Author: Shirley

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New!

I’ve been busy designing some new cards for Christmas and I’m so excited to let you know that we’ve just put them up on the website.

There’s Rottingdean and Saltdean with Santa taking a look around these Christmas-ready villages.

Santa in his red suit is pictured at various places around the village of Rottingdean
Santa in his red suit is pictured at various places around the village of Rottingdean
Father CHristmas in his red suit, depicted outside various shops on Longridge Avenue and with the Christmas tree.
Santa visits Longridge Avenue, Saltdean

Then there are two new Brighton designs. There’s a slightly different view of the Pavilion. On the front we see Father Christmas and his reindeer looking into a window with the Pavilion behind them, but on the back you see they are now inside, looking out at us! Lovely and warm, with wine and pud to hand.

Santa and reindeer looking out from the Pavilion and on the front of the card we look in at them.
Santa and reindeer looking out from the Pavilion.

Finally, and possibly my favourite, is Father Christmas negotiating the roadworks in the Old Steine as Valley Gardens gets not only the planned council works, but also decorated for the season with help from the reindeer. As Santa says, “I Dig Christmas!”

Roadworks in the Old Steine - Valley Gardens
I Dig Christmas – roadworks in Old Steine – Valley Gardens

I have worked really hard to keep my prices the same as last year, and they include postage so no nasty surprises at checkout!

If you want to see them and buy locally from traders in and around Brighton & Hove you can get my cards from: Malarkey in Bond Street, Kerfuffle in St George’s Road, Kemp Town, City Books on Western Road, Hove, The Open Art Gallery in Rottingdean, The Post Office in Rottingdean and Saltdean Post Office on Longridge Avenue.

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas – a bit ahead of time, but it’ll be here before you know it!

Shirley x

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A word from the Studio …

It’s been a long time since I updated my website. I’ve been really busy exploring new expressions in paint. The first we called Discodism – a new word based on dissonant colours which gives an energy and vitality to a painting. Have a look at “Creation” lots of hidden references.

“Creation”. A painting in the Discodism style. Dissonant colour and codes to search. Hexagon cells, planets and fossils just some to search out.

“Ballet” in that style has sold, but it was a challenge to have the music of ‘Firebird’ and ‘Swan Lake’ expressed in great curves and small hidden references to ‘Nutcracker’. Here’s a photo:

Ballet – SOLD

The music of Anton Webern. We attended a recital, as we thought by Weber, but from the black clad musicians and stage drapes came the astounding music of Webern! This was the images that presented themselves to me as I listened!

The music of Anton Webern. We attended a recital, as we thought by Weber, but from the black clad musicians and stage drapes came the astounding music of Webern! This was the images that presented themselves to me as I listened!

Summer Garden
Summer Garden
Summer Studio
Summer Studio

My latest work is a return to Gouache on watercolour paper – works full of emotion and energy such as “Summer Garden” and “Summer Studio” based on my garden and studio, available as prints to order.

I’m also excited to tell you that, for my American customers, my artwork is now available through SacredChristianWorks.com

I’ve also been trying out some new things … take a look at these:

more information on these next time … watch this space!

I’m loving these beautiful summer days. I will have to start the new Christmas designs very soon! It’s hard to conjure up Santa and reindeer with the hot sun streaming in the window!

Until next time … happy holidays?!

Shirley

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Christmas must be coming!

The Brighton Pavilion at night lit up in beautiful colours by exploding fireworks. Santa has climbed onto one of the domes to get a better view.

Well, I seem to be a little bit organised this year and I’ve just done a stock check and updated the website. Maybe it’s the unseasonably wintry weather? You’ll find that some Christmas cards are gone and some are new; I’ve taken out all the cards for which I no longer have stock available, and I’ve added some new Christmas cards to the range. Such as: Santa is naked, sitting behind a windbreak on the nudist beach, reading to his teddy bears. Their three bottoms can be seen below the fabric of the windbreak on the front of the card, on the back you see the book is covering Santa's modesty! They have wine, Christmas pud and a crab on the beach towel. The reindeer are in a boat trying to see what's going on on the nudist beach.The Three Bares, Brighton Nudist Beach

Santa is in his sleigh at night, flying over Saltdean cliffs guided by his Sat-Nav. Seagulls are sitting on the fence and the moon's reflection shimmering on the water.Santa’s Sat-Nav, Saltdean Cliffs

Santa, holding a Robin is standing in front of a selection of landmarks from around the city. Brighton and Hove, Christmas in the City and

Father Christmas is skating on Rottingdean pond with St Margaret's in the background. On the reverse of the card he is decorating the Christmas Tree on which there are robins.Skating, Rottingdean Pond and St Margaret’s

I know that everything is costing so much more this year, and so I’ve kept my prices the same as last year but, I’m sorry, I can’t offer the usual discount code. I hope holding the prices will be like a little Christmas gift from me to you. I so value your custom and want you to have the best possible Christmas.

