My name is Helen Chappell.  I live and work in Durham, in the north east of England.  I spent lots of years writing computer software in London, where I fell in love with watercolour painting at a wonderful class at Morley College.   I moved back up north (I was born and brought up in Yorkshire) with my partner and two young children in 2012.  After two years refurbishing a very old house I began to paint again and started the blog to encourage myself to find time for it.  I paint many subjects, but particularly like portraits and the shapes of flowers and plants.  I enjoy combining these with more abstract elements.  And I love beautiful colours.