19th August 2025

Ahh the summer holidays... It really is that time of year where everything feels a little bit upside-down! The sun is shining and the days are long, but I’ll be honest…I’m running on fumes and coffee. My boys are full of energy (as they should be) and I’m in that phase of feeling exhausted but also strangely content - caught between utter chaos and lovely gratitude. It’s messy, loud, there’s no routine in sight, but there’s also something really freeing in letting go and embracing the mayhem for a few weeks.

I have found the last four weeks a little bit of a challenge with the school holidays and two boys tearing the house apart, the brain fog is real, and my mental capacity has taken a bit of a battering. Like so many, I find joy and peace in structure and routine. The everyday task of getting out of the door and to school on time, that regular Monday-Friday flow of life, which can often feel abrasive and like it’s never going to end. However there is a simplicity in it for me that my nervous system needs - because I'm such a creature of habit, it gives me structure to my day. At times it can feel difficult as well, but the more I have leaned into that over the last couple of years, the more peaceful my mind and body feel. The “everyday” is a blessing, when we choose to look through that lens. 

Even through the school holiday chaos, I’ve managed to keep up some sort of exercise routine recently, believe it or not, which I know keeps me somewhat sane throughout the noise. Creating and planning for my new body of work has taken a bit of a backseat during the holidays, which I knew would happen - I even tried to prepare myself for it mentally. However, I had a brilliant planning session recently and I have carved out lots of painting time for the rest of the year, so I feel reassured in knowing I’ll be back in my studio soon and starting work on a new collection of original pieces. 

There is always something you need to sacrifice, which is how we find peace in other areas (I’m sure many of you can relate!). Continuous and endless to-do lists, coupled with other health challenges has been exhausting during recent times, though I’m feeling ready to embrace the change in season soon. I have a restful few days away with my family to look forward to, which will round off the school holidays just perfectly. 

To Be Beside The Seaside

I had a little trip to St Leonards and Hastings recently with the boys, alongside some friends and their children. I just love how creative it is on that part of the coast, the eclectic mix of people and shops, the architecture, the colours. You can’t beat being by the sea on a hot day. There is so much design eye candy and inspiration on the coast. Here are a few snaps of things I found positive and that brought me joy, including some super cool gold type on marble. We have been trying to stay busy by keeping things simple and inexpensive - lots of bike rides, discovering new playgrounds, getting out into nature where we can, walks near the water and anything that burns off energy without costing the earth. 

Recent Exhibition Visits

I shared more on this in my recent newsletter, after my visit to the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, which has now closed for another year. It’s the world's oldest open submission exhibition, meaning that anyone can enter their work to be considered for inclusion. It is such an experience! If you didn’t manage to catch it in person this year, you can still explore the exhibited works on the Royal Academy website.

I was also waxing lyrical about Jenny Saville at the National Portrait Gallery. I was utterly blown away by this exhibition, a real must see if you’re close to London! The Anatomy of Painting is running until September 7^th 2025, and I highly recommend. 

Last of the Summer Sunshine

It has felt like the summer of never-ending sunshine in the UK which we have been so lucky to experience. What I have loved about our long summer is the small joyful moments that brings, without us even realising it at the time. Seeing the crack of sunlight through the shutters in the morning when you first wake up, warm air flowing through the house, having breakfast in the garden and all the beautiful bees and butterflies - there's been so many this year I have noticed! Having a lovely summer tops me up for the cooler, darker, months ahead. I don’t know about you, but I felt the subtle hint in the air around a week or so ago, signalling that change is coming. Whilst I’m ready to embrace the change in season, I’m not quite ready to let go of that summer feeling just yet and I plan to make the most of the chaos in these next two weeks, with a full heart and some more sunshine.

Thanks so much for reading!