Links Page

We've been updating our Links Page - please have a look by clicking here or on the Links tab at the top of this page. 


We'd love your feedback - what's missing, what would you like to see more of, less of, etc... And if you are a Shed Creative but the link to your blog isn't there, or isn't working (I think they're all ok, but you never know) do get in touch and let us know!

Artist of the Week: Jules McDonald

This week we are happy to be celebrating Jules McDonald as our Artist of the Week! Jules introduces her self and her work a bit below, along with a few images from her Shed Profile. We'll be hearing more from Jules later in the week, but in the meantime please do visit her Shed Profile to see more of her work!

Rockout, by Jules McDonald

There is always an element of anticipation before a kids shoot as you are usually dealing with an unknown quantity. This is what gives you the buzz and possibly the headache! It's when you find your in one of those moments when there is almost a stillness, everything comes together and you know that you have the shot, it can last for a moment or a few minutes, possibly depending on the age of the sitter or just pure luck! A simple prop, colour or texture can suddenly add another dimension or an added interest making the shot your own. I love working within a studio, years of art direction have left me with a love of working within a controlled environment letting the kids give you the energy and unpredictability.

- Jules McDonald

Little Angles, by Jules McDonald

White Out, by Jules McDonald

Masked Boy II, by Jules McDonald

There's always something going on outside the Shed Shop...

This morning, outside the Shed Shop in Barcelona - never a dull moment!

Reflections on the work of other Shed Creatives, by Fiona Roberts, Artist of the Week

I’m blown away by the talented photographers and artists on the Shed and find it really difficult to select favourites but for various reasons (all connected to how the work makes me feel) I particularly like the following: 

Arch Golden Cap, by Moya Paul 

Autumn Window, by Paula Youens 

Speedfreak Noddy, by Ian Dicks

Watermark Triptych, by Chelsea Davine

Hooded Girl, by Jules Macdonald

Rings, by Maisie Hill 

Self Portrait Ellen De Generes, by Lauren Fox

Gardening Pinnacles, by Charles Hallsworth

Touch of Vintage I, by Ronnie Creswell

Up and Up, by Cynny Sharp

St Ives, by Hilary Buckley

- Fiona Roberts

Many thanks to Fiona for sharing her favourites from the Shed Gallery with us! As ever, comments and feedback, responses etc very welcome on here, just post below.

And to see Fiona's own work, please do visit her Shed Profile.

All Change in the Shed Shop window!

Philippa Gedge's Ford Custom 500, Route 66 is now in the window of the Shed Shop, Barcelona (modelled here by Shed Creative Lottie Heffer - thanks Lottie!) Do visit her Shed Profile to see more of her work, all of which can be purchased from there, and/or the Shed Shop.


Philippa also has a great website, and a blog, both of which are well worth a visit!

A work in progress - Fiona Roberts

I’m currently attempting to finish a portrait of my daughter. It may remain a work in progress for some time, partly because (and some of you may recognise this) I’m never sure when anything is finished, and partly because getting a 12 year old to sit still for any length of time is an almost impossible task.

Annie in progress, Fiona Roberts

- Fiona Roberts is our Artist of the Week! To see more of her work, please visit her Shed Profile! And as ever please do feel free to leave comments/feedback for Fiona on here.  

Artist of the Week: Fiona Roberts

This week our celebrated Artist of the Week is Fiona Roberts! Fiona's wonderful paintings cover a broad range of subjects, but one of her key sources of inspiration is nature. Her work can be seen on her Shed Profile, and she introduces herself below. Enjoy!

Wave, by Fiona Roberts

Following an education at the London School of Economics and Goldsmiths College I was desperate to paint but was too busy being an academic researcher, teacher and mum. I eventually found a window of opportunity a couple of years ago and have been unable to stop since. 

Joy III, by Fiona Roberts

My subject matter is diverse but is mainly inspired by nature, drawing particularly on my background in the Lake District where I was brought up on a farm, and by Lyme Regis.

The last 12 months have been very busy. I was lucky enough to join The Shed and take part in the Coast exhibition and I took part in Lyme Regis Artsfest. I was also selected to exhibit at the Menier Gallery in Southwark with the United Society of Artists and was shortlisted for the 2011 Cork Street Open Exhibition. I regularly exhibit at Par Ici, Twickenham and am currently in the Spring Exhibition at Portland the Gallery, Richmond. This exhibition runs until the 23^rd of March.

- Fiona Roberts

Sea I, by Fiona Roberts

Trees in Snow II, by Fiona Roberts

To see more of Fiona's work please visit her Shed Profile, and click here to find out more details of her current exhibition at Portland the Gallery!

