#bookshelfart

Happy New Year!

2 February 2026
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Blog

Happy New Year!!

I hope you all had an enjoyable festive season?

 Mine was quiet and cosy with sprinkles of family gatherings dotted about – just how I like it 🙂
My latest bespoke paintings were completed and most gratefully received in time for Christmas… one of them for a ten year old’s January birthday (no photos of this one yet!)
Happy David with his bespoke Shelf Portrait – a surprise gift from his wife 🙂
..and this one commissioned by Penny, for herself (the best kind of present!)
This week I have been putting the finishing touches to an Observer’s Books painting. I had it on my studio wall as a work-in-progress during winter Open Studios and so many people connected with the half dozen titles I had painted.
One visitor remembered their grandmother gifting them ‘The Observer’s Book of British Geology’ for their 8th birthday, and they grew up to become a geologist as a result!Which Observer’s books do you connect with?
Observer’s Books final details….
When I was quite young, I used to enjoy sitting cross-legged on the floor, pulling Observer’s books off the shelf one by one and looking at all the illustrations.
This was a somewhat hazardous pastime, as the bookshelf was behind the door and there were often three older brothers running around the house with a tendency to throw doors open with gusto – possibly in the knowledge that there might be the bonus of squashing a little sister behind it and extracting a loud squeak!!

#hebdenmakeschristmas Open Studios!

11 November 2024
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Art Events, Events

 

On Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December I will be joining other artists all around Hebden Bridge and my fellow artists here at Northlight Studios by taking part in the #hebdenmakeschristmas Open Studios weekend 🙂

I’m looking forward to chatting all things bookish and artish with anyone who cares to pop in to my studio 🙂

I’ll be there from 10.30 until 4pm on the Saturday and Sunday

Open Studios This Weekend!!

2 July 2024
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Art Events, Blog, Events

Open Studios Special: Part Two
‘Beside The Seaside’: New Release Limited Edition Print

U is for Unveil!

This weekend, especially for summer OPEN STUDIOS, I will be unveiling a new
Limited Edition Print release: ‘Beside The Seaside‘.

Let your mind drift off to the sun, sand and sea with this collection of seaside themed works of fiction, fact and adventure!

As subscribers I am releasing it to you today, with a special 10% discount through my online shop (use code SEASIDE at the checkout)
on ALL Limited Edition prints until the end of July!!

Here’s hoping for some seaside weather soon!!
Buy Beside The Seaside 🙂
Shelf Portrait in Progress Image by John Linney

N is for Northlight

I love having my studio space at Northlight Art Studios! It is so nourishing to be surrounded by a cooperative of lovely artists and makers… This weekend you can come and meet:
Martha Breeze (Kelletur); Kate Boyce (Painting); Juliet Blackman (Ceramics); Don Myers (Painting); Rach Red (Print & Design); Annie Harrison (Ceramics & Print);Toby Cotterill (Jewellery) and, of course ME!
Studios Open this weekend
10.30am – 5pm
Friday 5th, Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th JulyYou will find my studio on the first floor at Northlight Art Studios, and to show my appreciation for all your lovely support, you will be given a free Book Art Card of your choice! (you’ll just need to ask!)
AND there will be 10% off ALL Limited Edition prints!!
More About Open Studios
Hello! Image by John Linney

I hope to see you over the weekend 🙂

Best Welcoming Wishes,
Roo

Still Reading: ‘H is for Hawk’ by Helen MacDonald
Roo’s Shop Here 🙂

When The Going Was Good

25 October 2022
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Blog, Shelf-Portraits

‘When The Going Was Good’ Roo Waterhouse 2022
No sooner had I finished painting this new shelf portrait of vintage orange Penguin paperbacks than it was sold by the powers of social media!! My collection of classic Penguin books is gradually increasing; are you a fan? How many do you have on your shelves?
CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA No.1
For the art historians and Tuscan travellers in your life, this A4 mounted print from shelf portrait oil painting ‘About Florence’ is the perfect gift.
An evocative bookshelf full of Tuscan and Florentine inspiration from my father’s bookshelves.
I spent many childhood summers wandering the hills of Tuscany and the galleries of Florence, and these books take me right back there, bringing back memories of sun-soaked Italian expeditions….
Shop About Florence Print
I have also been transported back to Florence by the wonderful book
‘Still Life’ by Sarah Winman.
The beautifully descriptive narrative had me wandering the streets alongside the characters. I thoroughly recommend giving it a read. I love this old map too, which I think belonged to my grandmother.

