1. On my easel 2. Gliff 3. Lavender outside my window 4. Cowley 5. Summer colours 6. Mid-century Austrian pottery 7. Turl Street 8. Glouchester Green 9. Caper books
Happy Autumn Equinox
While I’m grateful for all our beautiful seasons, autumn is my favourite. My circadian rhythm welcomes the darker evenings that follow the bright summer months, and as a lover of all things cosy, my heart truly belongs to autumn.
Summer was lovely, I spent time with friends, explored new places, read books, and indulged in creative projects. The bright colours and tones of the season seemed to seep into my paintings. As in previous years, I removed the social media apps from my phone, freeing up time and headspace. I haven’t reinstalled them, which feels like a tiny act of rebellion. I don’t enjoy seeing so many ads or knowing Meta profits from my attention.
With four stifling heatwaves here in the UK, I painted less than I’d planned, but I managed to create a gallery page on my website. I also archived my old blog and Substack posts, which felt surprisingly refreshing (my blog archive dates back to 2008!). I often find myself wavering between wanting to share and wanting to disappear from the online world altogether.
Back to school journalling
“The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.” – Robert Henri
Earlier this month, I took some time to reflect on the season that’s ending and made some plans for the one ahead. I’m always inspired by the “back to school” feeling that comes in September, so I created three simple journal prompts to guide me:
- What am I enjoying?
- What am I not enjoying?
- What would I like more or less of in the coming season?
Autumn teaches us the beauty of letting go
For me, autumn is the perfect time to follow nature’s lead and let go of the routines and things that are no longer bringing joy to my life. To stay on track, I created a note on my phone with my intentions and shared it with a friend – something we often do to support one another. It helps me stay aligned with what matters, and it’s fun to catch up and share our progress along the way.
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
This autumn I’m looking forward to a little holiday with my husband, a trip to my mum’s house on the Welsh borders, painting in my home studio, cosy coffee shop dates with friends, browsing the local charity shops, starting a fresh stack of library books, afternoons with spiced tea and fairy lights, woodland walks followed by hot chocolate, unhurried weekend breakfasts of porridge with nuts and berries, and plenty of slow, autumnal moments at home. There’s so much beauty and serenity in the simple days to be grateful for.
“I believe I know the only cure, which is to make one’s center of life inside of one’s self, not selfishly or excludingly, but with a kind of unassailable serenity – to decorate one’s inner house so richly that one is content there, glad to welcome anyone who wants to come and stay, but happy all the same when one is inevitably alone.” – Edith Wharton
Thank you for stopping by – I wish you a joyful season ahead.
If you’d like to keep in touch, I have a mailing list on Substack and occasionally share photos on Instagram.