Enchanted Forest, an Exhibition of original artworks by Juliet Thomas inspired by nature

The first thing you see when you enter the exhibition is a triptych of paintings which I created last year for a group exhibition called Into The Forest.

When viewed together they form a narrative depicting childhood adventures with an avian theme running throughout.

The 3 large paintings are surrounded by a ‘flock’ of mini bird paintings featuring British birds I’ve seen in my garden and out and about on walks in the forest or countryside. Most of these paintings have an ink wash background and then are painted in monochromatic silhouette with tiny details scratched in using a sharpened stick picked up on one of my forest walks.

Writer Nataliya Deleva, has collaborated with me to produce beautiful audio descriptions, which you can listen to underneath some of the images here.

Boy holding stick with Crows flying overhead

Goose feather for drawing, oak Galls and Oak Gall ink

The image above shows some of the materials I’ve used to create the artworks, including bird feathers to paint and draw with ands Oak Galls, which can be crushed and made into a black ink

Three crows flying. Mixed media with Oak Gall wash

Swallow with natural ink wash. Mixed media

Natural ink painting showing a child riding on the back of a bird

Natural ink painting, showing a child looking into a hole in a tree

Buy a bird painting

The exhibition runs from 2-18th of May at Vinoramica, 2A Winchester Rd, Highams Park. London E4 9LN

Nataliya Deleva will be running a creative writing course at Vinoramica on Sunday 11th May 3-4pm book a space here

Please see Vinoramica for opening hours

Juliet Thomas - Illustrated East London shopfronts - art with charm

Juliet Thomas is a London based artist / illustrator with a passion for drawing interesting landmarks and quirky characters.

Juliet moved to the leafy, East London neighbourhood of Highams Park in Waltham Forest when her first child was born. She soon set about capturing some of her favourite local architectural delights in the form of pen and ink drawings.

Highams Park Signal Box- Juliet signing prints

Her sketches feature quirky buildings, drawn with a slightly wobbly line, but it’s not just the architecture that captures Juliet’s imagination. It’s the people that make these small businesses so special, the owners and customers, who you’ll see depicted in her drawings, waving, smiling and chatting, creating a charming picture book feel to her artworks.

Friendly neighbourhood vibe: Shopkeeper Abi waving to customers

Juliet says, “I’m super lucky to live in such a friendly community, where you can barely walk 100 metres down the road without stopping to say hello and chat to neighbours.

The local businesses owners really get involved in the community too and contribute to making it such a lovely place to live. I like to try and reflect some of that friendly, neighbourly vibe in my drawings.”

Close up detail of people at the County Arms pub, Highams Park, East London

She starts by taking reference photos or making quick observational sketches and then uses a dipper pen and ink to create the final images. Her art prints are all reproduced onto thick, slightly textured paper, so you feel like you’re getting a page from her sketchbook.

People passing Vinoramica wine bar in Highams Park, East London

Juliet says, “I love it when customers when tell me they’ve spotted a character who resembles themselves or a friend in one of my drawings. It really makes me smile.“

Customers sit outside The Stag and Lantern pub, Highams Park. East London

Juliet’s prints are available online at www.julietthomasdoodles.com/shop Can you see yourself in one of her drawings?

Source: https://www.julietthomasdoodles.com/about

Best 12 art prints perfect for mother’s day gifts.

A selection of fine art prints by Juliet Thomas

This year Mother’s day falls on Sunday the 10th of March. There’s still time to order a beautiful and unique gift from artist Juliet Thomas.

Juliet lives on the edge of East London’s ancient and magical Epping Forest, from which she takes much of her inspiration.

This carefully curated selection of signed, fine art prints, are all printed onto sustainably sourced paper and come in plastic free packaging.

Juliet’s joyful and often whimsical paintings are a celebration of nature, including flowers, cycling and birds. There’s also a few black and white drawings featuring some of her favourite East End shopfronts

There’s something for every Mum, Grandmother or Aunt here, so don’t delay order a joyful piece of art at an affordable price today.

shop the collection

1. Snowflake flowers in a jug, A4 Art print, signed

A popular spring time flower, snowflake flowers although similar to snowdrops are bigger and look beautiful in a jug or vase. This stylish painting has been printed onto thick, sustainably sourced art paper with a slight texture.

The perfect gift for Mum’s who love springtime flowers.

