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2|100 - I am grateful for our rescue cat Gherkin who we’ve had for 2 years now. He has the best purr and is amazingly friendly. I thought I’d mention the aim of this 100 day project is for me to break through my own self applied rules that stifle me. I’m not trying to be precious, I’m choosing to take some time a day to draw and paint and I’m working with a colour palette I’ve chosen, I guess the main intention is to find my artistic voice which I’ve been working on for the last couple of years. The consistent theme is actually in the 100 days but I’ve decided to add a couple more of my own consistencies. This will also keep@me accountable to post on here daily. Have a look at the hashtag of all the other pieces of art people have been making! They’re so beautiful and inspiring #100dayproject #the100dayproject #cat #gherkinthecat #animalshelter #purr #purrfect #artisticvoice #dailylife

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I am grateful for barista coffee at home

1|100 #100dayproject #coffee #baristacoffee #homemadecoffee #barista #coffeelover #day1 #derwent #posca #fabercastell #mumlife #lockdownlife

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I’m starting my 100 day project. This is my colour palette and my lunch.

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Here’s a time lapse from 2 years ago until now of my progress on this painting. It’s been challenging for me because I’ve been doing it from scratch and figuring out the easiest way for me to work and to find which painting stroke is the best for me. It took me a long while to realise that acrylics are really helpful and not oils as I first thought. I thought I had to use oils to progress as a good painter but I’ve proved to myself that acrylics are helping me. I can’t wait to get this finished. And just to remind myself that it’s okay that some paintings take a good while to paint. It’s been my biggest lesson so far. I’m grateful for time and my intuition.

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“there are many children in afghanistan, but little childhood.” 

please consider donating/sharing this list of trusted organizations to help those in need. please add to the list as well.

women for afghan women 

afghan aid

sanitary products for displaced afghan women

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Reflecting on friends, mums and tidying to help us feel sane.

I've recently visited a couple of friends houses. And both times, like me, they felt conscious of it not being 'tidy'. I actually was happy to see their house was just like mine in this capacity and it calmed me to see this. Meaning their children had been playing and having fun and hadn't paid much notice to the decorative or more important stuff on display. From time to time I get an enviousness of those who have their own purchased/rented house and have decorated it beautifully but I know my time will come with that, we're renting and we've got art hung up and trinkets every where so weve made of it what we can! I do love interiors! Of course we all like to make sure our house is neat, hoovered and clean when we can and when I have people come round I feel conscious of mine not being of a certain tidiness if I haven't managed to get it done in time or eventually just thought bugger it. I'm keeping it like this. So many times though I've been so hard on myself for it being a tip. I used to feel more conscious but you learn to let go and feel comfortable in a level of tidiness that is passable so you don't actually drive yourself somewhat insane worrying about what others think about your dwelling and actually stop justifying why it's not tidy, making excuses for the mess. Of course we might have more items than other people but we're just Human and we have stuff that we like to clear out at times but we also want to enjoy that stuff and not have to make excuses for it. At some point along our timelines, we've been judged about our stuff and what our house is like inside instead of a good thing being pointed out about it. If a conscious effort was made to not care what others houses contents were like and just enjoy the company of the person with them then I'm sure mum's with young toddlers wouldn't start adding that extra pressure to be perfectly tidy to their agenda. Next time you're round at a busy friends house, especially a work at home mum, complement something about it to consciously take the pressure off. We all love our houses because that's where we spend the majority of our time making it how we can enjoy it. So then we can just enjoy the people in it and not worry at times like Christmas and New Year especially and just enjoy the time with our loved ones, friends, acquaintances, guests. Love, Alex xo

