New Mills Art & Poetry Trail
From the 12th-27th September 2026, MakeSpace’s home town will transform into a glorious gallery of curious and colourful creations for a two week Art & Poetry Trail. I’m delighted to join 60+ talented poets and artists who will exhibit their work in the windows of local businesses across the beautiful town of New Mills in a true celebration of creativity and community. Whether you’ve visited the trail and want to know more or can’t make it in person but still want to get a feel for the exhibition, here’s some more info about the inspiration and processes behind my artwork.
MakeSpace x Stepwise Podiatry
This window display is a celebration of everything we do and offer at MakeSpace. It is colourful, joyous and playful and includes examples of squiggle art, squeegee art, mixed media pieces and intuitive, Zentangle-inspired art, all of which can be learnt and practiced at our in-person workshops detailed on our website.
The pieces and collections below are available to purchase, with free collection from New Mills and UK delivery possible at an additional cost. To enquire, please email hello@makespacehighpeak.co.uk. Thanks for your interest and enjoy!
‘High Vibes’
(A3, mixed media, £100 including frame)
A colourful, loud and unapologetic expression of joy, creativity and community, this painting encompasses all the MakeSpace stands for. Created after attending Camp VC - an incredible, inclusive adventure festival for women and non-binary people in the Welsh countryside, this was a direct response to the power of collaboration, collective care and connection with ourselves, each other and the world around us.
‘Clear Eyes, Open Heart’
(A3, mixed media, £75 including frame)
This squiggle art piece is a reflection on my sobriety journey as I approach 3 years alcohol-free. It explores the messy, complicated bits, the relearning and rebuilding and celebrates all the ways in which I’ve benefitted. ‘Clear eyes, open heart’ was phrase I read in ‘The Firekeepers Daughter’ by Angeline Boulley early in sobriety and it really struck a cord with me so felt fitting to incorporate it into the design.
‘Silver Linings’
(A3, mixed media, £75 including frame)
Combining squiggle art and a mixed media abstract piece, ‘Silver Linings’ is all about creativity as a form of resistance. A way of processing emotions, sparking joy and prioritising our needs as we balance the complexities of life. It encapsulates play, joy and magic as fundamental human needs and reminds us to look for the glimmers, especially when things feel tough and overwhelming.
‘Northern Lights’
(A4, acrylic & tempera paint,
£40 including hanging frame)
Another example of squeegee art, this piece combines flowing lines in pinks and greens to represent the Northern Lights.
‘Party Time’
(A4, acrylic & tempera paint,
£40 including hanging frame)
Created using a squeegee, combining bold, bright colours with black accents to evoke a sense of fun and playfulness.
‘Tropical Waves’
(A4, tempera paint,
£40 including hanging frame)
Combining fluid motion with vibrant technicolour, dynamic strokes create a striking sense of depth and movement.
‘Lava Flow’
(A4, mixed media, £40 including frame)
Bringing together fiery, earthy tones, the abstract squeegee art piece has movement and flow, as well as share lines and edges, echoing natures volatile side.
‘Coral Reef’
(A4, mixed media, £40 including frame)
This jewel-toned piece captures the quiet, layered magic of life beneath the oceans surface. Combining shapes and colour, ‘Coral Reef’ is both refreshing and calming.
‘Sun, Sea & Sand’
(A4, mixed media, £40 including frame)
Bringing together the warmth of the sun with the coolness of the ocean, this abstract creation layers bold colour and loose, expressive marks to create an upbeat energy that feels like a pocket of Summer.
‘Dream In Doodles’ Collection
(Original ink drawings, £125 for all 4 or £40 each)
These intuitive pieces combine Zentangle-inspired techniques with bright, bold colours and metallic embellishments to create this colourful and mesmerising collection.
Fancy creating your own piece? Join us on our next workshop to create your own unique piece to take home!
‘Colour Me Calm’ Collection
(A5 in A4 frames, mixed media, £175 for all 4 or £50 each, including frames)
Sometimes art is used to express yourself. To capture a moment or to process a situation. Other times, it can be a way to disrupt an experience, and this is exactly where this creation began.
I started to paint when I was irritable and restless on a flight. I didn’t have a plan. I just went with whatever felt right at the time.
I started to paint colourful circles randomly. The repetitiveness of that felt meditative, centering and soothing.
I added some black swirls which felt bold, daring and striking.
Later, I decided to fill in the gaps with ink
And then I kept going with different shapes and details to create this colourful collection with definitely helped me feel calmer (and happier!)
That Colourful Creator x Medulla Hair Studio
Mandala Art at Medulla Hair Studio
You can also find a selection of hand-drawn mandalas by MakeSpace Founder, Amy (@that_colourful_creator) at Medulla Hair Studio. The collection includes single mandala designs in size A4 and A3, as well as ‘mandala parties’ that are a real celebration of geometric shapes, patterns and colour. All pieces are available to buy from £40-£75. Please contact Amy directly at hello@makepacehighpeak.co.uk to enquire.
Create Your Own Mandala Art
If you’d like to learn how to create your own beautiful piece of mandala art, Amy will be teaching her next mandala art class on Sunday 6th December at MakeSpace in New Mills, using a simple 5-step process which she has developed. More details and tickets are available here.
Huge thanks to Fran, Helen and the team at Stepwise Podiatry and Kayte & the team at Medulla Hair for their enthusiasm and support, to the other New Mills businesses for uplifting talented, local creatives during the Trail and to the artists, poets and volunteers who have worked so hard to make this possible.