity room at Dove Cottage...

More Edinburgh Tenements!

I took advantage of the warmer weather in Edinburgh on Saturday to get out and capture this typical Marchmont scene from Bruntsfield Links looking towards Warrender Park Terrace with Marchmont Road snaking off into the background...

New Kendal drawings

After finding out the good news that I have been accepted to exhibit at the very first ArtsFestNorth in Kendal at the end of July I took the opportunity over Easter weekend to head out and do some new drawings around Kendal.

I liked this view of the Castle on the hill from Abbot hall park. It was a bright and dry Saturday so there was plenty of family fun happening on the park for  me to capture...

I thought this view of Kendal Parish Church and Abbot Hall with the river Kent sweeping away into the distance under Nether bridge made an interesting composition. Unfortunately I dropped my phone into the river just after finishing this drawing and got a wet foot trying to fish it out whilst hanging onto the steep banking!

The Market square was packed with people out enjoying the spells of sunshine in the early afternoon. I enjoyed capturing them amongst the busy market stalls...

This view looking down Branthwaite Brow is a very iconic Kendal scene and on this day it was filled with lots of window shoppers and tourists and locals out for a Saturday wander...

Illustration commission for the Wordsworth Trust

I was very pleased to be asked to do some illustrations for the Wordsworth Trust down in Grasmere, Cumbria. The brief was to create 4 characters inspired by real life historical figures from the time of William Wordsworth using written references from the museum archives.

Dora Wordsworth...

 Hartley Coleridge...

 John Wordsworth...

 Pepper the family dog...

The illustrations have been printed onto large posters to be displayed in the newly refurbished Family Activity room at the Wordsworth Trust Museum at Dove Cottage. In situ photos to follow!

The Chocolate tree

After enjoying a delicious take away hot chocolate from here whilst I was out drawing this morning it seemed appropriate that I pay my compliments to the Chocolate Tree with this picture. I especially like the suspicious looking old man I managed to capture outside the baguette shop! Whilst drawing this picture I was asked by a passer by if I was the artist who exhibits at Earthy...small scale art fame found at last!

Another Meadows landscape

A combination of sunshine, Nick Drake music and a shiny new landscape format sketchbook enabled me to capture this morning's busy scene on the Meadows.

Sunny morning on Brunstfield Links

I am on a mission to do lots more drawing at the moment and the recent sunny weather in Edinburgh has been helping to get me out on location. I did this drawing on Friday, the sun had brought lots of people out and about on Bruntsfield Links so I had lots of action to capture...

Drawing in Bruntsfield

I haven't been out drawing enough recently so decided to make the most of the good weather today to get out and about with my drawing pens again. I walked around Holy Corner for a while picking the best view before realising that inconveniently it was from the traffic island in the middle of the junction. After the hour or so that it took me to do the drawing I was pretty chilly and had probably confused a lot of motorists as to why I was huddled over a bollard in the middle of the road but I think the result was worth it...

Autumn colours

After too long a break from drawing 'en plein air' I finally managed to get out into the elements last week to capture some of the beautiful colours of the trees in the Meadows, Edinburgh. Even dressed in my down jacket I was still chilled to the bone by the time I had finished painting but I am pretty pleased with the result...

Sheep exhibition at the Watermill

Here are a couple of photos of the sheep exhibition I have been working on in collaboration with Ana at the Watermill, Little Salkeld. The exhibition shows some of my drawings of the Watermill's woolly residents along with examples of Ana's woolen items knitted from these particular sheep...

There is also a book in progress along the theme of where wool comes from, watch this space!

Recent commissions

I have been enjoying some fun campervan/camping related commissions lately from customers inspired by my illustrations of Gus. This one was in celebration of a wedding on Jura...

and this one was commissioned as a birthday present in memory of campervanning adventures in Australia...

Exhibition at Dancing Light Gallery

I am very pleased to be a part of this years Summer exhibition at the Dancing Light Gallery at Whitmuir Farm near West Linton in the Scottish Borders. The exhibition shows a wonderful mix of local artists work and I feel privileged to have my work on show amongst such a showcase of creative talent...

Drawing at the Mill

On my way back up north from Cumbria I dropped in to see Spring's new arrivals at The Watermill, Little Salkeld. I followed these lovely 2 week old lambs around the field until they escaped away from my prying eyes to wade in the river and cool off...

This sensible hen had made a nest for her little chicks in the tall shaded grass behind the goat shed...

Drawing at Whitmuir farm

On my way down to Cumbria on Friday I dropped in at Whitmuir farm in the Scottish borders and spent a very productive few hours drawing the numerous characters I met there. I began the day drawing in a coat and woolly hat in a thick fog that seemed quite reluctant to lift but by midday me and all the animals were basking in the sunshine! 

This cockerel was a noisy character...

These chickens appeared to be having a bit of a conference...

Some suspicious ducks...

Lilly the collie during a rare alert moment in between snoozes...

 This drawing fell into the pig pen and so actually has genuine pig muck mixed in with the paint!

The best of my drawings will be exhibited at the up-coming summer exhibition at the Dancing Light Gallery at Whitmuir Farm in a couple of weeks time (more details to be posted later).

Drawing sheep and coos

On Friday I spent a very enjoyable morning drawing animals in the fields near West Linton. Here are some of the characters I met...

I followed this sheep and her lambs around the field for a while until finally they at last chose to stay still for long enough for me to put pen to paper...

This Highland Coo 'Meg' and her calf proved to be great posers for me...

And so did some of her friends in the neighboring field...

Westmorland Gazette feature

I am very pleased to have had my exhibition at Wilf's cafe featured in this weeks copy of the Westmorland Gazette, the local newspaper for the South of Cumbria.
The article can be read online here:

http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/leisure/art/news/9655683.Sophie_Martin_captures_Lakeland_life_in_Wilf_s_cafe_exhibition/

Musselburgh and Portobello

Over the weekend I managed some new local drawings whilst dodging the rain showers with my big golf umbrella. I have been meaning to attempt an image of Musselburgh for a while now and this view of a busy Saturday afternoon beside the River Esk drew my attention...

Whilst Ali was walking the dogs on Portobello beach I was also able to capture this bustling beach scene before the rain descended...