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Hello! Wooo! We’re at the end! (with an added bonus!) This is my twelfth instalment of my blog series about a few beautiful and iconic buildings I have painted that reside in Salford and Manchester! This post focusses on the one and only Salford Museum and Art Gallery! Originally painted in watercolours, it was continued in the same consistency as my Salford Lads Club painting. The colour pattern on old buildings in Salford are Red Brick, Green paint and ‘gold’. Go a-hunting and there’ll you’ll find the theme. I love this place as it originally held mostly all of Lowry’s paintings until the majority of them were moved to the Lowry Centre in Salford Quays. It holds so much strong history here. Salford Museum and Art Gallery was the UK’s ‘first free public library’, which opened in January 1850, followed in November by a museum and art gallery. The building was a mansion house known as Lark Hill, which had been built in the 1790s and has given its name to our famous Lark Hill Place; a Victorian street within the museum.” BONUS POST! All my prints are available to buy at great value, here! I couldn’t help but create a painting in Gouache of Worsley Court House! Why did i create this? Because I know it holds so many special memories for so many people! Even my own family have celebrated their birthday here! It’s set in a beautiful surrounding in Worsley, we are aware of the huge motorway it leads onto but does that even matter when you’ve got Worsley Canal and the beautiful woods surrounding it! Have a look in my webstore to see the other prints available of some of your favourite buildings in Salford and Manchester, here! “Worsley Court House was built in 1849 as the local manor court. After 1888 it became a magistrates' court. Early in its history it was used for night classes and is now the village hall. The courthouse is a Tudor building featuring timber, stone and slate.” which I feel I’ve captured rather well! Go and visit Worsley Village! It is small but has a wonderful array of local pubs, restaurants and if you’re possibly looking to move to the area, an estate agents. A wonderful part of Salford. P.S. To get any of my prints for sale on my website, please visit here!

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Hello! This is my eleventh instalment of my blog series about a few beautiful and iconic buildings I have painted that reside in Salford and Manchester! This post focusses on The John Rylands Library! I painted this in Gouache originally and it helped to add vibrancy. This painting is more of an impressionistic version of the finely tuned details we see in the building and is more blunt and bold. I loved painting it. I urge you to go and visit for yourself if you haven’t already! If you have, keep paying homage to this wonderful, almost Hogwarts-esque building. One of the biggest inspiration givers in the city!  The John Rylands Library is an absolute favourite and the gift that keeps on giving. “The John Rylands Library was founded by Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her husband John Rylands. In 1889 the architect Basil Champneys designed the striking gothic building, which took ten years to build and was opened to public readers on 1 January 1900.” I look forward to my 12th and final post (with an added bonus!) In my immense blog post series on my paintings, their why’s and the inspiration behind them. See you next time, Alex

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Hello! This is my tenth instalment of my blog series about a few beautiful and iconic buildings I have painted that reside in Salford and Manchester! This post focusses on The Peveril of the Peak Originally painted in Watercolour, I really love the lime, almost yellow tiles. It’s so out of the ordinary for the area it’s in. Of course, there are a few old pubs around but this one has so much character! I absolutely love it for its individuality, as do many of the people who have visited the pub of course. The pub is a famous Manchester institution and is Victorian Irish. It dates back to the 19th century but the cladding was added in 1900. The name is said to commemorate a horse-drawn stagecoach that ran between Manchester and London (so much history!) This has proved to be popular amongst my customers and I do really love it myself, I’ve got a copy hanging up on my photo/gallery wall! See you for the next post, Alex <3

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Hello! This is my ninth instalment of my blog series about a few beautiful and iconic buildings I have painted that reside in Salford and Manchester! This post focusses on Broughton Tavern

Now, I’ve painted Broughton Tavern (n watercolour I might add) because it’s just so interesting! It’s a flat iron building and was genuinely an old pub, originally known as the Printers Arms. I just love the shape and wanted to capture it as best I could. It’s now a block of flats so you can see the appeal to my imagination wondering off, knowing it has a long history, especially since it was first licensed in 1818! It’s on Blackfriars Road headed towards Blackfriars (one of my personal favourite areas of town!) I wonder if you’ll notice it now whenever you’re in that area. See you for the tenth post! Love, Alex <3

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. Hello! This is my eighth instalment of my blog series about a few beautiful and iconic buildings I have painted that reside in Salford and Manchester! This post focusses on Manchester Central aka the GMEX! This is originally painted in Gouache. On this one, I really wanted to paint in block, muted colours. Whites, blues, reds - they all compliment one another really well. I actually think this is my favourite out of the whole series as this is where the paintings begin to grow in a different direction. The GMex or Manchester Central Convention Complex (commonly known as Manchester Central) is an exhibition and conference centre converted from the former Manchester Central railway station in Manchester which was originally opened in 1880 as a terminus for services from London St Pancras and closed after 89 years in 1969 I’ve been to a few events here including Manchester's’ first International Tattoo Convention and a charity walking event for St Anne’s Hospice. Lots of bands love to play here too so it’s very historical in the music scene! The Smiths have done a famous photo shoot here too! Really looking forward to the next post! See you then,

