Anyone who follows me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram will have been bored stupid last week with all my posts about skiing.

Yes – I admit it.  I am an artist who skis.  It’s good to have some things that are apart from the day job and by that I don’t just mean everyday things like washing, ironing, kids etc., etc.  Skiing is something I never thought I would take to but having married a man to loves to ski it was either take it up or get left at home.  18 years on and we ski, like many, for one week every year and we go to New Hampshire, USA.  He loves it, the kids love it and yes I love it.

All that fresh air, challenging yourself and whipping down a mountain on two planks with the odd turn thrown in and trying not to fall over, there’s nothing like it.  And the views, my goodness from the top of a snow capped mountain you feel like you can almost see the whole world spread out below you like one ginormous Christmas card.

Yes, you get to see pictures of my kids all kitted out at the top of Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire.  This year’s holiday was fantastic, we had over 3 feet of snow in one week, drove and skied through blizzards and rolled around in the soft powder that was snow.  Ate the most disgustingly calorie, fat filled meals and drank more than we do in a month. It couldn’t have been better.  It’s the holiday we all look forward to, a chance for the family to be together, doing something we all enjoy.

Back to the views, well this year with all the snow we didn’t see many views because it was snowing a lot of the time!  Quelle suprise!  It’s hard to describe the fun unless you are a skier, I know when I am talking to other skiers we all get very dull for those around us who don’t ski as we laugh over our worst falls, expound over our best runs and describe what daredevils we have or haven’t been.

I’m not a great skier, what you would call Intermediate, I know my limits and avoid the really tricky stuff.  You need to start almost before you can walk, like my kids, to be good at that stuff.  But at 55 I am really happy with what I can do and it’s an opportunity for me to challenge my age and imagine I am no older than I was 30 years ago.

So whilst we are back now and I will recommence work on a current commission I have on the go, think and prepare for a couple of exhibitions I have lined up, explore new images and ideas I will dream now and again of whipping down those slopes and count the days until we can book the flights for next year.

Meanwhile, please do enjoy a few select images from our hols.