Andy White, Artist of the Week - Reflections

Carrying on from our previous Artists of the Week I have picked out several images which I really like in The Shed. We are lucky to have such a diverse range of artwork and photographic imagery to choose from but after a long debate I have managed to whittle my pick down to five.

1 Architectural Comp 1 by Massimiliano Maddelena

This is a wonderfully composed image with subtle colouring and an interesting sky. I like the small part of the window on the left which initially gives the impression that someone is keeping watch over the scene but after close scrutiny appears blank which adds to the mystery. Strong diagonals give the image its strength.

2 Cobb Steps by Chelsea Davine

I have walked up and down these steps numerous times both before and after those awful steel structures were put in place. Never did I consider that there was such a strong image staring me in the eye. The simplicity of the Chelsea’s monochrome image tells us all we need to know – the steps themselves. We are invited up the well worn steps but are not given an opportunity to see where they lead to – we have to use our imagination as to what we will find at the top. We are however given a small hint by the tiny figures in the distance that there might be a way through. A wonderfully composed simple image which looks fantastic when printed large onto aluminium.

3 Not tonight love I have a splitting headache by Matt Sowter

This is probably not the type of photograph that most people would put on their wall but this gruesome scene has been well composed and being in monochrome gives it great impact. The fish’s eye is a strong element in the composition and appears to be without emotion despite the fish having been dismembered.

4 Mural Shadow by Jess Douglas

An artwork rather than a photographic image. I do love all of Jess’ graphic images with the detailed drawing of the buildings and adverts coupled with the very subtle colour wash. As Addidas are designing and sponsoring all our athlete’s clothing for the Olympics I am sure they would be interested in this image.

5 Vanishing point by Guy Kirkham

A very simple image of a road at dusk/dawn showing light trails from vehicles passing by. This has been done many times before but this image works especially well because the lights are coming/going around a slight bend which then leads us to a tiny glimmer of light in the sky. I find it intriguing that there appears to be more vehicles coming towards us than going away and why no one is using the carriageway in the middle.


- By Andy White


To see Andy's own work please visit his Shed Profile. And to buy his, and any of the images seen here, please visit our online Shed Shop!

Guest blog by Andy White, Artist of the Week

During this winter I have had the opportunity to have a couple of week’s holiday. The first holiday was staying in the centre of Lanzarote well away from the holiday complexes down on the coast. I was aware that the scenery on the island was extreme but I was bowled over by the sheer beauty of the extinct volcanoes and lava fields which cover so much of the island. The weather was perfect for photography with sunny intervals with the occasional heavy rain storm adding to the atmosphere. Those of you who attended the Coast exhibition in Lyme Regis will have seen the image of the wave at dusk which was taken on the coast. I was trying to take photos of surfers riding these huge Atlantic waves but as the light faded so did the possibility of getting a good sharp image.

Church and Volcano - Andy White

Volcanoes and Lava Field - Andy White

Old Vineyard and Volcano - Andy White 

Lanzarote is blessed with a good road infrastructure but stopping to take photographs is difficult. The authorities in Lanzarote are very keen to stop visitors from walking over the lava fields. Depending on the type of lava, they can be very difficult to walk on and therefore dangerous but also it is so easy to destroy the delicate native vegetation as it attempts to get a foothold on the rock.

Timanfaya National Park is stunning yet only allows the visitor limited access to some amazing scenery which I am sure leaves most photographers frustrated. A coach tour around the interior of the park is wonderful and yet you are confined to the vehicle and therefore forced to take photographs through the closed windows. If only you could gain access to the park on foot at either end of the day when the light was at its best it would be heaven – dream on! Lanzarote has a lot to offer the photographer and certainly my first visit to the Canary Islands will not be my last.

My second break took me back ‘home’ to North Norfolk where I was born and lived for the first twenty odd years of my life. There is something special about returning to a place you know very well and for the photographer it saves an awful lot of time having to research locations. The bleakness of the coast at this time of the year is special and the birdlife draws an enormous numbers of people to the bird reserves. Seeing the huge flocks of geese, ducks and waders makes the trip well worth while although the weather can be pretty cold and miserable.

We made two visits to Snettisham Beach, once in the late evening watching the advancing tide over the Wash forcing the birds closer and closer to the shore until we were forced to retreat ourselves through lack of light. We returned a few days later in the twilight of a cold dawn and experienced the wonderfully choreographed flights of flocks of Godwits, Knot and Golden Plover over the mud.

Wave and pool - Andy White

As a landscape photographer I was drawn to the old decaying jetty on the beach sitting amongst the marsh looking out to what appears to be infinity of grey mud and an indistinct horizon.

Holidays are wonderful for rest and recuperation but can also give photographers much inspiration with the introduction to new culture and ways of life, climate, architecture and landscape.

