I decided I loved my Nadolig Llawen design so much I'd also make it into a standing decoration! I've been getting all of my wooden decorations from Lightning Laser and they are so lovely. I can't wait to design some more that aren't just for Christmas!

Look at my lovely new wooden Christmas decorations! They're all coloured pencil illustrations of mine that have been printed onto wood and laser cut by Lightning Laser - made in the UK which is something I always aim for.

They all have adorable names too because I love a Christmas pun!

More new Christmas cards!
Santa Claws is in town - his sleeves are too long and his boots too small but he's ready for Christmas and loving it!
Plus my first Welsh Christmas card featuring an illustration of the Welsh dragon - Y Ddraig Goch - with some colourful festive bunting and sparkly fairy lights.
Both of these were just meant to be wooden Christmas decorations but they were so cool I had to turn them into cards too!

Here are a couple of new Christmas cards I made for this year! First is a Christmas 'Dinos with Desserts' card featuring a Camposaurus with a Christmas Pudding - because dinosaurs and Christmas are totally a thing now! The second is design I did for a Brains Beer competition that didn't win but I thought it was cool so I thought I'd make it into a Christmas card. Heaving that sack of presents around is clearly a very good arm workout!

That's right, I'm now on my third Wrexham mural! This time it's all about the Wrexham Art Treasures Exhibition of 1876. This one was a lot of fun to research and I learned so much about a big part of Wrexham's history that has largely been forgotten about. Below is a slide show that explains all the different details in the mural along with some fun facts about the exhibition itself. For a more in depth history about the exhibition I've done another blog post all about it here.

I must say despite the cold, wet and windy weather and getting pooped on by pigeons twice, painting this mural was a much more pleasant experience than the last one. I was under a nice tunnel, the floor was solid and level, and this one was about a third the size of the Markets one. I love them both though, and who knows, maybe next time I get to paint a mural outdoors it will be in the summer!

This mural along with my Wrexham Markets mural both form part of the Wrexham Public Art Trail which is really becoming something truly special.
It's such an honour to be have been able to add to the trail, especially with art that celebrates two very different but important parts of Wrexham's history. 

The Football Association of Wales was formed at the Wynnstay Hotel, the National Eisteddfod was held here for the first time and resulted in the first ever 'Black Bard's Chair', Ruabon Road Cemetery opened, the first tram system opened between Johnstown and Pen-y-Bryn, George Pinder's Continental Circus came to town, the first Horticultural Show in 10 years was held, and the biggest event of the year was the four month long
​Great Art Treasures and Industrial Exhibition!

​The entrance to the exhibition was the newly built Argyle Archway opposite the thatched Horse and Jockey pub on Hope Street. Constructed by William Low (designer of the original Channel Tunnel) in 1875 as a dowry for his daughter, the archway was fitted with turnstiles and led to a covered passageway with cloakrooms and dining halls, whilst the buildings either side of the arch were set up as museums. At the end of the archway you entered the grand Entrance Hall, decorated with tropical plants and tapestries on the walls, and beyond that the massive pavilion of the Main Exhibition Hall. The glass roof was held up by 16 pillars painted pale blue and maroon and atop the base of each one was a bust of an eminent sculptor. Joining opposite pillars across the roof were triangular boards, at the centre of each were portraits of composers and artists.

Financially the Exhibition was a financial flop. It cost the organisers about £1200 to put on but only made about £6000 of it back. Part of the blame for the lower than expected visitor numbers was placed upon the owners of the factories and mines around Wrexham for not giving the workers time off to come and see it. Although other critics say that there was simply a lack of interest in arts and antiquities within the working class of the area. It was still considered a success however and provided a good boost to the local economy particularly for the traders and craftspeople selling at the Exhibition. 

The Exhibition was the put together by the great antiquarian William Chaffers - the Exhibitions General Manager - along with the following group of benefactors and contributors: Hugh Grosvenor, First Duke of Westminster; Denbighshire’s longstanding MP, Sir Watkin Williams Wynn; Denbighshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Major William Cornwallis West; Former Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone; Lord Penrhyn. Sir Robert Cunliffe; and, of course, William Low.

Although largely forgotten nowadays the Exhibition is a fascinating piece of Wrexham's cultural and industrial heritage and must have been quite a spectacular event to see!

For even more information about the exhibition check out the following articles:
​
https://www.love-wrexham.com/2019/11/19/wrexham-art-treasures-and-industrial-exhibition/

https://www.davidebsworth.com/wrexhams-great-art-treasures-exhibition-1876

That's right, I've finally taken the plunge, quit my part time job and decided to open my very own Art Bunny shop! I will be selling all of my lovely art and craft stuff as well as using it as a studio to create more art. 

​The grand opening will be Saturday 4th October and I cannot wait!

I finally did it! Over 10 years ago I did a painting of a tiger which sparked the idea to do an exhibition of endangered animals and raise money for conservation and now it's finally here! After 6 years of painting and another 4 years trying to find somewhere to show it Face Up is finally on display and it looks amazing!

I had an opening event on Saturday which was very exciting - a huge thank you to everyone that came! I know it sounds stupid but seeing the paintings on a wall makes them look like real paintings! A huge shout out and thank you to Adam from Ty Pawb who curated them for me and made the whole thing look so professional and amazing. I learned a lot from him about where to put things and why and I'm so grateful for his expertise. 

Face Up has the pleasure to be the first exhibition in the newly named Oriel Bach space at Ty Pawb in Wrexham. A few weeks ago it was just a little grey room being used for storage and now with a little greenery and some good lighting it is a fabulous little gallery! Another big shout out and thank you to Peter the manager at Ty Pawb for his help and enthusiasm. After so many years of struggling to find a good space it was so nice to finally find someone who was excited to help me and put up with my many many questions! I hope too that people will now see the potential of Oriel Bach and use it for more exhibitions and things.

Of course the biggest thank you to my family who helped me pull it off and are always by biggest supporters and best customers! Especially my ever supportive boyfriend who is the only person to have seen these paintings before now and has been nagging me for years to get this show out there - well I finally have!

And I've already got plans for my next one!