I packed just a carry-on for ten days: laptop (still gotta work on the other stuff), layers and good socks. Art materials are minimal: five gouache primaries and a tube of white, a pad of watercolor paper, masking tape and three brushes. How Zen am I?

I haven’t been here in the fall before, and I knew the aspens might already have shed their twinkling golden leaves. Fall, I’d been told, is fleeting here and the weather can turn on a dime. So, I had my fingers crossed that I’d make it before the wind or the snow and get to mix some golds, reds and soft mauvy palettes. What we arrived to has taken my breath away, along with the altitude!

The first time I came to Colorado I gasped, “It’s so VAST!!” I don’t possess the words to describe the breadth of the valleys and the reach of the skies. I was humbled by my attempts to capture that magnificence in paint, but I enjoyed focusing on small artworks in gouache, more like studies and starting small is still starting, right? I share my process on an episode of Art In Bloom if you care to take a gander. Here’s a clip:

Something I battle with (and I’m sure you know it too, if you try to create when you travel) is the tug between being and doing whilst in situ. I’ve never been on an artist’s retreat. What an insane decadence, I’ve told myself. It’s totally my own shit, and I’m working on allowing myself the possibility in the future. It is a dream to stay in one place for a month and create a body of work, something to focus on purely.

I have a week here and I’m already panicking about how to “make” something. I want to be present, to absorb it all and breathe in the scent of the pines and the browning ferns. To just sit and stare as the light shifts and morphs these incredible valleys and mountains.

How do we bottle such an experience in order to share it with others in our work? For me it changes depending on the materials available, the time I have, the weather, my mood, my energy levels. But mostly I battle the guilt of having access to all this and not simply being in it.

The land is on the market, so this may not happen again. I feel panicked by that. I want to remember how this place makes me feel, how special it is, and to share that with others who might enjoy how my hand translates that feeling. That’s my job as an artist, isn’t it? I always want to bring people closer to nature, if I can. What an insane privilege.

So, because I do this every time I’m lucky enough to travel, I wanted to share the list I’ve compiled to help me stay in the moment and still come home with material that will be useful when I’m back at my desk. I hope it might help you too.

My list for staying present and still bringing something home

1. Morning notes. A stream of consciousness à la The Artist’s Way, but a bit more focused on what you’re seeing and feeling right where you are. What do you smell at 7:30am? What can you taste? What wildlife is about? How do the colors change through the day?

2. Color palettes for different times of day. Add a little running commentary to help you when you get back home, or to the studio, to paint.

3. Small layouts or sketches. These could be thumbnails of ideas for larger paintings. Maybe just tonal, to show light and shade.

4. Paint an abstraction of a feeling. Just colors and proportions.

5. A song or a playlist. Something to take you straight back to your time away. Here’s mine from this trip ;)

6. Edit your photos. Go through the multitude you’ve taken and pull the key moments into their own folder. Print them out when you get home and make a mood board to have in front of you. Our phones are awesome tools, but blowing up the scale brings new perspective, and you aren’t ferreting around on a tiny screen. Set yourself up for success is my motto!

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And a few more, for the guilt

1. Decide what “enough” is before you unpack. One small study a day, or three for the whole week. Once it’s done, the rest of the day is yours, guilt-free.

2. Give making its own window. An hour in the morning light, say, and then the brushes go away. The guilt comes from trying to do both at once and doing neither properly.

3. Look first, paint second. Sit for ten minutes with no brush, no phone, no plan. Looking is the work. It all goes in, and it comes back out later at the desk.

4. Collect, don’t finish. Travel is for gathering and the studio is for making. A week of notes, swatches and scrappy thumbnails is a successful trip.

5. When it’s too vast, go small. Paint what’s at your feet: a single leaf, a seed head, a stone. The whole valley is in there somewhere.

6. Record the sound. Thirty seconds of wind in the aspens on a voice memo will take you back faster than any photo.

7. Say it out loud. Tell whoever you’re travelling with, “I need an hour to paint.” Then it’s time you’ve been given and not time you’ve stolen.

