Artists use sketchbooks for many reasons. They usually have several on the go, stick all sorts of things they collect in them, as well as sketch, paint and doodle on the pages. This makes them delightfully colourful, messy, and crammed with ideas and collected treasures. Some of mine over the years have had to be reinforced with duct tape to keep the spines together!

I am a strong believer in there being a time and place for everything. I wasn't ready to tackle this difficult subject until I had done the 30-day challenge. But there is more to it. I have featured nests in previous works like a tiny nest in a tree or a textured nest in a bird painting. But solo nests have to have impact to be successful as a piece of work.

People are genuinely curious about how artists work behind the scenes. It seems to be such a mysterious occupation as we are mostly tucked away in our studios creating works of art away from the public eye. Over the years I have found many common questions that people ask, and I have encountered these at Art Fairs, Open Studios, Gallery Private Views, and even at workshops I teach.