#shelfportrait

The Story of Art Exhibition

17 February 2026
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Art Events, Events

‘Charles I’s Travelling Library’ Roo Waterhouse 2026 30x60cm oil on canvas

My two latest Shelf Portrait paintings will be on display at ‘The Story of Art’ exhibition at Byard Art in Cambridge.

‘The Observer’s Books’ Roo Waterhouse 2026 30x60cm oil on canvas

The exhibition runs from March 19th to April 19th.

Another Happy Customer :-)

31 July 2025
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Bespoke Painting, Blog
Jan with her Shelf Portrait

“I fell in love with Roo’s art from the moment I saw one of her greetings cards in a local bookshop. As an avid reader and collector of books, I got in touch with Roo about her bespoke shelf compositions on getting home that day!

Everything about the process is clearly explained, including the timescale. As I live a fair way from Roo I decided to put the collection together myself. I loved this experience, although it was a bit like choosing your 8 discs for Desert Island Discs, and there were a few changes along the way!

Roo was there to help and guide at all stages and then I just had to kerb my impatience to see the finished product!

When the parcel arrived, wrapped in many protective layers, I couldn’t wait to get to the prize,  like a child with a pass the parcel!

I don’t have enough superlatives to explain how excellent the painting is. I was smiling then and still smile every time I walk past it, hanging on a wall in my lounge.

Thank you so much Roo. Jan x”

(and thank you too, Jan, for making me smile with your kind words!)
‘A Whole Life’ named after the wonderful book by Robert Seethaler
More About Bespoke Shelf Portraits

F is for Family Portrait

27 September 2024
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Blog, Events
F is for Family Portrait

‘For Your Delight’ RWA2024

Last autumn I spent a lovely afternoon at the home of Russell and his family. They had each selected their favourite books, alongside books that had meaning and memories for them as a family.

It was such a pleasure to paint their Shelf Portrait, especially having got to know the stories behind the choices. The William Morris Thistle wallpaper in the background took the longest time, but was such fun!

One of the quotes I try and live by is Morris’s
“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

The finished painting was delivered last week:

“We’re loving it, thank you SO much – it is already hanging in our hall way at the bottom of the stairs.

It’s been a pleasure being part of the whole process, and the wait has been well worth it.

Rest assured our ‘family portrait’ will bring us many memories for the rest of our lives.”

Thank you Russell and family 🙂
Bespoke Shelf portraits
W is for Wanderlust

‘Pathways’ Limited edition Print

I’ve been busy wrapping more prints this week, as the ‘Pathways’ Limited Edition has been a popular one this month.
With the season turning and signs of autumn beginning to show, what better than to stride out across the moors or wander into the woods, map in hand, to explore the wonders of Autumn.

Find some outdoor inspiration in this Shelf Portrait print. Indulge your Wanderlust from Christopher Goddard’s The West Yorkshire Moors to Wainwright’s Coast to Coast, via The Old Ways and The Living Mountain….
Pathways Limited Edition

D is for Dates for your Diary

Over the next couple of months, on the rare occassions that I’m not busy painting in my studio, here’s where you’ll find me:

Derby Book Fair:
Saturday 16th November
at The Museum of Making

Hebden Bridge Open Studios Winter Weekend:
Saturday 30th November & Sunday 1st December
in my studio at Northlight

Northlight Winter Fair:
Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th December downstairs in the Artspace at Northlight Art Studios
First signs of Autumn

Best Autumnal Wishes,
Roo

Currently Reading: ’10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World’ by Elif Shafak
Roo’s Shop Here 🙂

A Round Up of Recent releases…

12 October 2023
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Blog

Last week I delivered my latest bespoke commission ‘Younger Next Year’ in time for the client’s husband’s big birthday – he loved it – always such a relief!!

Now that I have a couple of studio-based weeks without rushing around to events, I thought I would do a little
Round Up of some Recent Releases
as I can never be quite sure that I have told you about them all.

I really should be more organised, with proper launches etc. but, hey ho, that’s not really my style!! 😂

Firstly, two new Limited Editions prints for you:

‘Partners In Crime‘
because autumn is the perfect time of year to curl up on the sofa with a pile of classic Agatha Christie paperbacks and a mug of cocoa 🙂

‘Look At This‘
a nostalgic shelfful of Ladybird books to take you back to your early school days…

Drift away with the flow of the river and memories of summer with
‘By The River’
now available as an A4 mounted print

Two new greetings cards from my Portico Library collaboration:
Spine[Less] and Portico
are now in my online shop too 🙂

 

Getting Christmas sorted early….

