“It’s not just a brush, it’s an experience. A ritual. It’s life changing and it’s your life.”
Victor Lindop
From John Austin
'I am sending you a photograph that may be of interest to you. I became a full time artist 40yrs ago & have produced several hundred paintings, the picture shows the vast collection of brushes I've used over that period. I've tried out many makes of fine art brushes over the years. It was my good fortune that a fellow artist recommended you to me about 20yrs ago, my regret is, I didn't know of your superb brushes earlier. The majority of my work is commissioned by railway enthusiasts, who tend to demand precision, certainly where names and numbers are concerned, your brushes have allowed me to achieve this accuracy. Congratulations to you & your colleagues on your 40th Anniversary.' - John Austin FGRA President of The Guild of Railway Artists www.johnaustinartist.co.uk
Artist Spotlight: Nicole Maye Luga
I am passionate about painting. I started drawing and making things with my hands as far back as I can remember. I have a high visuospatial memory and can recall images before I could walk. I remember being fascinated by light, shape, the textures of objects. I continued throughout childhood making things and a week after high school I started studying at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, America’s oldest Art Academy. I received my four-year diploma in painting and completed the Master’s Program. Spruce Street Line - Oil on panel, 14x48 I now split my time between my studio and my watch bench. I work full time as a watchsmith. I spend my days fixing tiny little machines and nights painting in my studio. With this schedule I am producing over 30 paintings a year. I show regularly…
What Love Feels Like – Valentine’s Competition Results
Love isn’t one thing. It’s soft, messy, joyful, heartbreaking, quiet, loud—and sometimes all of it at once. Last February, we invited everyone to turn love into art with THREE brush bouquets up for grabs. Theme: What Love Feels Like The rules were simple: Paint it, draw it, collage it, sketch it—any medium, any style (even photos of pets wearing a red dicky bow!) Romantic or rebellious. Tender or raw. After all, there’s no “right” way to show love. This was a judgment-free, open-to-everyone competition—for beginners, lifelong artists or anyone feeling inspired. We're delighted to share the results! 1st Place Sheila Agustini 2nd Place Stephanie Riggenbach People's Choice Klára Doležalová Honourable Mention Jake Matthews Honourable Mention Rachel Warren
Artist Spotlight: Michael Taylor
Michael has been painting more or less without a break since leaving Goldsmiths in 1973, exhibiting widely over the years, both internationally and in London. His works are held by many public and private collections, including the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Holburne Museum, Bath, and the House of Lords art collection. Working slowly on one canvas at a time he has had infrequent but regular one man shows at Beaux Arts, London, Waterhouse and Dodd, London, The Art Stable, Dorset and more recently The Portland Gallery, London. Michael has received a number of awards, including the NPG Portrait Award, the Holburne Contemporary Portrait Prize and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Changing Faces Award, of which society he is an elected member. Notable sitters have included crime fiction writer Baroness P D James (NPG), composer Sir John Tavener…
FLAT VERSUS FILBERT – The best of both worlds?
The 'Long Flat Curved Edge' from our Ivory range was designed by David Shevlino from the USA. In Shevlino’s current work, the canvas has increasingly become a place to experiment with different techniques of paint application. He is particularly interested in exploring the line between the traditional representation of the figure and the abstraction of it, and his paintings reflect his simultaneous use of both approaches. His paintings are characterised by broad brush strokes, a sensuous application of paint and an obvious feel for tonal harmonies. Shop Ivory Long Flat Curved Edge www.rosemaryandco.com/ivory-flat-curved
Artist Spotlight: Timothy Rees
My name is Timothy Rees - I’m an artist and father of 3 living in Scottsdale, Arizona. While I have had no formal training, an intense study of literature and paintings of the past, combined with working from live models almost daily, gave me the skills to enjoy a life as a painter. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to run my own atelier, teach workshops around the world, and place in competitions such as the Portrait Society of America and the Art Renewal Center. Although I paint all subjects, I mostly gravitate toward portrait and figurative work. I am intensely drawn to naturalist paintings of the past, yet I am constantly interested in pushing the boundaries of paint application and abstraction. As such, my work tends to fall into two different collections. The first are paintings…
Bristle Hair – Softest to Hardest
Here is a quick guide to the different characteristics of our bristle brushes.
Artist Spotlight: Charles McHugh
Professional Artist Charles McHugh spent just over 37 years in the Royal Air Force flying helicopters; a dream come true after a childhood in which aeroplanes were the only interest that he embraced. He was a Glider Pilot at age 16 and joined the RAF just shy of his 18th birthday. His natural ability to draw and paint was recognised and nurtured at Grammar School but in a free spirited or reproduction way using poster paint, and technique was never taught; meaning that his artistic creation skills are all self taught over decades. In 1980 he found himself based in Germany where he embraced the advice of an established Artist to purchase good quality oil paints and study methodology and technique which he did and soon he had a self-sustaining hobby as his work sold for modest…
Tisch Daggers by Celeste Duffy
Are Rosemary & Co Tisch Dagger Oil Brushes Worth It? If you’ve scrolled through art forums, art blogs, or even Instagram reels, you’ve probably heard about or even desire Rosemary & Co paintbrushes. Me too! For years, I hesitated to order. They felt like one of those “too-good-to-be-true” products that might be more hype than substance—plus, ordering from the UK seemed like an extra layer of effort and expense. But here’s the truth, or at least what I found after finally taking the plunge: with regards to their oil painting Tisch collection (long-handled dagger brushes), the hype is absolutely earned. These brushes are worth every penny, every bit of shipping, and every ounce of painterly joy they unlock. First Impressions: Beauty in the Hand Let’s not pretend the physical beauty of tools doesn’t matter—it does. These brushes are simply gorgeous.…
