The Last Post

I invited the people of Denmark to send me a letter!

I’ve made a new work to commemorate the end of the Danish Postal Service –  PostNord stopped delivering letters at the end of December 2025.

The way we communicate has changed so much over the years. The Second World War love letters that I have used in my work are beautifully composed expressions of affection written by ordinary people. We just don’t express ourselves in writing like this in the same way now. I love receiving a handwritten letter or card but it doesn’t happen nearly so often as it used to.

PostNord ending their delivery of letters and removing the post boxes feels like such a significant moment that I wanted to mark it by creating some art.

I invited the people of Denmark to write to me (in Danish or English) before the final collection from post boxes by PostNord on 30 December. I received letters from people expressing their sadness at the end of the postal service, sharing memories of letters they’d received, and including postcards and pictures.

An accompanying soundscape has been specially composed by Laura Reid and uses a French horn, taking inspiration from the post horn which appeared on Denmark’s post boxes. When the postal service began, the post horn would be sounded to announce the arrival of the letters. Voices reading the letters’ text are layered over the music.

‘The Last Post’ is at Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton, Devon, England from 16 May until 27 June 2026.

Read the article in The Guardian

Read the BBC coverage

Listen to the coverage on BBC Global
(scroll forward to 22 minutes)

IAPMA Biennale

I have a piece of work in The International Association of Hand Papermakers & Paper Artists (IAPMA) Biennale in Silkeborg, Denmark from 7 February to 25 May 2026. 

The Biennale invited artists to explore paper as a living palimpsest — a material that absorbs and preserves the layered traces of life.

Impressions of Nature: Paper as Memory

My work in the exhibition is a collection of tiny handmade envelopes inspired by a set of old love letters . They were written by Eric, an English aircraft engineer who wrote to his love two or three times a week for five years during World War II. His letters were full of messages of love interspersed with news of everyday life at the time. These letters are beautifully written in a way that we don’t often see now as our communication becomes increasingly digital.

The Coolest Colour

Why is the sky blue? Are blueberries really blue? Why is the Virgin Mary depicted wearing blue?

In an exhibition at Powderham Castle, Devon, I worked with artist and friend Jane Perkins to create an exhibition inspired by one special colour.

The collaboration is inspired by my daily pictures of the sky and Jane’s desire to create a large-scale installation of a bowerbird’s bower, decorated with blue objects to attract a mate. We took inspiration from the Castle, its objects and its own special shade of Powderham Blue.

As well as being a paper artist I also enjoy taking photos, and I’ve photographed the sky every day since the first day of lockdown in March 2020.

The sky pictures covered one of the Castle windows, and the exhibition also included Love Letter Envelopes made with pale blue writing paper, and Viking boats made with sea navigation charts.

Devon Open Studios 2017

On Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 Sept, Cockwood Artists will be exhibiting in Cockwood Village Hall as part of Devon Open Studios.

The paper art I’ll be showing this year includes my new Viking boats which are created using nautical charts and gold paper. I’ll also have Japanese anemones and collections of tiny envelopes.

This year, I’ll also be exhibiting some of my iPhoneography images on canvas and selling cards with these images.

Tony Bird will be showing his watercolours which include local scenes as well as the Italian and French landscape.

The exhibition is free and is open from 11am to 6pm both days. There will be tea, coffee and homemade cakes for sale, and the Serenoa String Quartet will be playing at 2pm on the Sunday. Do drop by and say hello.

Devon Open Studios 2016

Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 September, 11am – 6pm

img_8356-low-res-copyI’m exhibiting during Devon Open Studios, along with watercolorist Tony Bird. As well as the exhibition of art, there will be tea, coffee and homemade cake available. On the Sunday afternoon at 2pm, the Serenoa String Quartet will be playing.

 

japanese-mulberry-papers-3

 

I’ve been continuing my work on White Feather Letters and what they represented, how people’s attitudes changed during the First World War, and asking what would happen if we were in a similar situation today.

 

 

Devon Open Studios 2015

Art, food and music
Sat 12 & Sun 13 September

I’m taking part in Devon Open Studios again this year. Tony Bird and I will be exhibiting at Cockwood Village Hall on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September from 11am to 6pm.

IMG_1070 low resI’ve been experimenting with ideas around white feather letters sent during World War One. I’ve made some paper feathers and I’m really pleased with how they turned out. I started creating an installation at last year’s open studios and this year you can see more.
As well as the chance to chat to the artists and see the exhibition, there will be tea, coffee and delicious homemade cakes. On Sunday at 2pm, the Serenoa String Quartet will be playing

music smallCockwood Village Hall is just off the A379 between Exeter and Dawlish and the postcode is EX6 8NU. It’s close to Starcross and Dawlish Warren. There’s on-street parking, and if you want to make a little more of your visit, there are two great pubs – the Ship and the Anchor, and we’re on the coastal footpath.

Devon Open Studios 2014

ACE_2465 crop low resI’m taking part in Devon Open Studios again this year. I’m exhibiting with watercolorist Tony Bird. We’ll be at Cockwood Village Hall EX6 8NU on Sat 13 and Sun 14 September from 11am to 6pm.

smallPoppy1As well as a chance to meet the artists and see the exhibition, there will be tea, coffee and delicious homemade cakes. On Sunday at 2pm, the Serenoa String Quartet will be playing.

I’ll be showing a range of work including poppies and Japanese anemones.

 

Devon Open Studios

LoveLetters02smallI’m exhibiting during Devon Open Studios on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September at Cockwood Village Hall (near Starcross and Dawlish), Devon. Cockwood is a scenic village on the Exe Estuary and there are two pubs where you can get a nice lunch or afternoon drink. I’m showing my work with watercolorist Tony Bird who paints local scenes as well as Norfolk, Italy and France.

We’ll be serving Fairtrade tea, coffee and homemade cakes, and on Sunday 15th, the Serenoa String Quartet will be playing at 2.00.

coloured small

If you’d like to see our work, do come along and have a chat to find out more about what we do.

Directions to Cockwood Village Hall EX6 8NU: From the A379, turn onto the bridge at Cockwood Harbour, near Starcross. Take the first right before the Anchor Inn. The Village Hall is on the left before the Ship Inn. There is on street parking, and Cockwood is on the No 2 bus route.

The Art and Soul of Paper

Japanese Anemones paper art

Some of my Japanese Anemones will be shown as part of The Art and Soul of Paper, an exhibition of 21st century paper artworks to embody the essence of the Japanese papermaking heritage.

The event takes place in Norwich from 11 March to 20 April and includes three paper exhibitions, two artist talks and a workshop in Papermaking from Plants.

It is organised by The International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists to coincide with Washi: the Art of Japanese Papermaking, a symposium hosted by Norwich University College of the Arts.

My work will be exhibited at Mandells Gallery, Elm Hill, Norwich from 11 March to 6 April.