We started our travels in Scotland following the trail of megalithic stone circles and structures. The Ring of Brodgar on mainland Orkney was stunning and you could walk right into the stone circle.

This megalithic series of structures at Newgrange and the adjoining Knowth in the Boyne Valley in Ireland predate the Pyramids and Stonehenge. For 17 minutes at sunrise on the winter solstice every year, light shines down a carefully constructed ‘light box’ in the roof of this stone structure and reaches the back wall. We weren’t there for the winter solstice but they do a simulation of the event. Goosebump material. You can read more about it here.

One of my favourite collages as it captures the aura of mystery and wonder in the whole area from Stonehenge to Glastonbury. Even though the the roofless St Michael’s Tower was only built in medieval times, the Tor itself is a conical shaped hill with views across the Somerset landscape and has been a spiritual pilgrimage site for thousands of years.

A city reinventing itself after forty years under the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. The Bunk’Art museum in central Tirana is a chilling reminder of the brutality of that regime. See my blog post Walls, Borders (and their crossing )

Holed up in a hotel overlooking the small harbour in Ulcinj, Montenegro. With a dodgy knee, I wasn’t able to do much sightseeing except from the hotel window. But the bobbing boats and the view of the sea were very restorative

A day trip to the Rila Monastery, one of the highlights of the area surrounding Sofia. Craning my neck to look at the amazing paintings on the monastery ceilings and walls.

London’s signature red double-decker buses, telephone boxes, post boxes and of course the London underground. Such cultural icons make for great collage ideas.

This was the only flight to France from Gatwick, so that became a surprise destination. Boats in the harbour, medieval fortress, cobblestone streets, great seafood restaurants and a charming hotel. Not so many tourists at our hotel that day so we were upgraded!

My artist residency in a small town called Lasalle in the Cévennes coincided with the FIFA World Cup soccer final where France won against Croatia and la Fête nationale (we call it Bastille Day). Bunting, streamers, posters everywhere. A collage inspiration and delight.

My artist residency was in a former silk factory where they spun the silk. I made an installation of a large woven artist book with papers and visual sound lines woven through the mesh. You can read more about it here. At a charity shop (opportunity shop) I found an old children’s book with a page about the silk moth and the silk industry ‘le bombyx et la soie’ which I tore up for collaging.