Studio News: Leaning into Mabon & Cottage Peonies
Pamela HainingThere's a definite, unmistakable shift in the Norfolk air. The Autumn Equinox has officially passed, and with Mabon here, autumn feels like it's properly here now. Named after Welsh mythology and deeply tied to the old British traditions of harvest time, Mabon marks that brief, magic moment where day and night sit in perfect equality before the light softens.
My morning runs have been filled with a crisp chill, the type that makes you breathe a little deeper, even while the sun is still shining bright over the hedgerows.
I'm fully, and unashamedly, leaning into the cosy season; think cardigans, multiple cups of tea, candles on the desk and quiet studio hours as the afternoon light streams across my desk. It really is my favourite time of year.
Out of Season, In My Own Rhythm
While the weather outside is filled with amber leaves and a cooler wind, inside the studio shed, I'm currently catching up on some of my summer floral prints.
You’ll often find me working slightly "out of season", either dreaming a few months ahead or gently catching up with where the flowers left off. That’s the beauty and reality of a slow art practice. Hand-carving, proofing, and refining digital palettes take time, patience, and a refusal to be rushed by calendar dates. Slow art moves at its own human pace, carrying the warmth of the season in which it was born straight into the cosy months ahead.
This Week - Cottage Peony in Bloom
Which brings me to my newest botanical portrait; Cottage Peony in Bloom.
Peonies are such iconic, heart-warming classics of the British cottage garden. They arrive in early summer with such dramatic flair and their layered petals unfurling into large, fragrant crowns. Carving is always a meditative joy, capturing the intricate structure of ruffled petals while balancing bold, veins of the leaves.
This first colour edition pairs a soft, nostalgic blush pink with a grounded sage and olive green. A signature combination that feels equal parts classic cottagecore and fresh for modern spaces.
I’m thrilled with how this design translates onto our notecard sets, which will be available in the shop soon, along side an art print version and garland cards.
Two Tales of the Garden - Digital Palette Explorations
Because my studio practice combines physical hand-carving with digital colour painting, I’ve also been experimenting with a few secondary colorways of my Cottage Peony design, playing with warm corals and deep plum.
While Cottage Peony in Bloom is leading the way, I love how digital palette testing allows a single hand-carved block to tell multiple seasonal stories without losing the "perfectly imperfect" soul of the original lino cuts.
As the light begins to pull back and the evenings draw in, I’m looking forward to leaning into the slower pace that autumn always brings. I hope you’re able to find your own quiet moments to pause, breathe, and enjoy the golden shift in the air this week.
This Week's Creative Inspiration
💬 "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
🌲Garden Watching;the afternoon sun hitting the carving desk, reminding me that even as the garden slows down, the studio is full of life.
