November 2024

"Winter into Spring....."

As always a busy period now tucked under my belt, and some interesting things going on.

A recent exhibition in Mandells Gallery, Norwich was as always very exciting, and well attended as usual.

Now preparing for the SGFA Annual Open 11-15 March 2025 in The Mall Galleries, which promises to be yet another great show. We broke gallery records for visitor numbers, which is quite something.

So with new work under way, and courses in the UK in the diary, I am excited to be, as always, pushing my own boundaries as well as everyone else’s who signs up to work with me.

I have recently been delivering a couple of illustrated talks “Travels with my nib”, each one is different and has been an absolute pleasure for me to re-live and enjoy.

The most recent was last weekend when I was invited as Speaker at the Society of Graphic Fine Art’s AGM in London, and speaking to groups of strangers is one thing, but to one’s contemporaries is quite another - especially as we are all artists! I managed to take them on a whistle-stop tour of the world without moving a muscle, (see image on Mocambique Island) and having decided not to use projected images, but instead to show some of the relevant sketchbooks from my travels, proved much more meaningful.

When I open up my books to browse them myself, it’s true that I can conjure up not only the feeling of being there, but the smells come rushing back along with memories of the moments spent with local people and the chaos that sometimes surrounds me.

Although I am not travelling far at the moment, and am only now visiting groups which I can access without too much trouble, I am really enjoying sharing my adventures and experiences with groups. Contact me for details if you would like to know more.

Meanwhile, my new work is growing like topsy, enjoying the challenge of using some of my beautiful new Daniel Smith watercolours, which behave differently - Father Christmas has promised to bring me a whole range of new colours, so what a wonderful way to see out the old year and welcome the new!

So currently I am painting on some handmade Two Rivers paper which I’ve had in stock for a while, (see detail here) and comparing the results with Arches (and it’s different surfaces) as well as Bockingford which I continue to roll, fold, tear and cut into submission.

Oh the joys; some work on Gesso too is proving interesting, and this is something I am pushing forward including on canvas - not the norm for watercolours, but hey, it’s all out there to be tried.

Enjoy the coming Christmas period, and how about drawing the leftovers......... 

More details on courses - look at www.missendenschoolofcreativearts.co.uk.

Continue to enjoy your watercolour journey.

Jackie Devereux
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