If you're a fan of art cards depicting nature, you're likely already familiar with the gentle beauty of Nuala Brett-King’s work - a long-time favourite here at Parade Handmade. From her kingfishers and hares to the florals and feline friends, Nuala’s work always brings a lovely balance of colour, feeling and quiet Irish atmosphere.
This summer, she’s added some gorgeous new designs to her collection - including two floral watercolour pieces called Wild Fuchsia and Misty Rose, and a lovely series of animal portraits. I asked her to share a few words about how her latest art cards came together, and she kindly offered this little vignette about her approach to painting loosely in watercolour.
Nuala Brett-King on her watercolour process:
Loose Watercolour Painting
I like to experiment with different hues in watercolour, to see how they flow, just playing with the paint. I always use 140 lb watercolour paper, or heavier, at least 50% cotton. I start by wetting the paper, then I drop in a mixture of colours and see how they flow.
For the Wild Irish Fuchsia, I started with Cadmium Yellow Light and Cadmium Red, with a hint of Intense Violet. I leave the background to dry.
Coming back to it later, I study it to see what might emerge. In this case, I could see that with a little work, it might be fuchsia. With a few more touches, I was able to emphasise the shape of individual blooms. I love these flowers that grow wild all around the countryside here in County Mayo.
Isn’t that lovely? She makes it sound so easy and natural. I adore hearing how artists approach their work, especially when the results feel so light and effortless. You’d never know the gentle wildness of those fuchsia blooms started from pure play.
You’ll find Wild Fuchsia alongside the other new art cards in the shop now - including Mo Chara (My Friend), a warm portrait of a boxer dog, and two soft calico cat designs, one of which features a particularly adorable kitten. All cards are printed from original watercolours and left blank inside for your own message.
See the full Nuala Brett-King collection here →
And while I was sitting down to write this post, believe it or not - I had a tiny moment of drama myself.
A few nights ago, one of my cats proudly trotted in with a live field mouse, (the first for ages so I had been lulled into a false sense of security), and promptly released it indoors (as they do). I managed to coax the mouse away, unsure whether it had escaped unharmed out one of the doors or windows left ajar for the purpose - and hoped for the best. Then this morning, just as I opened my laptop to write about Nuala’s peaceful watercolour process, out popped the same brave wee mouse from under the sofa! All cats were busy else where snoozing and such.
With a few strategic door openings, a trail of cheese and water, and a surprising assist from a reusable shopping bag, I managed to safely relocate the little survivor to the garden. A small win - but a cheerful one! I hope it’s resting peacefully under a shady hydrangea or plotting its next adventure by now.
Thanks for reading - and do go and have a look at Nuala’s new cards if you're a fan of Irish florals, animal portraits, or peaceful countryside-inspired art. They're available now in limited stock. See the full Nuala Brett-King collection here →
And remember, you never know what can happen in a day
all the best until next time, Amanda
Parade Handmade