8. Let one day be nothing. No notes, no swatches, no photos. Just be there. It counts.

I’m writing this with paint water on the table and a view I can’t do justice to. I’ve made a few small studies and stared out of the window a lot. I’m calling that a good week.

How do you manage it when you travel? I’d love to hear what works for you.

Other Bits

• ARCHIVE SALE. Every few years I do a big clear out at the studio. I go through all the archive files I have and pull sketches, half-baked ideas, demo artworks, work I’ve held onto for emotional reasons and am finally ready to ‘Kondo’. The prices are good-very good. If you are signed up to this mailing list then you’ll hear second only to my current collectors. Mark your cals for mid November. I hope to have lots of goodies to share!

• If I only had 3 beauty products to use, I share over at The Quality Edit this week

• A city trip with Colu Henry to finish September with a flourish and a martini.

  If you like this post, can you kindly hit the ❤️ at the bottom? It helps ever so much.

  ---

  Thanks for reading and for being here. Wishing you a wonderful start to the cosy season!

  With love,

  Helen

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  Helen Dealtry is an artist and textile designer known for her hand-painted watercolor and ink florals, spanning print design, original art, and cards. She is also the host of Art In Bloom, a three-season painting series from Magnolia Network now streaming on HBO, and teaches in-studio workshops in Hudson, NY. You can follow along here

Growing up, August was always the warmest time of the year in the UK and meant that beach days might not always be rained out. Some favorite childhood memories are from days that weren’t tooth-chattering and wind-whipped--and to be honest, some that were too. Slightly squished cheese and pickle or egg salad sandwiches, flasks of Ribena and hot…

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There's a unique scent to every city, isn't there? New York isn't London isn't Paris, and each neighborhood has its own perfume. NYC for me is warm subway gusts, metallic train scents, and a slight whiff of caramel (roasted street nuts) mixed with the medley of perfumes and aftershaves of everyone you brush against. Yes, there's grime and food mixed in too, but those notes ebb as you become part of the flowing many.

My dear friend Anouk (roommate for eight of my thirteen Brooklyn years) was in town for work and beckoned me down - oh, go on then! Luck struck when our generous friends Maggie and David offered their apartment near Chinatown while they were away. With Dan visiting family in Colorado, I seized the chance: five whole days exploring NYC solo, a luxury I hadn't had since moving to Hudson. The museums and wandering I could finally do!

This week’s newsletter is my travel journal I wanted to share with you some longtime loves and newly discovered gems from my favorite city.

Play this as you read, perhaps…

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Well, it's been a minute!

In between gawking at the roses and iris in my garden, I've been staring at my laptop trying to figure out how to share a month and a half of adventures without overwhelming us both. You know when you have so much to tell that you don't know where to start? That's me right now.

In the past 6 weeks I’ve bounced be…

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Gardening. Typing this with fingernails you could grow potatoes under because I finally got my hands into the garden. We have just had what I really hope is our last frost and so I planted up a few roots and bulbs, hoorah! I got Hollyhocks for a sunny patch, Pink Lily of the valley for a barren spot under the hydrangea, Chocolate cosmos becau…

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Hello friends!

March has arrived at the studio, and it felt like the perfect time for an EPIC early Spring clean! I've been finding that staying away from screens has been both tricky and necessary lately, so I've been prioritizing projects that don't involve them. Been looking for the light as prescribed by my friend Gayle Kabaker.

I often remind myself that for many years as a textile designer, I didn't have a phone updating me every second. I'd simply go to my desk (which didn't have a computer) and hand paint all day. Perhaps I'd check my laptop at home in the evening for emails, but that was it. Those were simpler times, and I'm hoping to implement stronger boundaries for my creative practice now. I've been limiting my time on 'The Gram' and focusing on more in-person connections with fellow designers and painters. We simply weren't meant to be available to so many distractions, non-urgent updates (I know, everything does sound pretty urgent at the mo...), and ways to procrastinate—it's frankly making my brain squirrelly!

