About me
Hi, I’m Kelly, an artist specialising in bespoke watercolour and ink paintings, alongside fine art drawings and portraits.
I’m very privileged to live and work in Cumbria, nestled between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Parks. I take much inspiration from the beauty of the landscape and the places around me, and I love capturing the character and atmosphere of the subjects I paint and draw.
I enjoy working across a diverse range of subjects – from people, children and pets to wildlife, botanicals, buildings and the natural world.
I love the precision and subtlety that I am able to capture in graphite pencil, and this continues to be an important part of my work. I have also come to love working in watercolour and ink, where the expressive quality of the medium allows me to capture the character, atmosphere and charm of a special place.
Whether it’s a much-loved family home, a favourite building or somewhere that holds treasured memories, I believe a watercolour and ink painting can be a beautiful way to keep those memories alive – creating something personal to look back on and enjoy for years to come.
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My Story
The Beginning - Graphite Pencil
I've always been creative, but it was in 2010, alongside building a rewarding career as a specialist palliative care nurse, that I began developing my skill in pencil drawing. I started accepting drawing commissions in 2014 and, encouraged by the wonderful feedback from those early commissions, I have been developing my business ever since. I now receive commissions from around the world.
When drawing people or pets, my mission is not just to create an exact likeness, but also to sensitively capture the essence of the unique character - reflecting something of the individual person or pet that will touch the hearts of those who know the subject best.
In 2018, I started working on a series of botanical and wildlife pencil drawings. Then, working with a fine art printer I had these reproduced as a series of greeting cards and prints which sold really well.
So, in 2019 I created and launched my online shop and haven’t looked back since! I also sell my greeting cards and prints in a number of craft shops, at art exhibitions and craft fairs across the country.
Expanding My Work – Watercolour & Ink
In 2025, I began exploring watercolour and ink, initially as a way of bringing a different quality and sense of expression to my artwork. I quickly discovered how much I enjoyed the combination of the definition and detail of ink with the fluidity and freshness of watercolour.
Capturing Place - Watercolour & Ink
As I developed my watercolour and ink work, I realised that painting buildings and homes was a wonderful way to bring together two things I particularly enjoy – the structure and detail of careful drawing, and the expressive qualities of watercolour. I love taking the time to capture the character and architectural details of a building before bringing it to life with colour.
My process begins with carefully drawing the subject in pencil, then following up with the line work in ink, building up the structure, proportions and finer details. I then introduce the watercolour, bringing warmth, atmosphere and character to the finished piece. I love the way the two mediums work together, creating paintings that are both detailed and expressive.
Preserving Memories
I particularly love the idea that a painting can preserve the memory of a special place – whether it is a much-loved family home, a family business, or simply somewhere that holds special memories and meaning. Creating something personal that can be enjoyed and treasured for years to come is what makes these paintings so rewarding to me.
What began as an exploration has now become an important part of my work, and I’m delighted to offer bespoke watercolour and ink commissions alongside my pencil drawings and portraits.
Something else that I'm passionate about
My husband and I are passionate about British wool and the incredible natural material it is. We have recently launched Lawrence & Barnes, with a vision to see a renaissance in British wool – driving demand for this wonderful material and, ultimately, helping British farmers receive a better price for the wool their flocks produce.
We have created a beautiful range of British wool throws, cushions and bedding, and a portion of every sale goes towards supporting farmers in the UK.
If you’d like to find out more, you can visit the Lawrence & Barnes website.
Giving To Charity - Supporting Projects In Burma
I donate a portion of the proceeds from all my product sales and commissions to support ethnic minorities in Burma (Myanmar).
Why Burma? In 2005/06, sponsored by the British Medical Association, I had the privilege of co-leading a health and nutrition programme amongst the Karen people in an area of South Eastern Burma. In Karen State, like many of the ethnic states; men, women and children are forced to flee their homes when the Burma Army attacks their villages. Years of oppression have left the people with very little food and only limited access to health care. Weakened and malnourished, many babies are dying from starvation, or from common and easily preventable childhood illnesses. The situation for the ethnic groups is critical.
So in 2005, with the support and guidance of the Karen Health Department, we set up Babies at Risk, a small programme to seek to improve the health of mothers and babies and reduce the infant mortality rate in an area of Karen State. We provided essential supplies and worked with traditional birth attendants and local health workers, supporting and equipping them to teach their own people in key areas ranging from breastfeeding and infant nutrition to maternal health.
It was hugely impactful to spend time with families who had fled into the jungle to escape the attacks of the Burma Army and to witness firsthand the courage and determination of the people in working together for good and for freedom.
Through contacts made on those trips, I have been able to stay connected with various projects on the ground in Eastern Burma and I now donate a percentage of my profits to support some of these projects.
Over the last few years, I have supported various programmes including developing a network of water pipes in villages in Mon State so that the villagers no longer have to walk to the river to get water; and a project in Karen State supplying food, medicine and relief to internally displaced people who have had to flee their homes due to attacks from the Burma Army.
Currently I am donating a portion of the proceeds from all sales & commissions to an orphanage on the Thai border that provides a home and safe place for children who have had to flee their homes in Burma due to the ongoing attacks of the Burma army. All donations go directly to buying food, clothing and basic supplies for these children. Through partnering with All4Burma, a UK-based charity, and through ongoing relationships with people on the ground, I stay closely connected to these projects.
For more information about the situation in Burma, please click on the following links - Free Burma Rangers; Burma Campaign UK; All4Burma; Human Rights Watch.