Last chance to see my bunny! Eastern Approaches - University of Herefordshire's Open Exhibition's last day tomorrow!

It's the last day of Eastern Approaches - University of Hertfordshire Open Exhibition. At the Museum of St. Albans, the exhibition is open tomorrow from 2-5pm. You will get to see my award winning ( the Alumni Association prize) piece - "The Rabbit in the Golden Room". It's a lovely show - full of varied works from artists across the region. Eastern Approaches is open to artists living, working or studying in the East of England (Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk) and all alumni of the University of Hertfordshire. 100 artists put in up to 3 pieces each and 11 prizes were awarded.

"The Rabbit in the Golden Room" © Vanessa Stone

Eastern Approaches - University of Hertfordshire Open Exhibition...plucking up courage...winning a prize!!!

Well, after a fair few years I plucked up the courage to submit work to the open exhibition the University of Hertfordshire runs each year.  I never felt that my work was good enough so chickened out of submitting. Then this year came round and I thought "what the heck!" nothing ventured, nothing gained..... and so I submitted three pieces. I thought two of the ones I submitted has a chance... they were to do with the bitter sweetness of life and about coming to terms with my fathers' Parkinson's. Then as an outside shot I submitted my little bunny one as its essentially the most Vanessa. Whimsical and joyous, it wasn't about anything too deep...just a fantasy that bubbled up from the deep. 

And blow me! I was awarded the Alumni prize!  

I was so chuffed and surprised and delighted too! You can see on my face I was pleased.

The last chance to see the show is this coming Sunday - click here for more info about visitor times.

UH Alumni prize winner!

a run of lovely works by artists in the East of England...

The winners!

Happy New Year! - ringing the old out and ringing the new in..literally!

Happy New Year! This is the way to greet a new year I think - quite different from other new years eves but special nonetheless. We went to Cambridge and heard the bells of St. Edward King and Martyr's bells ring out the old and ring in the new year. It was just lovely! I even managed to have a go at ringing the bells which was A LOT HARDER THAN IT LOOKED!!!! We all gathered after prayers and drank a little champagne and ate cake. It was so English and rather magical. We drove home, had wine and went to bed feeling like we had been on an adventure.

Beaming smile as the old year ends and another starts!

Malcolm Guite greeting us all in the bell tower.

Ancient bells - and I rang this one!!!

Looking up beyond the bells to the tower above.