Studio Reset Highlights

I started by rearranging my bookcase and rediscovered some favorites I'd forgotten about and still love so much. There are many more but will do in another letter to you ;)

1. GEORGIA O’KEEFFE: WATERCOLORS 1916–1918

2. Flower Color Theory

3. David Hockney

4. Flower Power : Prints from the 1960s ( I have a few books from this series and they helped me a lot when I first started designing textiles.)

5. Bringing Nature Home

Here are a few spring cleaning activities that brought me joy:

• Sorted through old paints and opened watercolor and gouache tubes that had mummified. I popped them in a small glass jar with a bit of water to reinvigorate them!

• Washed and dried brushes, reshaping any ends that had gone 'skewiff'.

• Sorted all brushes into order by shape and size.

• Went through my remaining scarves (I've mostly removed them from my website) and discovered I had more inventory than I remembered! I'm offering these to you, my wonderful subscribers, at a hefty discount. Use code Bits30 at checkout.

  

Weekend Workshops

This weekend was a wonderful reset at the studio with two days of in-person workshops—just what the doctor ordered! It's the last of the anemone season, and we had some absolute beauties to paint from local farmers by way of our friends Cedar Farm Wholesale.

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Colorful Poppy demo

I thought we'd make this March demo a bright one! I hope you enjoy it and that your own creative spaces are feeling refreshed and inspired as we welcome spring.

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When I first arrived at Dobbin Mews, I was just beginning my small business journey—full of ideas, but uncertain about the path ahead. What I discovered there was something I couldn't have imagined: a sanctuary where women lifted each other up in ways that transcended ordinary business relationships. This community embodied women supporting women, celebrating my victories as their own while offering both practical solutions and emotional support during challenges. More than just professional guidance, they instilled in me a belief in myself that had previously seemed out of reach. Their impact extends far beyond business mentorship; Dobbin Mews wasn't just where my business began, it's where I truly began to recognize my own potential.

After going our separate ways across the US, I know any of my Mewsies will still feel like family the moment we reconnect.

Fast forward to last week, when Re Jin and I finally made good on our long-standing plan to collaborate again. RJ, who is an insanely talented ceramic artist, kindly invited me to co-host a workshop in her beautiful Pound Ridge studio, with Nicolette bringing her signature floral arrangements for inspiration and Jennifer capturing the day through her lens. Twelve wonderful women joined us for what turned into a day of creative exploration and happy surprises. It felt like we'd brought the spirit of the Mews with us, alive and well in RJ’s beautiful, creative space.

We started on paper, sketching and planning, before taking on the main challenge - painting RJ's elegant pre-handcrafted platters with underglaze. Here's the thing about underglaze, it can be a biiiit tricky. Not only can you not fully erase your marks once you’ve painted them onto the clay, but the colors you see while painting might transform into something completely different after firing(see below my before and after firings). It's both terrifying and liberating - and sometimes those constraints lead to the most beautiful outcomes.

Everyone embraced the challenge, creating pieces that were uniquely their own. RJ then glazed and fired the pieces and we waited to see the results…..

….And here they are below!!

Watching each person's confidence grow as they moved from tentative sketches to bold ceramic designs was a reminder of why I love teaching. There's something so joyful about seeing someone surprise themselves with what they can create.

Dream team reunion. Thank you RJ for making it such a special day for us all!

Looking ahead: A new day added to my Anemone class in March.

While my Saturday, March 8th painting class is now fully booked, I still have a few spots left for Sunday, March 9th at my Hudson studio. We'll be painting Anemones, and space is limited. If you'd like to join us for this intimate workshop, don't wait too long to secure your place!

Until next time friends when there will be a new painting video for paid subscribers, can’t wait to share with you!

With love,

Helen

The aroma of leather, glue and polish (arguably toxic, in retrospect) from our village cobbler's shop remains one of my most vivid childhood memories. Rows of strangers' shoes perched on wooden lasts lined the walls of the tiny shop, each waiting their turn for transformation. I'd watch mesmerized as this craftsman would present our restored footwear in his weathered, dye-stained hands. He was a small-town alchemist turning scuffed leather into gold. Even then I was drawn to the mechanics of transformation, process and craftsmanship, though I wouldn't recognize this pattern until years later.

