October 2026 Newsletter

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Emma Major's October Newsletter

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Rusty and Elsie

Rusty and Elsie is my brand new illustrated story book for children of all ages. I have wanted to create a children's book which includes disabled people, but isn't focused on them, for many years. I've written various poems and have a huge list of ideas, but none of them have ever come together. Until now. Rusty and Elsie is primarily about a cat who befriends a girl and both their lives are made better together. My hope was that people would be drawn to the book as a positive and uplifting book about friendship, cats and disability, and it seems to have done just that because the book has sold through the first two print runs at two art fair weekends. So now it's time to formally launch the book on a larger scale. Selling at £7 a copy directly from me all money raised goes to charity, split between YouBelong and Thames Valley Animal Welfare.

Books

Speaking of books…. Did you know that my first form of creativity was poetry? It's true, I have been writing poetry all my life and have had poems in publications for nearly 15 years. Earlier this year my first book of Christian poetry was published alongside my Following Jesus exhibition. “Stanzas of Grace and Light” has been incredibly well received and is on the shelves of all good book shops. Or directly from me if you'd like it signed. To find the full list of my books follow this link to my website, there is something for everyone.

https://www.llmcalling.com/home

Outside In Ambassador

Did you know I'm an Ambassador at Outside In?

Have you even heard of Outside In?

Outside In is an award winning British charity supporting artists who encounter significant barriers to the art world due to health, disability, social circumstance or isolation. Outside In provides a platform for artists to showcase our work and opportunities to meet together to create, inspire and encourage each other.

As an ambassador my Outside In profile has just been updated so why not go and give it a visit. There's lots of new news and news you might have missed there.

https://outsidein.org.uk/galleries/emma-major/?updated=true

If you'd like to see what other societies, guilds, trails and charities I'm involved with creatively then here's the page you'll want to visit on my website

https://www.llmcalling.com/post/art-guilds-societies-trails-open-studios-and-platforms

Big news hot off the press ….

It's been an amazing month of good news on the creative front, following months of poetry and art rejections (it's important to share for those who think everything is success, that the reality is for every success there are dozens if not hundreds of failures).

Opulent Mobility

Opulent Mobility is an international annual exhibition that asks artists to reimagine disability as opulent and powerful, in a world where disability is celebrated instead of denied, ignored and feared. This year's exhibition focuses on Disabled Joy and so I submitted the first in my series of “Life as a Disabled Person” series “Out of My Way” which I feared might be too British and sarcastic but which was actually selected to be part of the exhibition. In fact it has been chosen as the flyer artwork for the exhibition. Oh and did I mention that the exhibition is in….. Hollywood, LA in the USA!!! I guess that confirms that I am an International Artist. You can view the exhibition online through December.

Divine Designs; Between the Covers

I entered four pieces of art, for four different books of the Bible, into this prestigious competition run by Art and Christianity, The God who Speaks and St John's Waterloo with zero expectations of even being shortlisted. Imagine my surprise when TWO of my art works were chosen to represent Chronicles II and John II. I spent many months deciding which books of the Bible I would like to create art for and even as I pressed “submit” I was extremely doubtful about the two pieces which will now be exhibited. It turns out I really know nothing about what art people like. I won't share the winning art works just now, but watch this space for news. The Exhibition will be at St John's Waterloo opening in February and running for three months.

Nature through the Artist's Eye

As you probably know, I'm passionate about all things justice including climate justice. My “Caring for Creation Together” paintings and haiku were first exhibited in Glasgow at COP26 before touring the UK at cathedrals and churches and then becoming a book of the same name. You might not know that the book has been used by dozens of schools as part of their RE, literacy, science and geography curriculums, and by even more churches during Creation Season and as small group material. This week I got an email from someone who was reading my book, organising an art exhibition and conference “Nature through the Artist's Eye” and wondered if I'd like to be the headline speaker, help curate the art exhibition and bring my climate and nature themed art. Well obviously that was a yes, yes and yes. Again, watch this space over the coming months as I share more.

Places you'll find my Creativity

this November

Did you buy one of my paintings or books or cards at the Reading Charity Art Fair or the Reading Guild of Artists Small Works Exhibition in October? I love it when my art heads off to new homes, but I can't lie, it would be lovely to know who owns them now. If it's you then please drop me a message, or better still a photo of my art in its new home.

Acorn Open Studios

I am part of the Acorn Open Studios this year, inviting you to visit my open studio in Lower Earley as part of Acorn Open Studios on 7-8 November from 1030am to 4pm

I will have even more of my art on show and all of my books, watercolours, tactile sculptural pieces and more, including cards, bookmarks and other items which could make perfect gifts for the

“you know what” season.

For all the information you need please visit our website

https://acornopenstudios.uk/emma-major/

Online at the Market for Kindness Community

I am returning to the fabulous “Market for Kindness Community” this November with my art, art products, books, zines and more. This is a virtual fundraising craft and gift market run on Facebook by the Kindness Community CIC. I have been part of the market for the last several years and am looking forward to selling my creativity and, perhaps more importantly, meeting other sellers and buying their hand made/created items. Come along at Facebook.com/groups/kindnesscommunitymarket

St Luke's Art market

I'll be sharing lots of art, cards and perfect gifts for the upcoming season at St Luke's on Erleigh Road on Saturday 21 November 1130am - 4pm.

Come along, have a coffee and piece of home made cake, I look forward to seeing you.

Coming up….

I'm looking forward to my first “Author and Artist Day” in a local school, bringing “Rusty and Elsie” to the younger years and “Caring for Creation Together” to the oldest years. I will be soaking in assembly about art, poetry, faith and disability; then visiting each year group for a time of writing and drawing and hopefully inspiring them to get creative.

What else?

I’m hoping that with exhibitions and fairs finished by early December

I will have some time around Christmas and New year for family, friends and just enjoying creativity.

And finally ….

I’m working on my first art installation. The idea is written, the concept has been trialled in miniature, the plan mapped out and…. I have an exhibition space interested in hosting it….

Watch this space for more news next year…..

I would love to provide more of what you'd like to hear from me; so feel free to email any questions you might have about art, poetry, creativity, disability, mental health, faith, or life in general.

Emma