January – here we go again

The year that was and a new one

In December, I nervously opened my studio for a couple of weeks, showcasing an array of merchandise and art I’ve created over the years to eager visitors. This initiative was part of Oxfordshire Artweeks, a vibrant collective for artists across the region. While attendance wasn’t as high as I anticipated, I proactively distributed around 90 leaflets to homes within a half-mile radius, consistently shared my event on Meta, and engaged in local groups, all while offering attractive pricing to clear out old stock. This experience taught me the valuable lesson that selling requires hard work. Nonetheless, the silver lining was the support from my small but loyal circle of friends who helped spread the word and purchased items from the display. Ultimately, seeing familiar and friendly faces was a bright spark in an otherwise dreary winter’s day.

And while my conservatory was filled with all of my merchandise stock, cheerful Christmas songs played on the radio all day, every day. Wherever I met people I knew, the first question they’d ask was – “Are you ready for Christmas?” It felt like they were asking – “Are you ready for the end of humanity?” Initially, I was unsure about putting up the tree this year, but to lift the spirits of my family, I decided to put up a miniature tree in the living room. Although I’m not Christian or religious and didn’t grow up celebrating Christmas, the traditions have taken on a special meaning for me as I have married into a family that cherishes this holiday.

Over the years, I’ve grown fond of it and embraced a few guiding principles this year. It’s true what they say – it’s not the gifts that matter, but the thought behind them. So I focused on giving and receiving with humility. The holiday isn’t about the grand feasts or matching pyjamas; it’s about ensuring everyone enjoys something they love, fostering joy and togetherness with the people I care about. Lastly, I reminded myself that the responsibility of making the day special is a shared adventure, not mine alone. With my managerial hat on, I created a fun task list with everyone having their part, making it an equal and joyful effort among the three of us.

A thought for the new year – When I embarked on my college journey in the early 2000s, it was my first exciting adventure into independent living, away from the comforting embrace of my parents. One valuable piece of advice my mother shared with me was to trust my gut instincts. I have embraced this guidance wholeheartedly throughout my life, and it has brought me countless benefits. With that positive motto in mind, I look forward to keeping an open mind, discerning the truth in the vast information online, applying critical thinking, and staying grounded in reality over fiction in this new year.

What is happening in the studio?

Leftover pet portraits

While I happily take on requests from friends and family to create portraits, I find that it often takes me a little while to get to them. However, with everything else in my life moving at a slower pace, I seized the opportunity to complete some portraits I had been eager to finish. Theia, my close friend’s beloved cat, was the first on my list, and I joyfully painted her using gouache on black watercolour paper with metallics. I even repurposed her image on delightful cards and coasters with a charming graphic background!

Ralph, an acquaintance’s daughter’s pet, was next on my to-do list. I applied a technique similar to the one I used with Theia. One crucial tip: always scan your image before adding metallics, as the scanner tends to struggle with reflective surfaces.

Florals on metals

There are so many of us who find joy in creating beautiful floral designs! Here are some delightful florals I joyfully crafted during the holiday downtime. (Just a little note – my downtime isn’t from painting; it’s from social media and the 9 to 5 job that supports my passion). You’ll be thrilled to see the abundance of Irises, including the Bearded Iris, Siberian Iris, and Japanese water Iris. This is a special shoutout to a close friend who adores these flowers, and I hope this brings her some warm hugs and cheer!

Movies and Theatre

Conclave (Drama)

Ralph Fiennes truly excels as Cardinal Lawrence, the esteemed dean of the college of cardinals, a distinguished position that places him just behind the pope in Vatican hierarchy. Following the unexpected passing of the pontiff, Lawrence eagerly takes on the exciting challenge of guiding the conclave – bringing together all the cardinals of the Catholic Church to elect a new pope. The brilliance of Fiennes’s performance shines through in his ability to express profound emotion with subtlety. His exceptional portrayal is wonderfully complemented by a remarkable supporting cast, including Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, Lucian Msamati, John Lithgow, and Sergio Castellitto, among others. This is a performance that is definitely deserving of an Oscar nomination!

Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Barbican

The word love is beautifully woven throughout this play, celebrating all its forms—unrequited, passionate, and even a touch mischievous. Thanks to the GCSE syllabus and its engaging title, A Midsummer Night’s Dream has become one of the most beloved Shakespeare plays. This rendition vibrantly feels alive, brought to life by Helen Monks’s delightful portrayal of Rita (originally Peter) Quince, alongside Boadicea Ricketts’ bold and enchanting Helena. Bally Gill’s dynamic performances as Athenian Duke Theseus and faery king Oberon—paired with Sirine Saba’s lively Hippolyta and faery queen Titania—suggest that the enchanting scenes in the woods are the magical aftermath of a grand Greek pre-wedding celebration. In this interpretation, the playful elf Puck—energetically and musically portrayed by Premi Tamang, embodies a delightful fusion of daughters, lovers, and childhood fairytales.

Bill Bailey’s Thoughtifier

Musical instruments, delightful songs, joyous laughter, and a bit of dancing – all beautifully wrapped up in an enchanting evening’s show by the maestro Bill Bailey. There’s nothing quite as uplifting in the theatre right now as Bill Bailey’s Thoughtifier. This was an especially wonderful outing, as it was a lovely birthday gift from a dear friend who generously offered to babysit. I can’t wait to find a way to repay her kindness in equal measure!

An old story and Mr Keats

There’s a captivating short story titled Copper Beeches, written by the legendary Arthur Conan Doyle featuring Mr Holmes. It tells the tale of a woman named Violet, who seeks Mr. Holmes’ wise advice about an intriguing employment offer from a man with some unusual terms that involve her chestnut hair being cut and her wearing a blue dress while sitting on a window sill. While this was published in 1892, a time before the suffragette movement, it’s an inspiring reminder for women today. Trust your instincts, and if something doesn’t feel right, that’s your cue to explore other wonderful opportunities. Safety and happiness should always come first!

And last but not the least, a Keats poem that I have always loved. “In drear nighted December” by John Keats is a profound early work of the English Romantic poet. Keats likens nature to the human heart; while frozen trees and waters are fortunate to forget life’s warmth, the human heart is burdened, clinging to painful memories of joy and love. Written in December 1817, when Keats was just 22, this poignant poem never saw publication during his lifetime and was only printed in The Literary Gazette in 1829, eight years after his death.

In drear nighted December,
Too happy, happy tree,
Thy branches ne’er remember
Their green felicity —
The north cannot undo them
With a sleety whistle through them
Nor frozen thawings glue them
From budding at the prime.

In drear nighted December,
Too happy, happy brook,
Thy bubblings ne’er remember
Apollo’s summer look;
But with a sweet forgetting,
They stay their crystal fretting,
Never, never petting
About the frozen time.

Ah! would ’twere with so many
A gentle girl and boy —
But were there ever any
Writh’d not of passing joy?
The feel of not to feel it,
Where there is none to heal it
Nor numbed sense to steel it,
Was never said in rhyme.

January – here we go again

The year that was and a new one