 A recent photograph of Slioch, by Loch Maree Season's greetings I hope this finds you well and looking forward to the festive season. It's time to update you on the year's highlights, such as our wee art cafe (Bridge Cottage Art Cafe in Poolewe) gaining a Tripadvisor award - top 10% of cafes and restaurants worldwide, thanks to great reviews from our lovely customers! We were all thrilled and delighted by this, given the fact we've only been in business for just over a year. My huge thanks go to Ailsa and Iain, and also our star helper, Ruth, who have effectively been running the cafe, while I do other things, mainly in the background.  Mountain mural, by Ailsa Watson Design. On one of our walls in Bridge Cottage Art Cafe in Poolewe. Local News Article We were delighted to have an article written about us last month in the local fortnightly magazine, the Gairloch and District Times. They contacted us just as we celebrated having been in business for a year. The three of us provided answers to a ten question questionnaire and the results were printed as a double page spread. And we were on the front cover - fame at last!
Instead of any more news or chat about the cafe and gallery, here's a couple of lighthearted Christmas pieces I wrote a number of years ago. I'm planning to put together a second book of poetry in 2025 - will keep you posted. In the meantime, my two wee short story books and first poetry collection are available from my website shop or Bridge Cottage Art Cafe.
Wishing you a peaceful, joyful festive season and good health and happiness in 2025. Look forward to seeing you in Poolewe!
Jennifer x
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 I hope this finds you well. It's hard to believe that autumn is upon us already, this year has flown past. We had five glorious sunny days recently, which we all agreed must be our summer! The weather has been particularly poor this year. That has not deterred the visitors - the cafe has been busy with travellers from all over the world, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, as well as Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Both the cafe and gallery in Poolewe have gone from strength to strength, with wonderful feedback from customers. We are currently open Friday - Monday 10am - 4pm and plan to do the same through the winter. We will be closed for staff holidays from 5th - 21st November inclusive, reopening on Friday 22 November. Sketching North Erradale sketch.     Sketches - clockwise from top left - Cove, Firemore, Riverbed near Kinlochewe and Poolewe from Inverasdale On the few fine days we've had, I've taken the chance to head out with my sketchbook. The trick is to find somewhere to perch, usually on a rock, where I can lay my sketchbook on my knees and my tools out beside me. I mostly use charcoal for an initial drawing now, as I find a pencil too restricting. Sometimes I use a graphite stick, but I like the rawness and immediacy of charcoal. The sketchbooks are from Pink Pig, the examples shown were done in large square ones (11 x 11 inches). As you may already know, I sell customised sketchbooks, which I have linoprinted with my own designs. A wee travel set of watercolours provides all the colours I need. But I use a big brush, not the tiny travel one, as I like to use lots of water and work very quickly. This is mainly for practical reasons - the light can change very fast, or there is a shower of rain approaching, or the midges start to bite! Nothing can beat sketching out in the fresh air, with the sounds and smells and sights of your surroundings all being absorbed into your work. WritingEarlier this year, I finally got round to republishing my two books of short stories. They both contain ten short and very short stories and are available from my website shop and also from Bridge Cottage Art Cafe.   As well as the short story books, I've put together my first ever collection of poems in a wee book. Again, the book is available to purchase from my website shop and from Bridge Cottage Art Cafe in Poolewe.  Christmas cards    4 of the 8 designs It's that time of year again! This year's designs (all 8 of them) are just in from the printer. I used natural materials to lay out the images, then took photos and did a little editing to add in the wee extras! They are now available to purchase from my website shop and directly from Bridge Cottage Art Cafe. Calendars2025 calendars are now available - as ever, they are slimline ones, with each image printed on the back for use as a postcard. The images are all from artwork produced last winter, during the Art Portfolio course at Bridge House Art in Ullapool. Available to purchase from my website shop, Bridge Cottage Art Cafe and The Button Bothy at Poolewe Village Hall.     Thank you for your continued interest in my work, it is greatly appreciated.
