Have you ever thought about keeping a journal? I’m sometimes asked why I keep a journal. For me it’s all about memories… My mum’s memory started to fade in 2014. That time was hard, really hard, and is what led me to buy a book with a pretty cover and start writing in it daily. Not one for detail, my mum was always pretty vague about Cornish childhood milestones but something changed when she was no longer able to recall quite significant things or things that had just happen

If you’ve read the Artist Way you’ll be familiar with the idea of art dates. If you haven’t think of it as regularly spending time immersing yourself in art. They can be so inspiring and lead your creative thought in unexpected directions. I’ve wanted to visit Kettle's Yard for a long time but Cambridge is quite a way from my home in Devon, so I’ve had to bide my time. I'm not quite sure when I first read about Kettle’s yard, but think it might have been whilst discovering

Fishcombe Cove - Seal Swim I have swam with seals a few times in my life. Usually at a distance and usually with just one or two beautiful creatures that somehow seem to carry a little magic with them, as their silken heads and big eyes appear in the water. My only close encounter happened a few years ago at Fishcombe Cove on the South Devon coast. I swam off in to the sea at first light, leaving my husband and daughter on the beach. In still, cold water, I became aware of

Recently I changed my Instagram name from @ontheforeshoreartist to @charlotteellisart. Last night, I put up my first post since the name change and it got me thinking why has it taken me so long to do this? Maybe I’m only now stepping into my space as a Devon artist or maybe I’m just not ready to let go of my’ ontheforeshore’ presence yet. Watching the birds on the Exe Estuary My on the foreshore account started two and half years ago as a place I could add photos of my pain

My art studio It’s taken a while to get around to writing this blog which is my reflection on taking part as a Devon artist in Devon Open Studios this year. I thought I would write it as soon as I closed the door at the end of the event but in reality I was just too tired. Having taught for decades, it reminded me on the end of term feeling where you get to the finish line and although happy with your achievement you sort of just collapse in a heap on the floor. I knew I’d be

A Time of Dreams Living history played a big part in today’s open studio in Lympstone, Devon. The sun shone but there was a sense of autumn in the still slightly chill air, as I opened the door. Things were quiet and we only had one or two visitors before lunch. Just as I was starting to think that things were a bit slow, the most wonderful thing happened. Two sisters, who used to come and stay in my cottage every summer as children in the 1950s, came to visit. I had met Mar

Sketching at Lyme Regis Two Lympstone studio opening days tumble into one, as I write this morning. I had my first day off in ages on Monday so I headed into Exeter and explored a different event 'Graveyard Shift' which is part of Heritage Open Days. I found myself in the very beautiful and very old St Martin’s church on the corner of Exeter Cathedral Green. I have walked past this old stone building hundreds of times but have never passed under its stone arch and gone inside

One Moment ‘Stunning! Beautiful style of work- very refreshing. Love the quotes too! Thank you.’ Devon Open Studio's second Saturday in Lympstone was a good one as I welcomed all sorts of visitors into my home and studio. Some intentional ones selected me from the guide, attracted by the sight and sound of my work. Many simply followed yellow signs whilst walking or cycling through Lympstone and others were return visitors from previous open studio events. My home looked ca

Stillness of Water Day four… A quiet start to the day gave me time to make sure everything was just how I wanted it. A friend popped in to buy a card and that was the start of a steady stream of visitors. I live in Lympstone right on the Exe Estuary cycle path and when the weather is dry many cyclists and walkers pass my front door. Unfortunately the weather hasn’t been great this week so the trail has been a little quiet, but in between the rain showers the sky has been br

Passing Storm Having been closed for three days we re-opened the studio again on Thursday. Really in the swing of things now, the set up was so much easier. As I am showing my work in my home rather than in Seaglass Gallery this year, we have needed to find a way of making household life and studio life somehow sit harmoniously together. Mostly this involves a very messy landing as we dump everything upstairs that doesn’t constitute tidy downstairs. Anything that doesn’t visu

‘Really enjoyable, relaxed and informative! Thank you.’ I have run two workshops this week as part of Devon Open Studios. The blueness of French ultramarine was the rich starting point in this week’s watercolour painting workshop. As we watched pigment swirl into water changing the whiteness of Archers paper to the most beautiful blue we were already hooked. In some ways, colour mixing becomes an alchemy of blue, yellow and red transforming into an infinity of jewel like h

‘Super… more than a gallery it’s an experience! Lovely art in a unique setting.’ ‘A wonderful experience walking along the beach and then seeing all this art. It has made my day!’ These are just two of the lovely comments written in the visitors book and they give a feel of how open studios is going. It’s so good to get the feedback and it makes the hard work worth it because without a doubt taking part in Devon Open Studios is pretty full on to say the least. Day two start

Up at six for more cleaning, prepping and a quick Exe estuary swim before we opened the door at ten o'clock. The thing about tidying things away is that I can never seem to find them afterwards, so tidiness slowed us down a little but the house does look lovely and received a lot of love from our visitors, especially when the light shone down on the vase of sunflowers in the hall. Joey dog lay on the stairs above, quietly watching everyone who walked in with a gentle wag of t

In about twelve hours I will be opening the door to you on both my art and my studio in Lympstone. It will be the third year I have taken part in Devon Open Studios, but the first time I will be doing it in my home rather than in Seaglass Gallery with fellow artists and friends. It actually feels like a natural progression and as I sit here typing I am surrounded by my paintings, getting used to the feel of them on my walls. I have had them up for about a week so that I have

As I swam with the falling tide, in the waters of the River Exe today, memories of past solstice swims joined me… Swimming in the River Dart Through the darkness, we drove along twisty lanes from Lympstone, in East Devon, to bivvy at Watcombe Beach. My daughter, recently returned from VSO volunteering in Nigeria, sat alongside me. United in the joy of being together again, we were ready for adventure. We wanted to welcome the sun as we rose on the summer solstice. We wanted t

I do. I write in a quiet way without there being any audience other than myself. I sit, the words start to flow and as they settle on the page I play with them until they start to take shape. I was brought up on words. I love exploring them as my mum did before me and my older daughter does now making links between them and discovering their journey through time. Where do you write? I write in all sorts of places- often just the odd scribble to record random thoughts I’ve ha

From sketching Buddhist temples to perching on a rock in the Exe estuary… How did it all start? Temple roof in Nanjing, China Photographed by Charlotte Ellis (1997) Nowadays, inspiration for my printmaking comes from the tidal waters of the Exe estuary and the birds that wade in it and fly above it. This was not always the case. My print-making journey started over