I enjoy a good cup of tea. When stretching canvases, making frames or packaging pictures, I almost always have some tea on the go. It’s my comfort blanket. Do a bit of hard work; have a sip of tea – ahh! It’s my rhythm.

Whether so much tannin can be beneficial to my stomach is another matter entirely, but I think there’s something to be said for having a constructive habit. Many artists throughout the ages have taken mood-altering substances. I’m no different. Tea makes me feel warm and oh-so-happy. It’s terribly British of me, I know, but that’s because it’s a terribly good institution. There’s a lot of sense to it.

Pavlov trained his dogs to associate an external stimulus with an internal physiological state - the cheeky messer. Hypnotherapists advocate this very same practice in helping professionals, athletes and performers attain the optimum emotional condition before an important event. So too my piping hot, perfectly brewed beverage serves to get me in the mood.

I was given a lovely book for Christmas called “A Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down”. It’s written by Nicey and Wifey, who maintain a weblog by the same name, and it points the reader toward some of the all-time classic biscuits that wash down agreeably with our hallowed hot drink. Most useful!

Whilst not essential to every artist, I’m not sure how I would cope without my daily dose of Fair Trade Blend. To me, at least, it’s as important as any of the tools in my art box. Which reminds me. I’ve got a lovely cuppa sitting downstairs waiting for me to finish this post…