You might also like to take a look at my colouring book which is new. It’s based, in design, on the Bayeux Tapestry and depicts the story of Jesus. Of course, that includes the Nativity story which is what Christmas is all about. It might make a nice gift for someone arty whom you know, or for yourself! I made it spiral bound so that the book lies flat in use. It’s printed on quality cartridge paper for smooth colouring and printed on one-side only for your notes, your own drawings or so that it can be framed. The front page has a place for you to sign the book too. Each story has the accompanying Bible text reference if you wish to read it for yourself. I’ve included some hints and tips for successful colouring in the back of the book too. See some of what’s in it in the VIDEO, here.

I’ll be adding more to my website soon, not cards – I think that everything I have is listed now. But I have something else I’d like to share with you … watch this space.

With love, Shirley

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What’s new?

I’m delighted to say that we’ve added a new range of cards to the site. Brighton, Hove and local areas. There are now 20 in the range, I do hope you find something you like. All the cards come with a C6 white, 100 gsm envelope. They’re blank inside for you to write your own message.

I designed them to bring a smile to anyone who knows the area and some have a slightly quirky feel to them, such as The Pavilion, Let’s Celebrate! Depicting places from Brighton and Hove to Seaford. Do take a look.

Thank you for visiting Shirley Veater Designs.

Shirley

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Springing a surprise

Individual shops and cottages in Brighton & Hove

You may be wondering why it’s been so quiet and I haven’t written anything here for a while? Well, I haven’t been idle; I’ve produced a couple more card designs which I’ve added to the Brighton & Hove range; £2 each or any 3 cards from the range for £5 with code BH345 at checkout. One design Funky Brighton 1 is now on my front page, the other, Funky Brighton 2, is illustrated here, do check them out. I hope you like them, they were fun to do!

I’ve also been working on an exciting new project, in fact I still am! I can’t tell you much about it yet, but when it’s finished – probably late summer, you will see it here as I’ll add it to my website. It’s something very important to me which I value personally and I hope you’ll love it too.

In the meantime have a wonderful summer!

Shirley

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Scene around Brighton …

People having fun on the Pavilion lawns

I’ve just added a new range of cards to the website. They’re all based in and around Brighton and Hove. Starting with the i360 in Hove, through the Pavilion and Nudist Beach to Rottingdean and Saltdean. I had great fun designing them. Particularly the Pavilion Funday which came out of a Jubilee party we held and I painted a picture including as many of the people who were there as I could. This isn’t it, but it was my inspiration. The designs wrap around the front and back of the card, so the images you see are the whole thing, back and front and will fold down the middle.

They are £2 each and come with an envelope, of course, but I’m offering a special deal of any three cards for £5. Just use the voucher code BH345 at checkout, but you must have the cards in multiples of 3 (ie 3, 6, 9 etc) for the voucher to apply.

I hope you like the new designs as much as I enjoyed designing them.

Stay cool!

Shirley

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Christmas already!

Where has the year gone? It only seems a matter of moments since I was designing for Christmas in the heat of summer and suddenly we all need scarves and hats and the shops are stocking Christmas cards and gifts!

Lots of people have asked me if they can buy my cards online, so to set the ball rolling I’ve decided to offer 20 of my Christmas designs here. I’m offering them at £5.50 for any 5 cards from either or both Range I and II, but you’ll need to use this code at checkout: xmas2019

If it goes well I’ll think about offering some of my everyday designs in the New Year.

When I was busy designing for Christmas I had an idea which has been very well received; it is seeing reminders of the Christmas story around the city. For example, Pret a Manger, The Star (pub) , The Dome which was the stable for the Royal Pavilion and of course signs in our local B&Bs saying “No Vacancies” or No room!

(C) Shirley Veater

It’s amazing how many you find once you are atuned to seeing these reminders of the Christmas story. I’d be interested to know if you find some too.

Wishing you a very happy Christmas and all good wishes for 2020

Shirley

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Lent 2019

The Stations of the Cross II: Jesus takes up His Cross

I am so pleased to tell you that the book More Prayers with a God of Love has sold really well and we’re down to single figures! Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy, we have already sent a cheque to Open Doors for the monies raised so far.

I am considering mounting the original paintings I did for the book and offering them for sale unframed … watch this space!

We are in Lent as I write this, and I wanted to share with you a series of paintings I have done; The Stations of the Cross.

It’s a theme I’m really interested in and am contemplating doing other sets, or series, including acrylic on canvas. I’m always drawn to the Stations of the Cross in churches I visit, which often then inspire me to produce my own interpretation.

These are gouache on watercolour paper with a double mount, I am not selling the originals but would take commissions, contact me for details. (Please excuse the photography, to avoid the reflections in the glass, I had to take the pictures from an angle so they look a little twisted.)

Thank you for your interest in my work,

Shirley

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More Prayers with a God of Love

I’m absolutely delighted to tell you that following the success of our last book “Prayers with a God of Love” we have just brought out our new book “More Prayers with a God of Love”. We’re happy to say that profits will be going to the charity “Open Doors” so we are praying that it sells well!

It’s been an enjoyable challenge to attempt to capture with my paintings, Selwyn’s beautiful poetic prayers and reflections. I hope you’ll love them as much as we do.

Back to the drawing board … I’m busy designing Christmas cards in August!

Shirley