Nel Whatmore Art for Living

Whatever the time of year the view is beautiful from my studio in The Twisting 🥰🥰🥰

If anyone missed the Christmas Market just to let you know my studio will be open on Sat 16 th just dm if you’d like to come and have a mooch. There’s lots to see and still some little unframed paintings left and originals and prints can be paid for over a period so everything’s affordable # # #

Just a wee bit of poetry for a Thursday morning . This is from my Refresh Book full of paintings and poetry and quotes from others I find inspiring to left you up every day xx It’s available in my shop on my website

So pleased to have this piece finally framed !

Last day of the Christmas fair . Please remember to wrap up warm as they have been queuing outside to get into the 1912 building . I will be up in my studio with all my other studio holders and The Garden project up in The Twisting Studios so do come and see us before or after you go to the Christmas Market we have free mince pies and tea and coffee and a lovely raffle that we have all contributed too !

Day 2 of the Christmas Fair and Polly has just theee of her beautiful butterflies left if anyone fancies one they’re all Handpainted in water colour and sculpted in paper and framed in recycles frames . She’s also made gold leafed baubles !!!! No expense spared!!Catch her and Fin today in the 1912 building they’re the first stall as you come in. Wrap up warm as you may have to queue a little to get in just as a little tip!

Well how lucky am I to be chosen by the team .co to be a Colour Champion! So here’s to celebrating Colour Friday instead of Black Friday where we celebrate small businesses and everything colourful and homemade . What it means to me is to share how important colour is to our everyday and how powerful it can be in lightening our mood and making us smile . I love meeting the people that come to where my studio is as they always appreciate the arts and are delighted to have discovered this ever growing community of creatives in west Leeds. It’s the first day of the Christmas Fair today ,where we have our Garden Project Stand in the iconic 1912 building along with 50 other businesses. My studio is also open from tomorrow and all weekend as well as my lovely fellow studio holders . There is so much going on so come and say hi and Support Small Businesses .co

Probably the last little painting of 2023 and it had to be of my gorgeous Iris Frimousse this little painting is 30cm x30cm unframed and around 50cm x50 cm framed . My garden is pretty sodden at the moment and needs loads of attention that’s a job for Dec. As today is set up day ! Polly isn’t getting here until 10 pm with all the things she’s been making including beautiful hand painted butterflies so it’s going to be a very busy weekend . Just a reminder these are when we are open .
My Studio in The Twisting Studio 12-8pm Friday - Sat and Sun 10-4pm Polly and Fin will be in the Christmas Market Friday 2-8pm and Saturday 10-4pm then up in my studio on Sunday . Hope to see you there!!! I’m f not Im@also opening on the 2nd and 16 th as several customers can’t make the fair so let me know if you want to come on those days xx

Last day of Prep lampshades are up ! Now off to post and framers ! Looking forward to a mince pie on Friday.

It’s all starting to look rather lovely me thinks ! Loving my wild berry wall !

Getting there! Loving my new walls .Looking forward to everything being finished for 12 o’clock on Friday :) # # #

Polly and Fin will be in the Christmas Fair in the 1912 building on our Nel x Polly Rose stand showing The Garden Project our collaboration together . Polly is still recovering from her operation but is delighted to be-able to come to the fair . She can’t chat for long as she has to try to make her voice last for three days . I know everyone will be so supportive of her and understand if she’s not so chatty as usual !! The Fair is at Sunny Bank Mill 2-8pm Friday (my studio is open a little earlier at 12-8pm up in the Twisting Studio . Then she is in the fair on Saturday 10-4 then we are both in my studio 10-4 on Sunday . The Christmas fair is all three days fri-Sun hope to see you there # #

Love our gorgeous lampshades looking forward to showing them off next week at the Christmas fair # # #

Sometimes you just have to keep on keeping on, one step in front of the each other. I poured my heart into this today hope you can tell now need a cuppa and a biscuit !

I love me a sky !!! Been losing myself in this today # # # Hopefully I’ll finish it for Open studios next weekend. 🤞

Looking forward to seeing people at the my studio and for the Christmas Market at Sunny Bank Mills . The market is in the 1912 building where they film the Great British Sewing Bee.
I’m opening my studio on the Friday at 12pm two hours before the Christmas market opens so you can come and have a free cuppa and a mince pie then wander over to the Market. I’m just at B and Q as I’m buying blackberry paint to paint my studio … it’s sort of aubergine really !!! Please feel free to share this widely to support small businesses!

My 2024 calendar is now available and there’s limited stock so if you want one I’d hurry. Just go to The gift shop on my website # #

Back in my happy place today ! The Christmas Fair is fast approaching so I’ll be opening my studio Fri and Sunday 24-26 th November also Polly and Fin will be in the Christmas Fair just on the Friday and Saturday . Look forward to seeing you # # #

Day 5 Hill House just outside Glashow is really worth a visit , designed by Charles Renee Mackintosh and his wife . It’s currently covered by a box to protect it from the elements as he hadn’t banked on the Scottish climate and the inability of concrete to breath, when he faced up the building . It’s fascinating to be able to view the building from the gantries inside the box as well as the beautiful interior xx

Day 3 The Great Escape 2 which was actually yesterday but we omitted and chatted so much I forgot to post ! Another lovely walk around the edge of Loch Lomond and around a beautiful walled garden . The autumn colours were stunning and we had some fun in the Fairy Knoll!

Day 2 of the Great Escape Mark 2 . As the weather is due to be a bit mixed tomorrow we made the very most of the good weather today. Loch Katrine was beautiful as was the tea shop both at the beginning and the end of the walk ! We had quite a job finding the path over the top from one loch to another. But managed it in the end . I’m brimming over with paintings in my head 😍😍😍😍😍😍😳😳😳😳😍😍😍😍

Day 1 of The Great Escape Mark II it’s so important to look after yourself as well as those around you when life gets very stressful . So I’m up in the Highlands at a wonderful cottage . We are missing our two lovely friends that couldn’t get here but we had the MOST amazing walk today up Conic Hill the views of Loch Lomond were incredible !!!