My annual school shoe pilgrimage was an event of epic proportions. The chosen ones circa ‘85: burgundy patent T-bars that I insisted on finding again, size up, the following year (I loved them that much). A shoe obsession was clearly taking root.

Landing in America at twenty, I promptly blew my first real paycheck on Prada boots. They were completely impractical, looked more suitable for a Mars mission than Manhattan, and represented a spectacular lack of financial judgment. But they were also a declaration of possibility, new city, new identity, new horizons.

A few reality checks and textile designer salaries later my taste evolved, but the obsession remained. Enter the Loeffler Randall Matilde boot: tall, cognac-colored, and sensibly flat- perfect for navigating New York's concrete grid. The cobbler who maintained them worked at Leather Spa (they are magicians, uptown just off 5th Av), a world away from my village cobbler, but carrying forward that same devotion to preservation and care.

2014 brought an unexpected twist when my friend Ilana Kohn connected me with Jessie Randall herself. Creating prints for my favorite shoe designer was terrifying and thrilling in equal measure. Jessie turned out to be refreshingly down-to-earth, wickedly creative and self-deprecating in the best way. Working with her and her husband Brian felt natural from the start.

Watching their company flourish has been a joy. Their recent ready-to-wear launch carries the same thoughtful design and quiet confidence that defines their footwear. This past weekend I led a painting workshop at Stissinghouse in Pine Plains, part of celebrating Jessie's six-month-old Substack, 'Jessie Loves.' The evening was electric with creativity and connection.

I had a moment as I pulled in to the venue that evening. It struck me that my 20-year old self would certainly not have forseen this opportunity. Here I was teaching what I love to people I admire in a setting that echoes my English roots. The universe has a peculiar way of connecting dots we didn't even know existed.

I have to believe this spirit of craftsmanship and transformation still exists for today's dreamers and makers arriving on these shores. That somewhere between hard work, community, and serendipity, they too will find their own version of that cobbler's shop magic.

March Anemone Workshop in Hudson, NY

In other news, due to the waitlist for Saturday I’ve added an extra day to my weekend workshop in March! There is currently as of today-Jan 21st, one spot left on Saturday, 8th of March and I’ve opened up Sunday 9th! Reserve your spot HERE. Space is limited.

I will be giving away 1 class spot for Sunday 9th to a lucky Bits & Blobs paid subscriber!

This raffle is open to current paid subscribers or new subscribers who opt for the annual payment plan. Just leave a comment in the section below letting me know why you’d like to come to the workshop in this or any upcoming Substack newsletters AND share Bits and Blobs with a friend :) Winner will be announced Feb 14th 2025.

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*Please note the class is in Hudson, NY and attendees are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Workshop is non-transferable.

That’s all for this week friends, I’m off to design some more greetings cards for the upcoming year! Here are 3 newbies available on my website, more to share soon!

With love,

Helen.

If you enjoyed this post, please click the like button at the bottom - it helps others discover my content! ❤️

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Dear Friends,

There's something magical about the early months of the year that I've always secretly loved. These quieter, colder days offer a precious gift: time to slow down, reflect, and mindfully prepare for the creative journey ahead. Nowhere is this more apparent than in my studio, where winter becomes a season of…

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On Christmas Day, it will be three weeks since we said goodbye to Dudley. No amount of preparation can truly ready you for the grief of losing your dog. I've watched many friends go through this heartbreaking experience, and while I deeply empathized with them, I never fully understood the depth of this loss until now.

For those who've followed my journey here and on Instagram, you know that Dudley was more than just a pet- he was my trusty sidekick both at the studio and in life. A charming mix of rat terrier, Chihuahua, and something else equally wonderful, he came into our lives through Barc Shelter in Williamsburg. I'd been walking dogs there for years before Dan and I felt ready to welcome our own dog into the family.