Alex <3

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Hello! This is my seventh instalment of my blog series about a few beautiful and iconic buildings I have painted that reside in Salford and Manchester! This post focusses on Manchester Central Library Originally painted in Watercolour, here is my painting of Manchester Central Library! It looks particularly lighter compared to the others because of the sun setting. Love love love this old traditional building! It’s beautiful inside and out and is so jampacked full of wonderful resources. It’s just gorgeous to spend time in and was particularly easy to paint though I feel I could’ve done a better job. The library is the headquarters of the city's library and information service in Manchester. Facing St Peter's Square, it was designed by E. Vincent Harris and constructed between 1930 and 1934. At its opening, one critic wrote, "This is the sort of thing which persuades one to believe in the perennial applicability of the Classical canon". The form of the building, a columned portico attached to a rotunda domed structure, is loosely derived from the Pantheon, Rome. Hope you enjoyed this one, see you next time! Alex

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Hello! This is my sixth instalment of my blog series about a few beautiful and iconic buildings I have painted that reside in Salford and Manchester! This post focusses on The Rising Sun Why have you painted this pub? Where is it? Tell me more! I’ve painted this because I’m not going to lie, old pubs, like many buildings old and new and their history, are fascinating.This pub is small but lovely and does the trick. I’ve found speculated dates of when it was built such as the late 16th century and even the mid 17th century. So please do correct me, any readers, it’d be great to have your input. It has an antique and cosy interior, it’s a ‘cut’ pub - meaning it acted/acts a cut through for police to get through as it is wedged between two buildings and sell lovely local ales! Whilst this is beginning to make me think that I sound like a pub reviewer here, I am not. I just like this pub and have a couple of nice memories from it! The main entrance resides on Queen Street but now this is the best part, it has an interestingly amazing neighbour in the form of a statue of Abraham Lincoln! Created in bronze by George Grey Barnard to mark the abolition of slavery. Of all the many amazing statues, this has to be my favourite (slavery is another area I am passionate about) - room can be made for that on another post! I hope you enjoyed this post and I’ll see you next time, Alex

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Hello! This is my fifth instalment of my blog series about a few beautiful and iconic buildings I have painted that reside in Salford and Manchester! Salford Lads’ Club Now why have I painted this one, I wonder? (hint, I am quite a huge fan of The Smiths and Morrissey, 14 years strong!) 

Partly made into an iconic music feature - avid fans of The Smiths and Morrissey know this building all too well due to being featured on their ‘The Queen is Dead’ album. That is one of my favourite’s by the way, or Meat is Murder or Hatful of Hollow. It’s really quite hard to decide...

Hang on this isn’t a blog on The Smiths!

The building has been visited by fans the world over! Helping put Salford and Ordsall on the map even further! It’s not just a pretty face, our Lads’ Club. It has been with us for 114 years!

James and William Groves, brothers from a family of brewers established the club in 1903 after Hulme Lads’ Club had been established in 1850. Lads’ Clubs were set up to help keep boys off the streets. Robert Baden Powell of the Boy Scouts opened the club which then enroled a plethora of awesome members such as famous actor Albert Finney, (who The Smiths have included on their album art and in their “Stop Me if You’ve Heard this one Before” video)

Footballers Albert McPherson, Steve Fleet, Eddie Colman, and Brian Doyle and Salford band ‘The Hollies’ founders, Allan Clarke and Graham Nash. The building has had a lot of philanthropic assistance to keep up the restoration and health due to it being a huge pillar of our local community. It has beautiful detail inside and out and was designed and built by Mancunian architect Henry Lord in 1903. Lord was also responsible for Salford Museum and Art Gallery and the former Salford Royal Hospital! It is a safe and social place for people young and old to visit and stay. These days it isn’t solely just for boys either and now, with volunteer aid, they can provide football, snooker, table tennis, computer games, boxing training, dance, community meetings, exhibitions, kickboxing, excursions and jujitsu. If you ever have the chance, along with all the other buildings I’ve painted and written about - this one is a must. Especially because I was featured in a Salford charity Breastfeeding Calendar and now the picture is up in the dedicated The Smiths room! (But that is a whole other story!) Stay tuned in and I’ll be back with instalment 6!

- Alex.

