Well, April really has flown by! As always, there’s been so much going on, I can hardly tell up from down anymore! 

The Academy has Reopened!

The Academy has opened again to welcome new members, which is always an exciting time. I’ve had lots of people joining so far, and it’s so wonderful to see new artists beginning a new chapter of their coloured pencil journey. I’ve seen some fantastic artwork already, and people are diving into the Coloured Pencil Foundations Course and improving their skills. 

It’s such a fabulous group of people. The existing members have all been so welcoming and so encouraging to those joining; it’s just wonderful to be part of such an incredible group of artists. 

David Fox-Pitt Interview

I was very honoured to be able to speak to David Fox-Pitt, who’s working on the Ukrainian border with a team of volunteers and Siobhans Trust, to help feed refugees as they come through in their thousands. 

They’re doing fabulous work to help those in need, providing food, hot drinks and even colouring pencils for the children. 

Please do go and watch the interview. It’s such an important issue, and even more important that we don’t forget about those who need help. You can find the video here. 

More Interviews!

I’ve been busy recording new episodes of my podcast, It’s A Bonny Old Life, which I’ve really enjoyed. There are some fabulous episodes coming up, including an episode with the fantastic nature photographer, Ruth Hoyt, coloured pencil artist, Sema Martin, and children’s author, Gem Stone. 

They are all such amazing women, and it’s been such a joy having the chance to sit down with them and chat about their lives and work. Keep your eyes peeled over the coming weeks for these episodes, and if you’ve not caught up on the previous episodes, you can find them here.

New Drawings!

As you’ll have probably guessed, I’ve been busy drawing this month (what a surprise!). I drew my mum’s little Westie, Christy, which I’ll be giving her as a present for her birthday this weekend. Fingers crossed, she’ll like it! I’ve also added it as a tutorial to the Academy, so lots of my members have also started drawing Christy too.

We’ve nearly finished our bear cub in Art Club too. Hopefully, after next week’s session, he’ll be done and dusted. I do love Art Club. It’s so fabulous having the company of such brilliant artists and being able to draw together, have a bit of a chat and a laugh, and see everyone’s amazing drawings at the end. 

An Online Workshop

I’ve also been busy in one of my online workshops, which I run every few months or so. This time, we’re drawing an adorable lion cub, and it’s going really well so far. Only one day left to go, and I can’t wait to see what everyone’s finished pieces look like! 

I’m already thinking ahead to the next workshop, but as I’ve just signed up to a new coaching course which will take up a lot of my free time, it’s a little trickier than usual trying to pick a date! I am, however, thinking of running a few one-day workshops, which will hopefully be easier to fit in, and will mean more people can attend. So, keep your eyes open for an announcement for those! 

Behind the Scenes

And in my non-coloured pencil life, my exercise bike has finally arrived, which I’m very excited about! I’m hoping that some gentle exercise is going to help my knees, which have been giving me all sorts of grief. I’m doing five minutes stints throughout the day, and so far, so good! 

Although, I did have some initial problems with the saddle the bike came with. The only thing I can compare it to is a very thin razor, which, as you can imagine, is not very comfortable! I ended up having to tie a cushion to it with some of the vet’s tape I had leftover from Vinnie’s operation. Suffice to say, I have since ordered a new saddle! 

And, talking of Vinnie, he is doing much better now. His toe has healed and, although he still can’t go on long walks, he’s feeling much better. Slipper and Nelly are doing well too. They’ve been busy making friends with other dogs in the village, which is just lovely.

So, another very busy month! I can’t remember the last time I had a quiet one, but I’m not complaining! There’s been lots of admin, and I’m working on another big project that means lots of planning meetings with my team and lots of thinking ahead to try and get it right. It’s all so exciting (and top secret at the moment), I can’t wait to share it with you in the future! 

I hope you’ve all had a fabulous April. I’ll see you back here again in a month’s time!