Journal

Notes from the studio

How the work is made, the stories behind it, and advice on living with art.

Ethereal Majesty by Samantha Lee Osner, an elephant emerging from texture

Painting over photographs: how a print becomes a painting

How a photograph that never quite worked becomes a painting, from Ethereal Majesty to Symphony.

Coming soon
Divine Harmony by Samantha Lee Osner, a landscape mixed media painting in soft tones

From canvas to wine label: the story of Divine Harmony

How a Précis painting became the label of the 2025 Bloupunt Chardonnay, with a poem by Craig O'Flaherty.

Coming soon
Serenity No.1 by Samantha Lee Osner, a minimal black and white seascape

What to hang above the bed

Soft palettes, the right size and height above the headboard, and why a single horizon helps a room rest.

Coming soon
La Vie est Belle No.2 by Samantha Lee Osner, delicate trees in muted tones

Transferring a photograph onto metal: La Vie est Belle

Photography, paint and texture carried onto metal, and why the surface makes the colour glow.

Coming soon
Daydreams No.2 by Samantha Lee Osner, a soft pinhole impression

Pinhole photography as art: my first exhibition, Daydreams

A borrowed camera, a pinhole instead of a lens, and the soft pictures that became a first exhibition.

Coming soon
Ebony & Ivory | Shadow Tree by Samantha Lee Osner, a black and white nature photograph

How to hand colour a black and white photograph

The old craft of hand colouring, and how it is done today with a brush in Photoshop.

Coming soon