'The Tanglewood' by Amber Caspian

'The Tanglewood' by Amber Caspian

Monday 26 October 2015

Thaxted October Exhibition

The exhibition at Thaxted Guildhall with friends was a fun seasonal affair that marked the end of an era for me creatively.  Starting the MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art in September is the biggest opportunity for artistic development I have experienced and can only change my work. 

With this in mind I decided to focus on the subject I began illustrating a long time ago and my all-time favourite theme, to bring together an almost complete collection of my witches and wizards to date in the form of a retrospective.  I completed the circle of thirteen paintings with a few new ones to show the development of my style and the new directions I am going.

Follow my travels through the next two and a half years on my new blog here!



Sunday 24 May 2015

Ashagal and the Moonlit Path

Ashagal Logo by Sarah Turpin

In the early part of 2014 I was delighted to work on the most amazing project. One that took me on a journey far along the moonlit path, through the darkling woods and into a world of music and wild ancient souls...
A Moonlit Path by Ashagal/Artwork Sarah Turpin

A Moonlit Path by Ashagal/Artwork Sarah Turpin

A Moonlit Path by Ashagal/Artwork Sarah Turpin

Moon Garden by Sarah Turpin

Breath of the Moon by Sarah Turpin

Check out the wonderful Ashagal on www.ashagal.com


Thursday 14 May 2015

A New Beginning...

It's been a long, long time since I have posted in The Tanglewood while life has continued to whirl by. There has been so much to do and think about that I have often felt overwhelmed by it all and when that happens the only thing I can do is, retreat.

Now that spring has blossomed and summer wended it's way back in to our hearts, I too find myself stretching and raising my face to the sun. So this is a catch up of all my weavings and waiverings over the last year...

Willows and Water by Sarah Turpin

In July I attended a week at Cambridge School of Art doing the Children's Book Illustration Summer School. One of the best weeks of my life, without a doubt. I was completely inspired and managed to create a little book...

Wolf Story by Sarah TurpinWolf Story spread by Sarah Turpin

The summer school made me think seriously again about what I wanted from life...I realised that I needed to attend Life Class...


The end of autumn and build up to Christmas meant the Mayor's Appeal Art Exhibition...

Mayor's Appeal Art Fair 2014 PosterMayor's Appeal Art Fair 2014

One of my great yearnings has been to study again and after the summer school I decided it was time to go for it. So after filling out the forms and applying, the most important thing was to put together my Portfolio, organise my sketchbooks and even updated my summer school book...

Stalking Wolf by Sarah Turpin

Little Red by Sarah Turpin

Wolf Story 2 by Sarah TurpinWolf Story 2 spread by Sarah Turpin

My impending exhibition at the Saffron Walden Exchange Gallery helped my portfolio a great deal as I created new pictures and continued to develop my book idea... Together with the talented Susanne Vowinckel we put on a lively show of very different work that somehow hung together really well...

Sarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel Exhibition Poster

Sarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel ExhibitionSarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel Exhibition

Sarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel ExhibitionSarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel Exhibition

Sarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel Exhibition

Sarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel ExhibitionSarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel Exhibition

Sarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel ExhibitionSarah Turpin & Susanne Vowinckel Exhibition

My interview with Martin Sailsbury was one of the most nerve wracking things I've ever been through. Time was short, I'd brought too much stuff really but managed to show the most important things. Received a bit of criticism but took that on the chin (he was right of course) and then went into bit of a meltdown for two weeks waiting for the result...

Sarah Turpin Portfolio

This years' Open Studios was very different from my previous ones. I decided to exhibit in Saffron Walden over just one weekend for a change, in the Almshouse Chapel. A beautiful light and airy space, I was able to invite two friends to share it with me ~ Amanda Sheldrake and Susanne Vowinckel...

Almshouse Chapel Saffron Walden

Saffron Walden Open Studios 2015

Saffron Walden Open Studios 2015

Saffron Walden Open Studios 2015

Saffron Walden Open Studios 2015 - Photo by Charles Greensitt

...to my amazement I got in! So I am starting in September on the MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art, more excited than I can express. I will try and document my progress as I go.

Offer Letter



Friday 9 May 2014

Saffron Walden Open Studios 2014

The Spinney / Sarah Turpin

Once again I took part in the Saffron Walden Open Studios over two weekends that were a bit damp round the edges but warmed by occasional sunshine. Several intrepid explorers joined me at The Spinney, Adverse Camber in the Tanglewood, and spent time in this enchanting other-wordly place, nestled in the green heart of the Essex countryside....


The Secret Garden Series by Sarah Turpin

I showed new work including my Secret Garden series, the Ashagal logo and album cover artwork, plus new fairytale-esque artwork...

The Ashagal Project by Sarah Turpin

Fairy Tale Night by Sarah Turpin

...some new and old favourites...

Dragons and Balloons by Sarah Turpin

Roses and Skulls by Sarah Turpin

Strange Fruit by Sarah Turpin

...ideas...


...and work in progress...

Whale Woman by Sarah Turpin

...plus a bit of fun...

Is This Art? by Sarah Turpin

Is This Art? by Sarah Turpin






Wednesday 5 February 2014

Secret Garden

One of my favourite childhood stories is 'The Secret Garden' by Frances Hodgson Burnett. As many of you will remember, it tells the story of an orphaned girl who, together with her guardian's ill son, find and tend a garden hidden behind a locked door.


I love the idea of those first moments of discovery, with the child peering through the keyhole seeing a miniature, keyhole-shaped garden in need of a little care... 


My first painting ~ Discovery ~ is the neglected and overgrown garden as first discovered, beautiful in it's own way but sorrowful too...

Secret Garden ~ Discovery by Sarah Turpin

Thereby follows the changes wrought by the children throughout the seasons as it flourishes...
Secret Garden ~ Spring by Sarah Turpin
 Spring...
Secret Garden ~ Summer by Sarah Turpin
 Summer...
Secret Garden ~ Autumn by Sarah Turpin
 Autumn...
Secret Garden ~ Winter by Sarah Turpin

...and ending with a magical winter.


Each painting or print is mounted within a keyhole shaped window.