Where do I find beauty?

It felt like such a simple question, yet as I sat with it, all these vivid, heartfelt images rose to the surface — moments, memories, tiny sparks of joy that weave colour through my days. I reached for my journal and let the words spill out. What emerged became the seed of this blog.

I find beauty in my daughter’s smile and laugh — the kind that fills a room with warmth.
In the crumpled nose of my nephew when he giggles, and the all-in, wrap-you-up hugs from my niece.
I find beauty in the colourful leaves and berries that cling to branches this time of year, in the twist of stems, the scatter of fallen petals, and the fractals of ice beginning to creep along pavements and windows.

Beauty lies in colour and pattern all around us: pink lipstick, funky jewellery, the boldness of art.
It’s in the creative process too — in the mess, the mistakes, the happy accidents that turn into something meaningful.
It shows up in music, films that make us feel something, comedy that makes us snort-laugh, books that speak to the soul, and the quiet genius of a good puzzle.

It’s in a home-cooked meal.
A heart emoji from someone you love.
The gentle comfort of a hand held in yours.

And the thing that struck me most as I wrote was this:
beauty isn’t rare — it’s everywhere. We just forget to look up and notice.

Buying art for someone else can feel intimidating. You might find yourself asking things like ‘What if they don’t like it?’, ‘What if it doesn’t go with their decor?’ or ‘What if they never hang it?’. These are all reasonable concerns so I am here today to help you ask some more constructive questions that will help you to find the perfect piece for that special someone.

There are a number of factors to consider - the recipient’s tastes, what brings them joy and what they want their home to feel like. You might also consider whether they own their home as this may affect how they hang the artwork.

Here are some key questions to drop into conversation or ask yourself about that person.

• Where’s your happy place?

• How do you want to feel when you get home?

• What colours make you feel that emotion?

In August 2025, North East artist Heather Moore exhibited at Lancaster Art Fair in the historic Storey Gallery. Her nostalgic art and original colourful lino prints drew collectors and visitors who connected with the memories and stories behind each piece — from wild North Sea seascapes to vibrant florals and the symbolic Manchester Bee. This blog reflects on the highlights of the fair, the inspiration behind the work, and what’s next for her limited-edition lino prints for sale.

From a very young age, I fell in love with art - initially in the sense that I loved to create it. I loved to paint, draw, print, make a wonderful mess with pretty much any material I could get my hands on.

I remember first feeling a sense of ‘success’ in art when my primary teacher, Mr Biggin, set up a still life table and could not stop telling everyone how amazing my drawing of a flower was. That experience has never left me, although my parents and I are baffled as to where that sketch (lovingly framed and displayed) has gone. It almost doesn’t matter because the feeling has always stayed with me - that feeling of pride and of bring joy to others with something that I made.

As I progress through school, I became more aware of famous artists (all dead of course) but the scale of things that I saw on school trips to galleries and the way these creative should were revered stunned me. Still, it was a hobby and I never considered that I would make a career out of it because ‘art ids only worth something after they’re dead.’ This is a phrase I heard from many adults, presumably in an attempt to help ,e understand it wasn't;t a proper job and not get my hopes up too high that they would be shattered.

There are a few early gallery experiences that I recall, including a day trip to London galleries with college - my effervescent and eccentric tutor Bev leading the way never lacking energy and passion. I grew up not far from Liverpool so I was aware of the Tate Gallery from a young age,. Having said that, it didn't;t feel like a building I could enter, we just saw it when we visited the fudge shop on the docks. In high school, however, I finally made it through the rotating doors. I was in total awe - the scale of the place, the variety of art, not just in frames but also sculpture, projects and much more, and the fact that some of these people were STILL ALIVE!!!! On that trip, I discovered the joy of an art postcard, collecting a little bit of the creative genius to take home.

Some artists have stuck with me more than others…

Drawing inspiration from childhood memories, experiences with my daughter and husband and dreams of places to visit in the future, my linocuts are imbued with an enormous sense of nostalgia and hope. Carved from loose designs created in watercolour, my blocks emerge semi instinctively and combine with bold colour palettes to produce impact - pieces that bring joy on every viewing because of the love and passion that goes into every one.