Five Days to Go

Almost at the May Open Houses again. The house is starting to come together. I've managed to hang most of my photos and Ruth Mullan dropped off some of her stained glass today. It's going to be a busy week and the house will be changing by the day, if not by the hour.

Come and see us again, Saturdays and Sundays throughout May 11am-5pm.

Here's a preview of what you can expect.

Blue Rockpool by Margaret McGregor Betts

Murmuration by Bluebell Roebuck

Owl by Ruth Mullan

I think that we are gonna be friends by Vicky Scott

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.... Well, maybe just a little

Lots of snow in the Lake District today but just freezing cold and rainy here. Living by the sea has many advantages but I do miss the snow. The Open House is first approaching with just a week to go so Christmas always seems to come a bit earlier than it used to. Ruth has got some fantastic decorations again this year - in addition to her fused glass presents, the stars and the iridescent baubles, she has mistletoe and abstract trees.

A Bit of Peace and Happiness

Interesting that the dove is seen as a symbol of peace whereas it's actually a quarrelsome, territorial bird. Remind you of anyone who's now trying to come across as reasonable and conciliatory despite the vitriol he's been spouting over the last few months. However, after the events of yesterday I think we'll all just settle for whatever reminds us of peace and hope.

Here's Ruth's dove in progress and completed. The bottom two pictures show how it glows with the light behind it.

45 Days to Go

So the countdown to the next Open House has started... 45 days to go. It's at this point that most of us start thinking "must get on with some work".  Not so Ruth Mullan who has been super busy and creative with lots of new stained and fused glass on the go.  Here is an owl in various stages of construction. Can't wait to see it in real life.

That Time Of Year Again

Yes, it is that time of year again - the run up to the Christmas Open Houses except this year the lucky visitors get an extra weekend to visit and I have one fewer weeks to try and get the house ready for inspection.

This Christmas, I am happy to welcome a new artist to the house - Georgia Elliott. Georgia is an illustrator who was shortlisted for The AOI Illustration Awards 2013: (Books, New Talent Category). She will be displaying her books along with a selection of prints and greeting cards, including Christmas cards.

I will also be welcoming back most of the artists who were with me last Christmas although we all have new work so there will always be something you haven't seen before. I'll be posting sneak previews over the next couple of weeks but in the meantime here's one of Vicky Scott's new card designs

and one of Ruth Mullan's new fused glass pieces

So... make a date in your diary and come along and meet the artists at 45 Westbourne Gardens, Hove, BN3 5PN. We are open 11am-5pm each weekend from 21st November until 13th December.

Bank Holiday Monday

After five years of only opening on Saturdays and Sundays, today we are experimenting with opening on Bank Holiday Monday. I usually have visitors calling by on the off chance so we'll see what happens when we're officially open.

Yesterday was a lovely day at the Open House. The rain stopped just in time for opening and held off all day. Today is looking bright and sunny with no rain forest until this evening.

Although most of my artists are the same as Christmas and last May, there is plenty of new work to be viewed. Margaret McGregor Betts has new watercolours, etchings and collagraphs for sale.

Ruth Mullan has some new pieces of her exquisite stained and fused glass, including these fish diamonds.

I have a selection of new photographs including some almost abstract ones of black swans and the bizarre neck of the Greylag goose. I don't know why I take so many pictures of birds given my bird phobia - maybe it's some kind of aversion therapy for me.

Leonor Berdichevsky is back with her beautiful, detailed watercolours. This one, The Wish, sold yesterday but she will be bringing a replacement soon and it can be ordered in the meantime.

One weekend down, two to go

The first weekend of the Christmas Open Houses was a great success here and the house is looking lovely after all the frantic tidying last week. We had a steady flow of visitors all weekend so many thanks to those of you who came and especially to Del and Alexis, two of the artists exhibiting here, for their expert entertaining of youngest child after my husband was laid up in bed with back pain.

Ruth's fused and stained glass decorations have been really popular, deservedly so. Her stocks are quickly becoming depleted so please come along soon if you would like to see these.

We are now in December so it doesn't feel too early to be talking about Christmas. We have a variety of cards, decorations and other Christmassy bits and pieces here as well as affordable arts and crafts so if you're in a present buying mood, come and relax with a glass of mulled wine while browsing. We are open from 11am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday.

A Bunch of Flowers

It was grey and gloomy all day today but the temperatures are more like the run up to the May Open Houses. I keep feeling I should be planting flowers rather than preparing for winter and Christmas so here's a bunch of flowers to enjoy.

The first three are my photographs. I've always loved foxgloves and I love the bee on the lavender but my favourite is the picture of the hydrangeas, a plant my husband hates (old lady flowers, apparently) but my late grandmother's favourite. The sunflower is one of Ruth's mirrors, a new piece I'm really looking forward to seeing, and the picture at the bottom is Leonor's bluebells. I love the intensity of the blue glass and the bubbles in the water. And, of course, they are bluebells...

Ruth Mullan

Ruth originally trained as a graphic designer but, after an evening course in stained glass under the tutelage of Keith Nickels, began working with stained glass. Ruth often works on commission, creating both leaded glass hanging pieces and panels for installation in doors and windows, and has also experimented with fused glass. Her use of colour and texture within her work produces stunning results.

Alongside the leaded work, Ruth also has some smaller copper foil pieces. Last Christmas, her hanging birds and ballet shoes proved very popular sellers.

Some examples of her work are below; for more, please visit her website http://ruthmullan.co.uk.