Studio Notes: Sweet peas on tip-toe and slow summer rhythms

We're in the midst of a gorgeous-but-trying summer heatwave here in Norfolk, like most of the south. The sun is drenching the countryside in a brilliant light, and the intense afternoon heat has called for a distinctly slower, shorter work pace this week.

Although tricky to find pace, the heat has been a good reminder to lean into the natural ebb and flow of life. I’ve been fully embracing this unhurried rhythm, taking things one steady step at a time.

Which does mean spending more time away from my desk, my absolute favourite offline sanctuary this past week has been standing out in the garden. My own sweet peas are finally, beautifully blooming. Watching their delicate vines tangle and scramble upward feels like the ultimate lesson in slow living - they simply refuse to be rushed.

In the Studio: Slowing Down to Grow

This sweet peas design, which is still waiting for its perfect name, is the latest addition to my British Garden Flowers Collection.

Sitting at my desk, I'm carefully isolating each section of the plant to digitally colour and mindfully work out a colour palette. I view this digital phase as a "second studio" - a space of pure intentionality where I marry old-world craftsmanship with modern flexibility to explore unique colour stories that bring out the true character and soul of the flower.

Did you know that these beloved cottage garden staples were originally documented by a Sicilian monk in the 1600s? In floriography (the language of flowers), they symbolise gratitude, blissful pleasure, and delicate beauty.

The poet John Keats famously described them as being "on tip-toe for a flight / With wings of gentle flush o'er delicate white," which perfectly captures the fluttery, butterfly-like grace they bring to our summer borders.

This Week's Inspiration

💬 "I must have flowers, always, and always." Claude Monet

🎧 Windowsill Chats podcast, episode "The Art of Beginning Again: Lessons in Healing, Growth, and Horses with Jade Chen". Windowsill Chats is a podcast for artists and creatives who are curious about what it's like to live, work & walk a creative path.