About Us

We want to share our enthusiasm for bees and the wildlife around us, Claire's beautiful illustrations, information and observations about our projects, inspired by the plants and creatures in our gardens and the countryside in southern England.

Claire

Claire worked as a business analyst and retrained as an English teacher when her family was young. She has been a writer and artist throughout and has always spent time outdoors and around animals.

As a traditional fine art painter, watercolour-ink illustrator and writer, Claire is obsessed with all things lovely that you might find in the countryside or garden. She has a creative home from which she takes further inspiration, as well as from her grandfather and father, sculptor and creative writer, respectively.

Claire is author of the children’s 6 book series, Robin RoseHip: A Bird’s Tale.

Each year, Claire looks forward to the National Honey Show and is delighted to have been invited to participate in Val’s excellent idea for this book in celebration of the National Honey Show centenary!

Val

Val studied biology and has worked in research and in scientific publishing. She currently works part time as a

scientific study coordinator at Cambridge University.

Val has kept bees in the past. Her late father, Norman Chapman was a keen beekeeper

and together they wrote, edited

and Val published her father's books

'Constructive Beekeeping' on DIY projects;
'Pollen Microscopy' with flower photos alongside Norman's microscopical pollen drawings; and

'Inside a Beehive' showing photos of the inside of a beehive, frame by frame.

Both Norman and Val have been involved with

The National Honey Show for many years.

Val met Claire when she first invited Claire

to exhibit at The National Honey Show in 2018.

They have been working together and have now published their a special illustrated book,
"Izzie Lizzie Busy Bee", launched at

The Centenary National Honey Show

26th October 2023.