The doors at Beaulieu

As a project of looking at the world through artist eyes, we travelled to Beaulieu a few miles from our home on a chilly Boxing Day afternoon. I wanted to look at the different patterns around us, in nature and on buildings, but the variety of front doors in the village were an interesting object to study.




This is my favourite door of Beaulieu, it is actually down a little gravel path alongside the Victorian school; I imagine it must have been the school teacher's house. What a pleasant existence no league tables or Ofsted inspections!
I love the bay window peeking behind the door, you can imagine the occupiers of the house would get a good view of who was calling before they answered the door. The door itself is impressive the beautiful big iron hinges made at a time when it was important to make something beautiful as well as functional. What a magnificent first impression, it is a shame it is not adorned with a wreath, or it would make the most fantastic Christmas card!

Beaulieu has hardly changed over the years, mainly because the Estate is controlled by the Montague Family, I think this is why most of the doors are either this shade of red or white.

This is such a lovely little cottage, with its little bit of garden out front, and the lovely bright red door. The shape of the door is simply wonderful, so much more interesting than the functional straight square. The Victorian age was one of creating beauty as well as craftsmen doing a job, the brickwork makes this cottage gorgeous, the way they have accented the window and door and even a brick wall gets its own decoration; so beautiful.

The cottages are placed almost right on the street, which means you get up very close to some one's house, great if you are nosy, not so great if you live there! This door is very beautiful, it is actually between two houses so there is no clue as to which one it is for! There is such a sense of timelessness, as if you could catch sight of someone stepping through the door a hundred years ago. All the fittings are iron work, the letterboxes must have seen a lot of letters in their time although the door itself seems to be in very good repair for its age.

It just gives me a real longing for a little cottage of my own.

Taking Flight - giving my creative spirit wings.

The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation.
You are not discovering yourself but creating yourself anew.
Seek therefore, not to find out who you are but who you want to be.

Neale Donald Walsch


This is from the book Taking flight by Kelly Rae Roberts.


I created this mixed media canvass as a semi self portrait. I was inspired by the fact that my friend calls me her butterfly friend because I do so many creative things.

Each of the butterflies represents an aspect of my creativity: Argentine Tango, Sewing, Painting, Creative Writing, Jive and Crochet.
I used to feel that I should concentrate on one thing and master it, but I am beginning to accept that it is OK to diversify, it is just how I am.

Taking Flight is very inspirational, the quote above in particular.

As a child I was not given the opportunity to be creative and it wasn't until I had children of my own that I was able to really play with my children. Then a few years ago I bought a large summer house which became my studio.

I am just beginning to believe I am an artist taking tiny steps to stretch my wings, this blog is my attempt at saying this to the world so that I have a record of my journey to look back on.