Having a little break while our lovely Son takes Polly back home to Mark . Staying up in the Highlands for a bit of R and R looking forward to walking today and knitting xx

Sumptuous II will be off to the framers soon. I just love love love peonies and still have several more paintings in my head xx

This painting has been on its travels and is now returning to my Studio . It’s called Strike a Pose !

Managed to get out and see some lovely swans at Blackford pond today . Counting the little achievements everyday # # #

Just a little update Polly got through her very long op on Wednesday without any enriched oxygen which was a first for the anaesthetising team! She is getting better everyday and today drank her first cup of tea which naturally tasted brilliant ! She has been so incredibly good humoured through out not that you’re not allowed to be grumpy but it just astounds me how much she smiles and is so grateful for the wonderful care she is receiving .
Thank you again for all the messages , texts and tide of love we very much appreciate it .
This was Polly before her op when we went to buy nice pyjamas . We hope it makes you smile too # # #

Well I’m sitting on a train gazing out of the window and doing very little for once other than watching the world whip by. I always remember when I’m sat on a train studying at school, a poem about two men sitting on a train, one with his nose in a book the other staring out of the window the entire journey. As Mark will have his nose pressed to some book and I’ll be looking at clouds. Today it’s just me and the sky is winning the battle again as not one page of my book has been turned. I’m on my way to Edinburgh and letting my mind sail away to the palaces of where I paint as beautifully lit clouds tumble around above carefully ploughed fields. Thank you so very much for all the offers of help ,messages , texts , hugs and good wishes for Polly and our family as ever sustains us .

Well I’m sitting on a train gazing out of the window and doing very little for once other than watching the world whip by. I always remember when I’m sat on a train studying at school, a poem about two men sitting on a train, one with his nose in a book the other staring out of the window the entire journey. As Mark will have his nose pressed to some book and I’ll be looking at clouds. Today it’s just me and the sky is winning the battle again as not one page of my book has been turned. I’m on my way to Edinburgh and letting my mind sail away to the palaces of where I paint as beautifully lit clouds tumble around above carefully ploughed fields. Thank you so very much for all the offers of help ,messages , texts , hugs and good wishes for Polly and our family as ever sustains us .

Just to let people know who have very kindly been wanting to know when Pollys prints will be available . She’s decided to postpone launching them to prioritise her health both mentally and physically to get ready for her op this week . It has been a helpful distraction making her prints but she just wants to make sure they look as good as they can be and also be as rested as possible for wed . She hopes to finish her prints when she feels well night so I’m sure everyone will be happy to wait # #

Polly’s Prints update ! Thanks to so many people that have asked me about when Polly is releasing her prints . She has been trying to work right up until her op next Wed and as her video said she is releasing just a small number of prints on Monday 9 th. I will be up in Edinburgh then and so I’ll be package them up in between visiting her in hospital and then looking after her when she comes out , it will also give me something to do which will be helpful. She is just doing this small print drop as her sick pay won’t even cover her rent .
On a personal note about Polly’s Lino cut prints. She has always been interested in birds and their form and beauty , in fact those of you that have been to our house will have seen the huge Emu head that we have on our wall, that she did for her A Level. So I wasn’t surprised that birds feature heavily in her work. It’s been difficult her dealing with all the appointments and the rollercoaster of waiting and receiving calls, so still to produce works of beauty in the midst of dealing so much makes us very very proud of her . I’m anticipating that they will sell out quick but she will do more when she feels well enough to do the next batch . I’ll post the link on Monday so please feel free to share as much as you like thank you again so much for all your kind comments, messages , orders for The Garden Project and most of all love ❤️. It is a huge help xx

Sometimes I get to my studio and there’s so much going on in my life , particularly at the moment that I just have to sit and do nothing and take a moment to steer my brain somewhere else in search of peace and calm . Today I sailed away very happily to Northumberland

It’s important to not let the tough days overwhelm the good days . So even though we have a lot going on with our lovely Polls operation coming up,I’d just like to take a moment to celebrate painting my 100th jug today as part of project . We are just about to go into October - Breast Cancer awareness month. I was diagnosed not through having a scan but because I felt just a slight sort of ridge and went to the doctors . I’d just like to remind everyone to check themselves regularly and just note any changes not just a ‘hard pea ‘ lump but any changes.
Every Friday when I’m able, I paint a jug and then get it fired ,it is a lovely constant reminder to take some time for myself and to do something different that’s creative. It gives me done thing to look forward to every week and something to also distract me from worrying , which trust me has been very helpful recently . Polly works at a paint your own pots place in Edinburgh so she’s ordering a box of stuff to bring back to her flat, so that post her operation we can paint pots and I can go and get them fired for her. To help her recuperate and so that I can still paint too while looking after her. Also ALOT of wool has been bought so we will keep you posted with our creations of a different kind # # # Happy 100th Jug Day Me !!

Jug 99 Citrus is out of the kiln and looking all nice and lemony . I love painting on a Friday it’s just always a treat to see them when they come out of the kiln it’s like getting a present every week !

What’s better than a peony … two peonies # # #

Here’s the two little jugs from the last two weeks for Strawberry And BlackBerry already going off to a new home # # thanks so much for your support # # #

Here’s this weeks Jug number 99!!!! Citrus and as I’m sat here drinking a gin and tonic with lime that’s rather apt . Last weeks Strawberry and Blackberry are also out of the kiln and I’ll post those too thanks to Laura at lovely