I know we’re not past Hallowe’en yet, but I have been gathering gifts already, as I like to get my Christmas present buying started in October (if not before!) and well sorted by the time December gets underway.

To encourage you to do the same I am offering you an exclusive 10% off throughout my website shop from now until the 4th December 🙂

Simply add the code:

EARLYXMAS23

to your basket…

Roo’s Shop

… and the sun did eventually shine in Dumfries & Galloway!

Thank you Wigtown Book Festival people for a super weekend!

… and another thank you to all the lovely visitors at York National Book Fair, now that I have actually added you to my mailing list!

With Best Wishes
Roo

Busy Busy Busy!

29 March 2023
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Bespoke Painting, Blog

The primroses are out in my garden, and I am back to having my barefoot evening stroll in the woods, listening to the birds singing their evening songs….

This Spring I’ll be busy in my studio with Bespoke paintings, as I’m now booked up until April 2024!!

Obviously no sneak peaks of works in progress, but here is a little gallery of some recent commissions…
‘Hug’ for Theo 2023; ‘Moondust’ for Karen 2023; ‘Amore a Prima Vista’ for John and Dawn 2022 and ‘D&K’ for Duncan 2022
You can take a closer look at these, and find out more about how to commission your own Bespoke painting here.

New for April 2023!

‘By The River’ Limited Edition Print

Drift away with the flow and imagine yourself paddling, swimming, strolling, or simply lazing by the river….

This image of my original Shelf Portrait oil painting ‘By The River’ is available as a special Limited Edition Print.

Limited Edition archival print on 280g Fine Art paper

Numbered out of an edition of 100
Signed and numbered under the image by the artist
with a certificate of authentication on the back

The printed image measures 12 x 16 inches.
Buy ‘By The River’ here

Best Wishes,
Roo
Roo’s Shop

New Shelf portraits at Green and Stone Gallery, London next week :-)

14 June 2022
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Art Events, Blog, Events, oil painting

I’m proud to be one of the artists exhibiting new work in next week’s
‘Come As You Are’
exhibition with Nicholas Bowlby Fine Art
at Green & Stone Gallery
Chelsea, London

You are hereby most cordially invited to attend the private view on
Tuesday 21st June 6.30 to 8.30pm
Please RSVP to thegallery@greenandstone.com

The exhibition runs from
Mon 20th June to Sat 25th June
open from 10am to 5pm
Green & Stone Gallery, 251 Fulham Road, London SW3 6HY
Here is my new painting ‘Every Grain of Rice’ in progress. The finished article will be on show at Green & Stone next week 🙂

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

Belated New Year Greetings!

29 January 2020
Roo Waterhouse
No comments
Categories: Blog, oil painting, Shelf-Portraits

Just about got this newsletter out before the end of January!!

‘Sarah’s Room’ ©RooWaterhouseArt2019 12×16″ oil on canvas

2019 was a very busy year for Roo Waterhouse Art, with bespoke Shelf-Portrait paintings for clients in London, Derby, and around Yorkshire, including a couple of extra special ones commissioned through publishers at Penguin Random House (but I can’t yet tell you who for!). For more information about Bespoke Shelf Portrait take a look here. Great Shelf Portrait painting sales at the Affordable Art Fairs in Battersea and Hampstead last spring and summer, many thanks to Nicholas Bowlby Fine Art, also at Frivoli Gallery, Chiswick and The Yorkshire Gallery, Halifax. Very pleased to have some large scale ‘Belongings’ painting sales too, including one to the USA. 

Read More

New work racing to the finish line for Affordable Art Fair Battersea

24 January 2020
Roo Waterhouse
1 Comment
Categories: Art Events, Blog, oil painting, Shelf-Portraits
‘Shackleton’s Hut’ ©RooWaterhouseArt oil on canvas 16×16″

This new Shelf-Portrait ‘Shackleton’s Hut’ was inspired by a shelf of battered Penguin books I came across in the reconstructed Antarctic explorers’ hut in the penguiin enclosure at London Zoo!! I’m very happy to say that it is finished and ready for showing at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea this March, with Nicholas Bowlby Fine Art.

Racing to the finish line is a Shelf Portrait for the keen gardener ‘Saturday in my Garden’. I’m enjoying painting in some classic William Morris wallpaper in the background 🙂

‘Saturday in my Garden’ ©RooWaterhouseArt – work in progress…

Another one on its way is ‘Whizzer and Chips’…….

‘Whizzer and Chips’ ©RooWaterhouseArt – work in progress….