Every September the conkers ripen and fall, just in time for children to fill their pockets as they return to school. On opening they are lustrous like pearls. I wish there was more I could do with them, that they were edible or would keep their shine. Posts like this do show that, with perseverance, it is possible to come up with ’40 things to do with conkers'. From the strategic placement of conkers to deter spiders, to making spiders out of conkers with pipe cleaners! I

This linocut on cyanotype was my entry for the Richmond Art Prize 2026. The title is, 'HOSPITALITY, HISTORY AND HOME'. I tried to convey something of Richmond's history in the passage of the River Thames past ancient settlements, big houses and parish churches. Home is a specific place, but also a wider context of familiar areas. Hospitality is represented by the ancient symbol of hospitality - the pineapple.[1] The linocut is a more realistic depiction of the fruit and the

Cyanotype of Snowdrops. These first flowers of spring have long been associated in England with the festival of Candlemass - a festival of light in the dark months of the year.