Had fun exploring Wasdale and Eskdale a couple of weeks ago and sketched this one of family members swimming and exploring Wastwater, which also happens to be the deepest lake in England. 

The Brassey Family, from L - R:
Mabelle, Thomas (Navigator), Tom jnr, Muriel, Marie and Annie (Writer and Photographer).
​In 1876 the Brassey Family sailed around the world in their yacht The Sunbeam which was named after the nickname for their daughter Constance, who died of scarlet fever when she was 4.
This illustration was inspired by this description: "We were forty-three on board, all told...we had with us, besides, two dogs, three birds, and a charming Persian kitten belonging to the baby. The kitten soon disappeared, and it was feared she must have gone overboard down the hawse pipe. There was a faint hope, however, that she might have been packed away with the new sails, which had been stored away in a great hurry the day before. Unhappily she was never found again, and the children were inconsolable until they discovered at Torquay, a replacement for 'Lily'". 
My Granny gave me this book which is around 100 years old - the background texture to this illustration is a scan of one of the pages. It's been a fun one!

Finally finished this one from three years ago!

Currently working on this sketch. I think there will be a few more versions before I'm happy with it - after that it might become a print. We shall see! It is based on a verse from a Psalm: 'Blessed are those whose strength is in the Lord - in their hearts are the highways of holiness'. I've learnt a lot about how you draw maps in the process....

Sketches done in daytime and in the gloaming. Same view, just a different spot on the rocks!

I did get this printed in the end! That makes four birds, one for every season. Available now in my Etsy shop. Excuse the radio silence, I've been on Mat Leave again!

The third in a series of four bird prints which I've been working on for a while - one for every season. This one flummoxed me for a while as it was a complicated second plate for the top layer, but we got there in the end! Nice to get it done before I go on Maternity leave - maybe I'll even manage the Summer print too...