Old Jetty, Snettisham Beach - Andy White

- Andy White

See more of Andy's work on his Shed Profile. To buy any of his work, or the work of other Shed Creatives please visit our online Shed Shop!

Artist of the Week: Andy White

Lifebelt on Chesil Beach - Andy White

Our Artist of the Week this week is Andy White! Andy is a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society and will soon be submitting his application for an Associateship. Introduced to photography at a young age by his father, who developed images at home in the darkroom, Andy has just built his own darkroom at home and is enjoying rediscovering his passion as well as expanding his work in the digital field.

Andy has two main interests in his work at present: firstly - photographing the coast and countryside in all sorts of weather conditions, and secondly in contemporary photography with a view to challenging the perception of everyday scenes. 

Clouds over oats - Andy White

Potato field - Andy White

Beach Reflections, Pembrokeshire - Andy White

You can see the broad range of Andy's talent and beautiful work in his Shed Profile portfolio, and as ever, this week we will be hearing from Andy on here, and he will be presenting some of his new work too.


Please do feel free to comment and give Andy feedback!

Dawn, East Cliff West Bay - Andy White

Michael Tuska, Artist of the Week - feedback please!

Here are a few images of Michael's most recent work, which he would really appreciate your feedback on! Fellow Shed Creative, enthusiast, or spectator, please do have a look, and comment below to let Michael know what you like, what you don't like, which you think are the strongest and why, etc. 


Or, if you'd rather not comment, do just enjoy the images :-) To see more of Michael's work, please do visit his Shed Profile, where you can also purchase prints of his, and other Shed Creatives' work.

A touch of sun lotion My Dear - M.Tuska

Jazz in Monmartre Hotting Up - M.Tuska

OK you've got the job - M.Tuska

Spontaneous Reaction, Happy Days - M.Tuska

Time on my own - M.Tuska

Bon Appetite - M.Tuska

Bus Stop Boredom - M.Tuska

Fiona Roberts - Exhibition News!

Shed Creative Fiona Roberts is exhibiting for the next 6 weeks in 'Portland - the Gallery', Richmond. Have a look at their website to see more info about the exhibition, and visit Fiona's Shed Profile to see her work. 

Congratulations Fiona, hope the show goes really well!

Guest blog by Michael Tuska, Artist of the Week

I would like to offer my review of several exhibitors work although, if I may be so bold, introduce a little light heartedness into some of the comments.

You know, there used to be a game show where the hosts 'catchphrase' was….“say what you see”….

That’s what I intend to do.

Firstly, although I like to think I am a reasonable photographer, I am not an artist in the true sense of the meaning. I suppose some similar ‘yardsticks’ apply when reviewing artistic images, creations and photography in general.

Completely and utterly at random, the following creations caught my eye and any author, artists / creatives name that may at all appear familiar, is totally co-incidental.

Melting Steel, by John Marriage

A subtlety of colours with a vision of latent power and aggression long past, that the subject conveys through the through the mechanics and angular precision of the subject. A great close up image.

Viking Boat, by Mark Thomas

I have to admit I was drawn to this image as it is somewhat reminiscent of one of my images, ‘Norwegian Fjord’. The eeriness and mystery of the fabled ‘Land of the Trolls’...However, I am envious because it’s got the missing element that mine hasn’t - the boat!! Well done you!

Buttercups and Daisies, by Caroline Collett

This appeals to me personally not because it’s another image of flowers (I love flora) but because of the clever choice of the blue-painted stippled background surface. A very cool and freshness of subject.

Captured, by Lauren Fox

Instantly drawn to this creation for its colour, the materials used and abstractness of shape. It would look fantastic placed in an alcove with a darkish background and strategicly spotlit from above. However! I would rename it ….‘A Leap into Freedom’. ‘Say what you see’ I say.

Rule Harmony, by Chelsea Davine

Like it lots; love the colour and shapes. When viewing entirely, both shapes remind me of the Iberian Peninsular and the Two Ugly Sisters.

Warehouse Two, by Michelle Frederick

Like viewing the ruins of ancient abbeys , castles and other historic ruins of the past. What went on there? What was life like?; close your eyes and you can almost hear the noises and industry going on.

Statues, by Michelle Frederick

An ideal setting for a period drama. Tread carefully round the corner as you don’t know what might be going on!!!

Rockpools 4, by Ronnie Creswell

Absolutely love the colours and creation; the depthness of field; from the closeness of the rockpool, through the mid ground landscape to the distant horizon; ‘is that a yacht at sea or, is it floating on cloud nine’?

- Michael Tuska

To see Michael's own work please have a look at his Shed Profile, and to buy prints of any of the work you see here or in our Gallery, please visit the online Shed Shop!

And do feel free to comment/feedback to Michael on his reviews here.