The day I met Dudley, he was tucked away under blankets in the first cage on the left. After a walk home to meet Dan, we spent an anxious 24 hours deciding whether to adopt this little pup who, despite his kennel cough, had immediately claimed my lap as his own. It was one of the best decisions we ever made.

Dudley was about seven when we got him, and for the next 11½ years, he filled our lives with adventure and unconditional love. In our child-free household, he truly was the heart of our family. He and I were each other's orbit, always looking for me, looking at me, or finding some way to maintain physical contact. The absence of his touch throughout each day has left an unfathomable void.

He was remarkable in so many ways, a lover of long walks who always listened and came back (until his hearing began to fade), and even then, he kept me in his sight. Despite his initial nervousness around men, once he decided you were a friend, you were family for life. Dan, of course, became his favorite human dad, and together they shared a beautiful bond.

Dudley had an incredible intuition for my emotions, always knowing when I was sad or anxious. He helped me through countless trying times with his unwavering support and love. As anyone who has lost a dear animal friend knows, one of the hardest adjustments is walking through the front door and not being greeted by your sweet pal who acts as if they haven't seen you in years.

I'm eternally grateful that the universe brought us together. Thank you, Dudley, for always seeing the best in me, even during my worst moments. Thank you for all our walks, for giving me the confidence to venture beyond my comfort zone, and for exploring with me in all weather. Thank you for being our protector, for making us laugh with your silly antics, and for making me a mom. It was a privilege.

When I think of you, I'm transported back to that moment on the Rockaway beach, about a year after we got you, watching you run towards me with pure joy. You loved every beach you came across. I hope you're running free on a sandy stretch over the rainbow bridge with all our dog friends until we meet again.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported me these past few weeks, bringing food, sharing poems and kind words, offering their dogs for cuddles, listening, and helping me decorate when all I wanted was to retreat. Your kindness has meant more than I can express.

Beautiful words by Mary Oliver:

I Ask Percy How I Should Live My Life

“Love, love, love says Percy.
And run as fast as you can
along the shining beach, or the rubble, or the dust.
Then, go to sleep.
Give up your body heat, your beating heart.
Then, trust.”

“Because of the dog’s joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”

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Little Dog’s Rhapsody in the Night

He puts his cheek against mine
and makes small, expressive sounds.
And when I’m awake, or awake enough

he turns upside down, his four paws
in the air
and his eyes dark and fervent.

“Tell me you love me,” he says.

“Tell me again.”

Could there be a sweeter arrangement? Over and over
he gets to ask.
I get to tell.

To those who've lost a pet or family member - my heart breaks with yours, it’s hard to go through any time of the year but now is very tough. These goodbyes are just brutal, and there's just no easy way through it. Our pets leave such a mark on our hearts, and that love stays with us even when they can't be here anymore. I know everyone says time helps, I’m trusting that it does, but for now let’s just take it one day at a time. You're in my thoughts, and sending you so much love as you go through this.

Thank you for your patience as I’m rolling a little slower sending these letters to you. This week’s demo (below) has a special cameo appearance: Japanese anemones in charcoal with a side of a very good boy. I hope you enjoy it.

As always, with love and gratitude,

Helen.

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Hello chaps,

This week I felt the need to have a good clean out at the studio. At home, Dan always knows when I might be frazzled mentally because I haul out the vacuum and 'have at' the house - it always lends me some sense of order. Perhaps you can relate? The studio clear out involved discarding wilted chrysanthemums from my workshop, putting the studio back after a private lesson, and remixing some colors in my little pots. Some might call it procrastinating (and they'd not be entirely wrong), but I also like a good straighten-up before starting a new project at the studio. Some exciting things to share soon!

For You:

I’m offering my subscribers a very rare 20% off site-wide with code SPARKLE20 (excludes workshops) valid through December 5th 2024.

Eating:

I'm in pre-holiday prep mode at home too. We're heading over to Colu and Chad's for TG, as has been our tradition these past few years. Colu is doing a Coq au Vin, Chad is making a good looking potato dish and I'm bringing dessert and a chicken liver pâté. As I was googling some of my favorite chefs' recipes, I noticed the first query under my search was "Can you eat too much chicken liver pâté" - it did make me chortle. I'm going with this recipe by Ruth Reichl; love that she pops an apple in!