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Hello, my lovely readers!

This is the 4th instalment about my paintings of the wonderful and iconic buildings in our cities of strength, industry and culture! This blog post focusses on:

The Corn Exchange

If you’ve been in here lately, you’ll see the appeal! It has changed around 3 times as far as I’m aware. I’m 31 now and if my strong, long-term memory serves me correctly - it used to be an arcade of shops with wooden creaky flooring, including bookshops, jewellery shops and second-hand stalls! There was also a cafe. Very similar to Affleck's Palace. It’d been disused for a long while before this. After some time, the Corn Exchange became known as The Triangle, filled with hip, just off the high street shops such as Joy and Paul Smith (Mod heaven!) I believe the closing down day was rather chaotic with shop fittings and electronic items being whipped up by very eager customers! We know there was a refurbishment, to how we see it today and the name The Triangle is no longer used, I’m sure there are still people who use that name. But The Corn Exchange is its true birth name. It’s very interesting to think in perspective about a building full of businesses closing down and being refurbished brand new for prospective new businesses to take their places, would have affected the local economy, the staff and the actual businesses. Of course, not too much obviously as they are still running strong, just in new locations! The restaurants that are in The Corn Exchange now are lovely! A real mixed bag of culture!

I especially love the decor, of course. With the majority of it coloured white with touches of gold and Art Deco around the place. The designers did a great job, because if they were attempting to communicate a tranquil, cosmopolitan style, then it worked! I painted this building because of the history and the sentimentality! We all see these iconic buildings in our own way, we view them in our own realities and remember their history. I see what I’ve painted as special icons in our culture. Special places that hold so much magic and secrets. If the walls had mouths they would tell us some stories! I know they mean a lot to people. Some of the most amazing moments, tragic and loving, blissful and dramatic have occurred here and everywhere! I love keeping the magic alive.

Until my next blog post...

Alex

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I'm working on fears at the moment. I'm seeing a wonderful counsellor who works particularly with autistic people, so the work I'm doing with her is helping me to be able to pinpoint what I actually need to work through, which are my mental blocks! So these counselling appointments make it even amazing for me, because I know what I'm actually seeing her for (more on that in a moment) So I need structure and support with these blocks but once I'm clear and I have context on this pattern I'll be good to go. I know I deserve more, my brain deserves more, my time deserves more, my businesses deserve more, my family and friends deserve more. These blocks are the things that hold me back from progressing to my highest potential and take far too long to figure out, so I am unbelievably grateful and forever thankful, always blessed for this currently being in my life. These blocks are the things that keep me waiting for weeks, sometimes months on end whilst I move onto something else because I don't know how to identify or work through them until I figure it out, but then that's ages down the line and sometimes too late, then more excuses are made! They really stump my productivity and I'm done with them. So back to my original point, I'll be honest, I've seen counsellors and therapists in the past, all wonderful at what they do. But I never felt that I was getting anywhere, (besides when I had CBT) but the previous times, were because I wasn't with the right counsellor but that's okay!! If you need to see a counsellor and they don't seem right for you, it's actually okay to look for someone new and see who comes into your life. Because it's all part of your journey and your path for your health and mind and productivity. Thanks to all the wonderful people in my life who are always supportive, even those that don't realise how supportive they are. Always tell people!! And take that step to see a counsellor for your mental health too! It might just be the thing you need to help you on your way, to where you need to be . . . . . #leoniedawson #nomoreexcuses #changeyourmindset #mindset #mindsetchange #counselling #therapy #productivity #boost #mentalblocks

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This weekend, I was given a fab impromptu job at a wedding we were guests at!! It made me realise just HOW enthusiastic and how much I LOVE painting ON things aswell as on canvas and paper. I've done a few jobs of my own but this time I was given the job of painting the running order for my beautiful long time friends wedding, I used chalk pens on a black painted pallate. I used handwriting for the font and just how the beautiful bride requested. What made this even better was doing it in front of people, I feel I work better when there are others around as I love the energy. It's a bit harder to motivate yourself sometimes on your own in the studio! Plus everyone was saying how nice it was, which just confirmed it even more how much I should be doing this as well as in my studio! It turned out fab! I want to do more of these or any other types of sign writing and painting! . . . . #signwriting #chalkpens #chalkpaint #chalkmarkers #livepainting #wedding #runningorder #artist #painter