2. Happy Tulip flowers, A4 art print, signed

Spread cheer with this joyful A4 Art print, adorned with smiling Tulips, guaranteed to brighten any Mother's day celebration.

Printed in the UK onto thick, sustainably sourced archival art paper, with a slight texture.

3. Woman and bicycle in nature A4 art print, signed

Inspired by bicycle rides in the British countryside during the spring, when the first swallows arrive.

Ideal for professional cyclists, bike lovers, and nature lovers.

Juliet’s female cycling print is the perfect gift for mothers, daughters, or friends who have a love of the outdoors.

The original painting was made using blue/grey gouache paint over a pale yellow wash.

I've printed this in the UK onto thick, sustainably sourced archival art paper, with a slight texture.

Makes a perfect, thoughtful gift for Mothers day, a birthday or just a little treat for yourself or a loved one.

4. Elf family foraging mushrooms and nuts, A4 Giclee print, signed

This little elf family are returning home after a foraging foray in the forest. The original painting was made using gouache paint

I've printed this in the UK, onto Matt, Giclee paper. The perfect addition to brighten up a toadstool loving Mum’s room or a new baby’s nursery.

5. Elf woman Reading, A4 signed Giclee print

Perfect for nature-loving bookworm Mums

Capture the Tranquility of Reading with this Sweet Image of an Elf Lost in a Book - Ideal for Mums Who Cherish Peaceful Moments and Literature.

6. Biba & Wren, East London Cafe, A4 art print, signed

One of Juliet’s favourite little coffee shops in Highams Park, east London.

This black and white drawing has been made using pen and ink & printed onto sustainably sourced, slightly textured, thick 325gsm paper, so it looks as though its come straight from her sketchbook.

Will delight any Mum who loves to meet up with friends for a coffee

7. Wonderful women artists Art print, signed. A4 size

To celebrate International Women's Day, Juliet created this illustration featuring some of her favourite female artists.

featuring, Frida Kahlo, Tracey Emin, Bridget Riley, Louise Borgeois, Yayoi Kusama and Mary Cassatt,

The faces were painted in water colour and details drawn over the top in pencil.

The image was then printed on to thick, 320gsm textured paper, so it feels like it could be a page from her sketchbook.

Perfect gift for an art loving Mother.

8. House in the forest, signed, A4 art print

This A4 print was made from a drawing, using soft shades of brown pencil and a leaf collage inspired by a little cottage Juliet stumbled across, whilst walking in the woods with her 2 year old.

This delightful piece of art is printed on to textured 320gsm paper, so it looks like it's come straight from a page of her sketchbook.

Perfect as a gift for nature lovers, loved ones who’ve bought a first home, or anyone who dreams of living in a little cottage in the countryside.

9. Butlers Retreat, A4 signed art print.

Butlers Retreat, one of Juliet’s favourite places to stop off for a coffee and snack when she’s on a family bike ride in Epping Forest.

The image features birds, cyclists and dog walkers as well as The Famous Larder, the restored Essex Barn which serves refreshments to visitors.

Juliet created this drawing using black and white pen and ink, and has. printed it onto sustainably sourced, 300gsm, thick, slightly textured paper.

The perfect gift for nature loving Mums, dog owners and cycling enthusiasts.

Children feeding the swans, A4 art print

10. Children feeding the swans, A4 signed letter.

Juliet created this drawing after a walk with her children in Epping forest.

Where she sometimes likes to stop off for a rest and say hello to the ducks and swans in her local lake.

It’s printed on to thick 325gsm textured paper, so it looks as though it’s come straight from her sketchbook.

The perfect gift for Mothers who love to spend time enjoying nature with their children, or as a piece of art for a new baby or child’s bedroom.

11. Indulge Coffee, East London coffee shop A4 Art Print.

Black and white drawing of Indulge Coffee shop, in Highams Park, East London.

This piece of art is part of a series of East London shop fronts which Juliet drew in celebration of her local neighbourhood during The Highams Park arts trail.

Printed onto 325gsm, textured, sustainably sourced paper.

An ideal gift for Mothers who love a cuppa and a chat with their friends.

12. The Village Florist, East London flower shop, signed, A4 print

Black and white drawing of The Village Florist, in Highams Park, East London. This piece of art is part of a series of East London shop fronts which Juliet drew in celebration of her local neighbourhood during The Highams Park arts trail. Printed onto 325gsm, textured, sustainably sourced paper.