Best Wishes,
Roo
Visit Roo’s Website
Facebook
Twitter
Link
Website

May Day at UPCO !!

26 April 2022
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Art Events, Blog, Events, oil painting, Shelf-Portraits

Come and join me at UPCO in Otley this Sunday.
It’ll be the final day of my exhibition, as well as being May Day!!

There will be refreshments and merriment 🙂

These lovely little notebooks are new in my shop this week!
I’ll be bringing some to Otley on Sunday too 🙂
Choose from Jane Austen, Science Fiction. the ABC of Bees and Gentleman Jack…
Shop Notebooks 🙂

Book Stairs!
The Bookery, a fabulous independent bookshop in Crediton, sent me this great photo of their innovative stair decoration using some of my Book Shelf greeting cards.
Isn’t it fab!!

I hope you all have a super bank holiday weekend.
I look forward to seeing some of you in Otley on Sunday 🙂

Best Wishes,
Roo
Visit Roo’s Website
Share Share
Tweet Tweet
Forward Forward
Pin Pin

Book Shelf Art Up at UpCo!

16 February 2022
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Art Events, Blog, Events

BOOK SHELF ART at UPCO

I’ll be taking my Book Shelf Art over to Wharfedale for an exhibition at the new Otley Arts hub that is

UpCo

7 Courthouse Street, Otley, LS213AN

The exhibition starts with an

Opening Day event on Saturday 5th march 11am-4pm

and ends with another

Open Day on Sunday 1st May 11am-4pm

If you’d like to visit the exhibition any time between these dates please ring Josh on 07549 531449

Wishes for 2022

17 January 2022
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Bespoke Painting, Blog, Shelf-Portraits

New Year Greetings!

I do hope you all had a cosy and delightful holiday season 🙂

I so enjoyed having various family members coming and going, feasting, playing games and chatting around the fire in my garden 🙂

One of the highlights of my winter break was a winding tour through the back streets of south-east London, with @monicaheeranart finding secret wild gardens and community murals.
This lovely old chap caught my eye, and has become the basis of my wishes for 2022:
To spend more time just being – watching the birds, wandering the moors – mainly to take a step back from the stresses of producing daily social media content and to be more of a real presence!


I will be touring my Calm and Collected exhibition (starting at UPCO in Otley in March /April dates to be announced soon!) and attending more book festivals around the country…


I would be delighted if you would let me know if you have a favourite local book festival, and I may see you there!

What are your wishes for 2022?
This Bespoke Shelf Portrait ‘Remarkable Books’ was one of my favourites this year.
I love the broad variety of titles and the way it reflects a lifetime of reading.


What books would you choose?


You can find out more about how to commission your own bespoke book shelf painting here 🙂
I hope any Scots amongst you found a small way to celebrate Hogmanay, with public celebration events being cancelled…

Here is my own little celebration of all things Scottish, from my painting ‘Scotland the Brave’, this set of mounted print, notebook and art card…
Buy Scotland Set Here

Warmest Wishes for 2022 🙂

Roo

Down to Earth

14 October 2021
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Blog, oil painting

This summer I spent a wonderful few days with my grown up children in a beautiful wooden yurt at Henbant Farm in Caernarfon. Plenty of wandering about the land, watching the birds and the bees, and browsing all the inspiring planet-friendly books on the shelves of the common room outbuilding.

Our time there inspired these two Shelf Portrait paintings: ‘Down to Earth’ and ‘ABC of Bees’, which are now heading down to London to be on show with Nicholas Bowlby Gallery at The Autumn Affordable Art Fair in Battersea, October 21st-24th

Down to Earth ©2021RooWaterhouse 12×16″ oil on canvas

 

ABC of Bees ©2021RooWaterhouse 12×16″ oil on canvas

I’ve used the beautiful nature-inspired wallpaper patterns of Hannah Nunn for the backgrounds, which help set the mood perfectly 🙂

Look out for Limited Edition Prints coming soon!! Hopefully in time for ‘Calm and Collected’, my solo exhibition of recent paintings at Northlight Artspace in Hebden Bridge…..