A cup of tea and a rose

This watercolour was really about the teacup and teapot, and the quiet softness that comes with early spring. I’d picked a small rose from the garden — one of those delicate first blooms that seem to appear almost unexpectedly after winter — and paired it with this beautiful patterned china that I’ve always loved.

What interested me most was the feeling of lightness and simplicity. With watercolour, there’s such a fine balance between control and letting the paint move freely, and I wanted the work to feel soft, airy, and almost fleeting.

I love how the loose washes and gentle bleeding edges suggest form without overworking the details. The blue shadows became just as important as the objects themselves, helping create that sense of quiet morning light across the table.

For me, this painting is really about those small, peaceful moments — a cup of tea, a single rose, soft light coming through the room — the kinds of everyday moments that can feel unexpectedly beautiful when you pause long enough to notice them.

** This painting is unframed and has been double mounted on a white matt.

** Insitu photos with frame and are an example only.