A lovely gift for Mother’s who enjoy shopping small and local.

12 of the best Mother's day cards for nature lovers

Discover the ultimate collection of Enchanting Mother’s Day cards, carefully curated by artist Juliet Thomas

All designs have been hand painted by Juliet who creates whimsical paintings in her home, on the edge of the magical Epping Forest in London.

These top-selling cards, proven winners at craft markets, are sure to delight mums everywhere. Explore our selection and find the perfect expression of love for mothers, grandmothers or new mums in your life.

shop mother's day cards

Juliet’s cards feature elves, flowers and toadstools, printed onto quality, thick sustainably sourced or recycled card.

Blank inside for your own message, each comes with a brown recycled envelope and non plastic packaging.

1 Snowdrops in a jar- perfect for mothers who love springs first delicate little flowers - also a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings.

2. Snowflake flowers in a jug A6 card

Another popular spring time flower, snowflake flowers although similar to snowdrops are bigger and look beautiful in a jug or vase

this little painting has been printed onto sustainably sourced card and also looks lovely framed- the perfect little keepsake for Mum.

3. Woodpecker & elf card: Ideal for nature-loving Mums

Vibrant green Woodpecker paired with a playful wee elf - A charming card for Mums who adore birds.

4. Mother carrying child, A6 card

Celebrate motherhood and outdoor adventures with this sweet card, ideal for Mums who enjoy walks in nature with their children

5. Toadstool Tea greetings Card: Ideal for Mums' relaxation moments

Delightful image of an elf enjoying tea on a toadstool, great for Mums who cherish those rare tranquil moments with a hot cuppa.

6. Planting Seedlings card: This little elf with her plant is the ideal card for Mothers with green fingers.

7. Mushroom foragers: charming A6 card for nature loving Mums

Join this elf family on a foraging foray for wild mushrooms - Ideal for mushroom lovers, cooks, and nature enthusiasts.

8. Happy Tulip Flowers Card: Bring joy to Mother's Day

Spread cheer with this joyful card adorned with smiling Tulips, guaranteed to brighten any Mother's day celebration

9. Spring Swallows A6 card: Ideal for cycling enthusiast Mums

Capture the beauty of nature and cycling with this lovely card, depicting a female cyclist enjoying the views with Swallows overhead in flight - Perfect for Mothers with a passion for cycling.

10. Watering the Bluebells: Ideal for flower-loving Mums

Celebrate a Mother's love for gardening and wildflowers with this sweet little image of an elf tending to Bluebells

Hiding in the Daffodils: A6 card

11. Show Mum how much you love her with this fun card featuring two jolly elves, one blowing a trumpet amongst the Daffodils - A joyous card celebrating the arrival of spring

Elf Reading a Book A6 Card

Perfect for nature-loving bookworm Mums

Capture the Tranquility of Reading with this Sweet Image of an Elf Lost in a Book - Ideal for Mums Who Cherish Peaceful Moments and Literature

Why not get your card framed as a special keepsake? - Juliet offers a framing service for customers in the UK.

Framing service

Do Elves really exist ? - Elves of Epping exhibition

Hello friends!

These past few weeks I’ve been super busy getting new work ready for an exhibition.

‘Elves of Epping’ will be opening at Biba & Wren, in Highams Park, London. E4

From the 1st of November till the 30th 2023.

In this exhibition I’ll be showing you ACTUAL PHOTOS of elves (and Ents!) which I’ve managed to capture on camera over the past few years during my walks in Epping Forest.

I’ll also be selling a small number of original miniature paintings.

Tiny elf sculptures made from clay will also be on display.

Please be assured no forest dwellers were harmed in the making of this exhibition.

How to draw people quickly

Note from a surreptitious artist

A few years ago, before Covid (BC) I decided to stop scrolling and start sketching (a bit more)

I had returned to work after maternity leave (to my ‘proper’ job as a picture editor) and was REALLY enjoying my commute to and from work. 45 minutes of peace, no prams, wet wipes, nappies or rice cakes in my bag- no nippers to look after.

Freedom!

So I got my tiny sketchbook out (just big enough to fit in my handbag) and started drawing commuters on my train journey: the overground train from Chingford to Liverpool Street in London.