I am heading off to Harris for a week's holiday in a couple of days - really looking forward to a change of scene! I will be dealing with any orders after I return on 9th October. all the best Jennifer  I hope this finds you well and enjoying some more spring-like weather. It was warm here for a while and all the leaves started appearing on the trees, at last. That lovely fresh, light green that only lasts a short while. It has turned chilly again, so work in the garden is on hold. PoetryI signed up to NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) this year – actually to something called Escapril, organised by a lovely poet in Aberdeen. The aim was to write a poem, based on a provided prompt, every day all through April. Only two days to go and I’m happy to say I’ve produced something every day so far! I’m one of those people who works better when given ‘homework’, so I’ve enjoyed the challenge. It also reminds me just how much I Iove playing with words. Here’s my effort from Day 4. The prompt was ‘attention’. PAYING ATTENTION there are days when every blade of grass every stalk and stem every lichen smothered rock demands, commands your attention when every raindrop that hasn’t reached the ground is found in the leafy crevice of a lupin there are days when from nowhere sudden primroses appear daffodils dance in drifts of yellowness when buds burst into leaf a sheaf of green where all was grey when you step aside, avoid the furry caterpillar on the path Local markets
The local markets are now in full swing and I’m enjoying being back at them. It’s good to see familiar faces and to catch up. And having conversations about creativity is always a joy! I’m now stocking some larger sizes of sketchbooks (I’ve got my eye on them for my upcoming holiday on Lewis and Harris) and I enjoy hearing what people plan to do with them. A couple of new linoprint designs have appeared recently – a small puffin and a larger heron.  ExhibitionsI’m happy to have a couple of small pieces of work in the newly opened spring exhibition at Loch Torridon Community Centre gallery. ‘Seaweed 1’ and ‘Seaweed 2’ are gelli prints. It’s a medium I’ve not used very much, but which is great fun! A recent conversation with someone at Poolewe market reminded me of it. That’s how it goes. The Carron Pottery gallery now has a few of my artworks on display. They’re also now fully restocked with my linoprinted sketchbooks and a selection of my small originals. Later in the year, on Saturday 1st July, I’ll be at the Gairloch Gathering, in the field beside Sands campsite. Fingers crossed for a fine day! It was a grand day out last year.
New stockistThanks to a chance conversation at Gairloch Thursday market, a selection of my products is now available to purchase from a new stockist. Gairloch Marine Wildlife Centre and Cruises, based on Pier Road at the harbour in Gairloch has my marine themed mugs, coasters, keyrings and cards. As always, many thanks for your continued interest in my work - it is greatly appreciated.
all the best Jennifer With apologies to all my lovely English friends!
The Football (World Cup 2022 in Qatar) Oh the football’s on the telly it’s on there every night I really can’t be bothered to watch the very sight… …of brightly coloured little men on patchwork lawn of green chase a leather ball around and call themselves a team It’s better with the sound off without the pundits’ patter they really talk a load of balls I just can’t stand their chatter The passion in the stands, though is very plain to see with every style of fancy dress supporting their country There’s something quite compelling about each country’s pride I find myself drawn in and cheering on a side It’s better that men fight their wars on pitches flat and green than in the trenches or the fields in ways that we have seen Attack, defence and shooting they’re all the words of battle but only arms and legs and pride are injured with a tackle I think I see the point now of what it’s all about the only thing that bothers me - can France boot England out? Jennifer Henderson December 2022  Distant Isles I. Original watercolour on paper. 45cm x 25cm approx. Unframed. Hello. I hope this finds you safe and well and managing to find a way through what is hopefully the last part of this very trying time. Living where I do, I’m very fortunate to have beautiful beaches nearby to walk on. I do this most days, with my dog. Sometimes, if the weather is wild or wet, we venture inland a bit, walking in a sheltered glen with large trees and a burn flowing through it. I’ve taken a lot of photos over the past year of walking. Mainly on my phone, sometimes with my camera. I've posted some of these nearly every day on Instagram and less frequently on Facebook. There's a spot where I always go and stand, at the far end of one of the beaches. I now have a whole series of photos from that spot – I'm working out what to do with them. I've been doing some more writing recently, spurred on by attending (online) a wonderful week-long Arvon at Home course, called Exploring Creativity. I've posted a few poems on Instagram and also on my blog. Watch this space for further developments. I've also been updating my photography portfolio on the Photo4me website. New work and Poolewe Market I've recently spent some time in the studio, painting a few more seascapes. The first of these is shown at the top of this newsletter. I plan to add some more coastal works to the collection – these proved popular at Poolewe Tuesday Market last year. Speaking of which, we're keeping our fingers very firmly crossed that the market will be able to start for the season in early May. Of course, this will depend on the regulations in place at that time. I'll keep you posted. I'm so looking forward to getting out and about and meeting people again; I’m sure you are too! See the Seascapes Online Shop For now, my online shop is very much open. There are still some limited edition prints available, calendars are now reduced in price, and there are some new small works to choose from. There's also a wide range of greetings cards, some sketchbooks and notebooks and even keyrings. Happy browsing! Limited edition prints There are some of these still available, at sale prices. The Thistle image below is an example. To be discontinued. Shop the sale » Notebooks A variety of customised notebooks are available in my website shop (see image below) I just received some new stock, so new designs, of both notebooks and sketchbooks, will be available soon! See the notebooks »
Thank you for your continued interest in my work, it's greatly appreciated.
Hope to see you soon - until then, stay safe and well. all the best Jennifer |
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