My new painting collection based on travels from the last few years
My latest series of paintings has been inspired by new cities across Europe. When Roy and I decided to take a break together, I asked if I could borrow his small SLR camera—and maybe get a bit of expert guidance from him along the way. We’ve always enjoyed stopping often to photograph things that catch our eye, but until then, I had only ever used my phone to take pictures.
Our first trip, two years ago, was to Porto in northern Portugal. It’s such a stunning city to explore on foot. Without a car, we wandered for hours through its charming old streets, soaking up the colours and atmosphere at a slow, thoughtful pace. Looking back at the photos now, I can vividly remember where we were, what we saw, and how deeply I wanted to take in every detail.
Last year’s trip took us to Split, Croatia—a smaller, busier city with plenty of tourists, but still very walkable and full of photographic opportunities. We fell into a lovely rhythm each day: breakfast, then heading out with our cameras, stopping often for photos, with breaks at favourite cafés and long lunches.
After each trip, I would spend hours going through the photos I’d taken, and I started noticing a pattern—I was repeatedly drawn to the shady garden areas, the quiet spots we sought out to escape the midday sun. These peaceful spaces, where people pause and slow down, felt cooler, calmer, and full of serenity. That’s the feeling I’ve been trying to capture in my recent paintings: a tranquil, quiet space that brings a sense of calm. It’s something I deeply value and want to share through my work.
I will be showing my latest oil and acrylic paintings in the Artist Open Houses this May, read the last blog post for details here. To view the paintings at home you can use the AR tool which is located next to each painting, try it and see how the painting looks at home for you
best wishes Jane