I enjoy sitting with a view of the doors so I can get a good look at the people in the carriage.

My mission is to quickly sketch people, without them seeing me. My brother @littlegallery suggested I use the hashtag #amibeingsketched for my instagram posts.

Actually it’s not too difficult to draw people without being noticed, as most people are so engrossed with looking at their phones they don’t even look up.

I managed to fill a few sketchbooks with drawings, I noticed as time went on that I was becoming more confident with my sketches.

Top tips - when drawing someone practise taking a ‘visual photo’ in your mind, as people move around or may be getting off at the next stop, make a quick mental note- for example sunglasses, headphones, spotty shirt & then start to draw. Don’t worry about making your drawing perfect, a couple of dots or lines for eyes is fine.

*Juliet hanging her exhibition in The Signal Box, Highams Park*

After several months I had enough work for a small exhibition in the Highams Park signal box (sadly, now closed) I also produced a limited edition A3 print featuring some of my favourite drawings.

*View from inside The SignaL Box, Highams Park*

Perhaps you are also someone who loves people watching whilst on the train. Do you find it fascinating watching women putting on their make-up during their morning commute? How rare is it to see someone actually reading a book instead of looking at their phone? Do you also like to imagine what jobs people do, what their homes are like, what music they like listening to etc…?

sketches of London commuters — *Framed A3 Print*

So I’ve now added these prints of commuters to my website. There’s only 20 and I won’t be printing any more once they’re gone.

They’re printed onto 325gsm sustainably sourced, textured paper

Buy now

You never know, you might see yourself in one of these… #amibeingsketched

bye for now!

Juliet x

How to paint a Halloween Ghost

I hope you’re feeling spooky! If you want to join in you’ll need:

Black paper, white pencil, white paint, white pastel or chalk and a black pencil or pen and an orange pencil.

Watch the video to learn some simple techniques to paint your own spooky halloween ghosts- great for kids and adults

Juliet x

Painting Ghosts for Halloween

The little ghost I painted is available from my website as an A6 greetings card here

How to make a clay animal. Craft for kids

In this video Max and myself will be making a clay animal.

You’ll need some air-drying clay (we used Das ) or you could use plasticine or play dough.

We also used sticks, shells, leaves, seeds and other bits and pieces you can find in the garden or park

How to make a clay animal

Summer holiday round up

Wow! I can’t believe the summer holidays are almost over.

For those of you with kids- I hope you’ve survived with your sanity intact, and for those without kids, I hope you’ve managed to have a nice relaxing time!

this year we’ve spent a lot of time in our trusty tent. We visited Nethergong campsite in Kent, a lovely quiet campsite with fishing lakes and a large pond teaming with frogs. The children are absolutely mad for pond dipping, so lots of time was spent there, examining frogs, newts and insects.

While in Kent we visited Joss Bay, which was the only seaside spot in the area our eight year old was satisfied with, as it has good waves for body boarding- even I had a go- lots of fun!

I’ve been experimenting with a yellow brush pen and black charcoal pencil in these sketches.

We also visited RHS Hyde Hall, which has a beautiful Australian and New Zealand garden with drought tolerant plants- something we definitely need more of in our own garden.

It also has lots of lovely scented roses- which the five year old is obsessed with- he loves sticking his nose into the blooms!

This week we tried to eke out the last of the summer hols with one last little camping trip, with some pals to the beautiful barefoot camping site in Oxfordshire- here’s a few pages from my sketchbook, illustrating our time there.

Heres a sketch of Jack in the back of the car on the way there..As you can see we travel light

Obligatory marshmallow roasting (don’t worry the fire wasn’t actually that big)

There was a shallow spot nearer to our tent, where the little ones had a go at paddling with the help of the Dads

This is the lock keepers cottage, just across from the site.

We also hired a Kayak and paddled up river to a lovely pub The Mayfly, where we had an amazing Sunday lunch, with live music and lots of people watching opportunities

and finally here’s Jack in a service station. Is it just my kids who love using the word ‘Literally’ every five minutes?

Now I’m sorting out the school uniforms and hoping the kids won’t cry too much on their first day back at school!

I’m back in my day job as a picture editor, but still trying to sketch on my lunch breaks around St Pauls. Here’s a view of my fave lunchtime spot The Reflection Garden.

Hope you have a lovely start to September!

Juliet x