Louise Diggle: London at Christmas, Medici Winter Show

A long time has passed since my last blog - it's been perhaps the busiest I have known in my painting life - I have participated in five shows, from Medici in Cork street to my Wimbledon studio show. It's been a great and inspiring autumn too - the light has been superb and I have been out and about loitering under lamp posts working away.

A selection of Regent street lights will be in the Medici Winter Show, Cork Street 10 December - 30 January (www.medicigallery.co.uk/next_show.htm)

I am working on a series of Christmas lights at the moment in the run up to Christmas. London is ablaze with dazzling colour and looks glorious. One of the advantages is the constant light, which just doesn't happen during the day,. A disadvantage is the cold! It is happily a lot milder than last year but thermals feature. I pastelled away at the opening of the Oxford Street lights - they are amazing this year - snowballs careering around the street.

On Friday I went to Trafalgar square - I enjoyed the contrast of the tree lights against the silhouette of the lion. It's always a surprise to find out how big those lions are

Future work will include Bond street, Sloane Square and ice skating and will be posted up shortly.

In October I went to Dubai and found the new architecture astounding in scale and ambition - so exciting! The light was was very beautiful. I was, however, much in my discomfort zone - it was something I had never seen before. More images to follow.