Updated March 2012

………..Latest……..from travels with my nib……..

                                      from Jackie Devereux

Still wondering where the past four months have evaporated to, we are happy to be home for a while after an extended voyage which took us from Bali, Kupang, West Timor then down to the Northern Territories including Darwin, Australia, along the East Coast stopping variously at Thursday Island (on Friday!), Townsville, the Whitsunday Islands, Newcastle (NSW), Sydney, Geelong and Melbourne. We then hopped over to Burnie N.Tasmania and Hobart in S.Tasmania. Crossing the Tasman Sea spending Christmas at sea we then approached the South Island of New Zealand entering first the amazing Fjords……..Miford Sound then Doubtful Sound, before our many destinations throughout both islands. We docked and finally left the ship in Auckland and remained six weeks variously with family and friends. Still recovering from the non-stop laughter that reigned during our entire voyage, and now leafing through the hundreds of pages of sketches achieved during this amazing voyage, I can already feel another book coming on………….

Having launched my book `A Private View…….an Artist`s World` just a day or two before embarking on this trip, I have been blown away by its reception, sales and comments already! The limited edition hand-finished books are competing well with the regular edition and feedback has been really exciting. With more promotional commitments under way, it looks set for a busy year ahead. See www.jacaranda-publishing.com for details.

Large scale painting commissions have also to take high priority on the `to do` list and with the spring sunshine pouring in I have renewed energy to get started now that our baggage is unpacked and we are settled for a little while. Another cruise is on the horizon however – Black Sea here we come – mid April through early May, which will give me just enough time afterwards to prepare for ART IN ACTION at Waterperry, Oxfordshire, in July, where I shall be representing the MISSENDEN ABBEY stand. I shall be running watercolour workshops during the show, showing my work as well as promoting my book – do visit me there.

Due to popular demand, Missenden Abbey have offered me yet more weekend courses this autumn, winter and next spring – from sketching and keeping a travel sketchbook to watercolours with a difference. Visit www.missendenabbey-al.co.uk for more information – it is a beautiful residential establishment set in rural Buckingamshire and has great facilities and grounds. I shall be there for two weeks during the Summer School in August and bookings are already creeping up………

**For information on these cruises contact SAGA. We are lucky enough to sail on their new small ship 'The Spirit of Adventure' and it certainly is that! I paint and draw whilst travelling anyway, and am allotted time to spend time with the other passengers whilst at sea, helping anyone who wishes to try watercolours and sketching the places we visit. I am always thrilled with how the numbers grow as the voyage progresses – word gets around on a ship, and even with the limited time we have together, everyone produces something and it certainly helps people to learn to look and see a lot more!

Chateau Portraits

www.chateau-portraits.com works well for me with a steady stream of commissions, which is a challenge I enjoy – and as a by-product to this, I produce hand-finished personalized greeting cards, to order, of the house paintings I complete. Contact me if you would like to commission an original and individual painting of your own home.

'The Artist' magazine

Writing for the magazine, 'The Artist', is always an interesting challenge, as it makes me sit and analyse my work, approach and direction, which is no bad thing and an extension to running a course really.