The fictional but believable Pearl remains a constant companion in the studio. Some readers will remember how she was popping up in paintings everywhere during our decade in Sheffield. Nowadays she rarely occupies the easel where a more figurative style of painting has priority. When asked to paint her in a bespoke scenario this summer it was hard to refuse. I forgot how fun it was to mix the uninhibited-red hair colour, insert Irene the Cat, float fat pearls around thin necks, and liberally blend potty with poise. Already the owner of Paddling Pearl, the outdoor sports enthusiast wanted a keepsake from vacations in Jávea and this is an iconic view of the Playa de la Grava with Cap de Sant Antoni in the background. Thank you dear Chrissie and Ian. Come back soon!

Xiquet al Far Verd, which is Valenciano for Boy at the Green Lighthouse, won a contest hosted by La Federación de Organizaciones de Xàbia (Jávea) to celebrate 125 years since Sorolla first visited this beautiful coastal town. As Sorolla fans know, the colours and light in Jávea were a source of inspiration for several of his paintings. In 1896, he painted Xiquet de Jávea (read more here). My version is based on a photo I took of a lighthouse in the Port when we lived there. FORXA's aim was to print the winning design on shopping trolleys. The 1st prize was shared with another local artist, Mary-Louise Boardman.

Lucky me! I got to paint a beautiful podenco called Maisie, probably short for 'amazing' because she is a tireless jumper and hill climber. For this reason she appears on a mountaintop in the portrait. In person she is affectionate and just a real pleasure to be around. Huge thank you to Ruth for this fun project.

You don't have to have a backbone to be beautiful. Invertebrates comprise the majority of the animal kingdom, up to 97 percent! Whether they have eight legs or no legs, tentacles, or live in shells and under rocks, painting these creatures is a pleasure.

To draw and paint feathers always seemed a daunting and tedious endeavour but if I don't think about it too much, and just focus on the shapes and tones, it magically comes together. Furthermore, birds have such dramatically different eyes, which are fascinating and fun to paint! Check out the video and see if you agree.

As a fisherman's daughter from Nova Scotia I have a lot of appreciation for the work required to bring the ocean's bounty to our tables. Fishing family, friends and fables have inspired my artwork. Here is a selection of sketches, studies, clay tile designs, and finished paintings.

Some lovely people entered my life through an exhibition in Edinburgh a few years ago, including Rona, who later sent a gorgeous photo of flowers in a jug from her mother. I am very grateful for her inspiring image, which was used as a reference for this painting.

One of my favourite superheroes is Todd the Poet, who happens to be my brother. While he has appeared in some small watercolours, this is the first life-size painting of him. It is based on a magical moment in 2014, the happiest day of his life, the day that he and Stella got married. Stella often says, "Todd is my knight in shining armour." Indeed, he is.

They're not in season now but we did eat these in the autumn, after photographing them on a pretty platter (Crown Ducal's 'Random Harvest' pattern) for a future still life painting. Hello yellow!