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Hello my darlins,

What a week! However this letter finds you I hope you're all holding onto moments of light and connection with loved ones. Life’s been a whirlwind lately – hosting two sets of wonderful guests and teaching this weekend. My dear friends Deenie and Natalie stayed with me, and they're the kind of friends who fill your heart's empty spaces with laughter and real talk. You know the type, right? We've shared 17 years of life's ups and downs together. (Both have amazing Substacks – you can find them on my recommended page!)

The studio was magical this weekend, overflowing with Chrysanthemums for my latest workshop. Two groups of incredible people filled the space with laughter as we painted together. I feel so fortunate to be able to offer this safe, creative space with such inspiring women (and our occasional wonderful gents) – especially now, when we all need art and community more than ever.

And thank YOU for being here. Whether you're reading, watching, or painting along, I'm truly grateful to share this creative journey with you.

Lately….

… I've been seeking simple ways to distract myself and found peace in doodling without the pressure of creating finished art. Using fineline pen (above) and charcoal, I let my mind meander freely across the page. It's become my favorite way to 'zone out' and relax.

Show Me Your Blobs

Description: A daily, or even weekly, creative practice has so many benefits. Keep it simple. Whether it's painting, sketching, journaling, writing something, or working with clay, I invite you to spend 15 minutes with this prompt to see what you can create.

A landscape of your own filled with pattern and texture.

I'd love to share some of my subscribers' work in next month's 'Show Me Your Blobs.' Submit by 11/28 for a chance to be featured in my Substack and on IG. Email info@helendealtry.com with an image of artwork inspired by this week's tutorial and/or tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #showmeyourblobs.

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Full length video below :)

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Before meeting Jon, my knowledge of …

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Wanting to share their beauty, I've offered an in-person Anemone workshop at the studio for the last few years. This newsletter is for all of you who can't attend but might enjoy painting along with me. Full length video and equipment list for paid subscribers below. Let's pick up our brushes!

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Anyone else feeling a bit jittery as the seasons change? You're not alone! I LOVE Autumn, but I still get those 'back-to-school' feels. For me, it's a mix of anxiety and excitement - usually a bit of both.

This time of year always gets my creative juices flowing. I find it super inspiring and productive, but sometimes I catch myself trying …

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I had a lovely surprise this week—Substack put me on their 'Recommended' page! At first, I honestly thought I'd been hacked. There was a sudden surge of free subscribers, and I couldn't fathom my good fortune or how I'd been recommended. All was eventually revealed, and needless to say, it's lovely to meet you.

Presently, the studio is bursting with dahlias, thanks to my very generous friend and grower, Elizabeth over at Stillpoint Flowers. Every surface is covered in half-baked paintings as I try to capture these pom-pom beauties as fast as possible before they grow weary of me. :)

These lovely blooms have become the muse for this week's letter to you! I'd been away from my paints for a while, and so the inevitable 'glue' was upon me. It's not exactly fear of starting something new, so I call it glue because it's easy to find oneself stuck for hours at a time. I'll find anything to do around the studio other than actually start a painting when I'm mentally sticky. Over the years, I've learned a few ways to loosen up: starting on cheap paper, blind painting, working over old pieces, and making abstract marks to test my color palette are just a few.

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This week's demo has a similar purpose: to loosen up and embrace our inner child. Maybe we'll produce a finished piece of art, or maybe we won't—and that's perfectly okay! I'm using acrylics, but honestly, these techniques can be applied to any paint medium. If you feel like mixing a few together, even better!

So, grab your paints, and let's get delightfully messy together!

Paints I used:

Cadmium Red Medium

Cadmium Yellow Medium

Alizarin Crimson

Ultramarine Blur

Phthalo Blue Red

Light Magenta

Titanium White

Brushes:

Natural Filbert bristle brush

Long Handle Bright

Disclaimer: This newsletter may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!

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