The daily news is bleak, and gets bleaker every time you dare to watch. Our days are long and endless and pretty boring (if we are lucky) with only a short daily walk, television and our books and close family to raise our spirits. But this morning brought some much needed Spring like beauty to our lives, as the legendary artist David Hockney released a series of his 10 most recent pictures to provide a respite from the news.

The images, created in his Normandy home, are celebrating the Spring awakening, showing flowers and trees as they emerge from Winter and start to blossom. They are beautiful, vibrant and colourful, and are somehow filled with hope.

David Hockney has said that he believes it is important to still cherish art work during these troubled times, and says “Why are my iPad drawings seen as a respite from the news? Well, they are obviously made by the hand depicting the renewal that is the spring in this part of the world.”

I have long been a fan of David Hockney, his iconic ‘Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy’ is one of my all time favourite pieces of art work, and I think it is great that he has decided to share this beautiful work that is so full of joy and colour with the world. Just last week I featured another Hockney piece on this blog, one that was currently on display at the New Walsall Art Gallery 20 for 2020 exhibition, and it is so lovely to see new pieces that are a breathe of fresh air in our world where this is currently in short supply.

It is funny how this enforced quarantine period is making our natural landscapes and open spaces seem all the more attractive. I am lucky enough to live opposite a nature reserve that is usually out of bounds as it has a golf course running through it, but in our current times, it is deserted and we walk through it daily. I have been capturing my own images of the space, or the trees that are still in eerie Winter mode, and those showing their signs of spring. Not in the David Hockney category, but interesting non the less.

If you have celebrated a birthday this March (like my hubby whose birthday it is today, Happy birthday Pete), then you are sharing a birthday with Mapiful. Mapiful is the website where you can create unique custom prints of the moments that are closest to your heart, and is celebrating it’s 5th birthday, or, as they put it, five years of sharing memories, and as part of the celebration they have launched a brand new product – ZODIAC PRINTS!

Mapiful create maps and posters that are perfect to commemorate any and every occasion. This could be the place you met or married your partner, your birth sign, or the birth sign of your partner or child. You could chose a place that is special to you, where you enjoyed a special trip or holiday, maybe where your parents met, the list and scenarios are positively endless. The fact that you can choose anywhere to create your map of, or any star sign, makes these a lovely gift idea, especially in the current climate.

The maps come ready to frame and you can chose a range of styles and text for each design. The black and white design you see here is the modern design, but you can also have a design that is has a black background called ‘asphalt’ that is also very striking. There are also blue, coral, pink and red colourways if you also want to tap in to a favourite colour or match a home colour scheme. You can also change the size of your print, starting from 30x40cm, and you can also change the orientation from portrait to landscape – maybe in order to fit a specific space on your wall?

Mapiful products are just wonderful mementos of your memories, and are also really stylish additions to your wall space too. Currently you can save 25% if you buy two prints.