Everyone loves a story; story telling is something that goes way back to childhood. With all the mystery, imagination and enjoyment that goes with such a wonderful pastime. And Sam Toft’s quirky characters add to all this and much more.

I had the pleasure of meeting Sam’s father, who Mr Mustard is based on about 4 weeks ago when he pulled up outside the Diane Hutt Gallery and popped in for a chat.  he certainly was a great character.

Sam is extremely well known for the main two characters of her work: Ernest Hemingway Mustard and his lovely wife Violet. Their slightly grumpy Jack Russell dog, Doris, also frequently makes an appearance as well as lots of other farmyard animals! These wonderful characters are her imaginary friends. She has been loving spending time with them for over 20 years now.

Brighton is a massive pull for Sam as you can see with much of her work; the seafront definitely makes many an appearance. Ernest loves to spend time with Violet, but also likes his own space, where he is always busy and on the go. Sam’s friendship and love for all her characters really shines through and it consistently makes us want to keep seeing the new adventures they all have together.

Little Mustard Shop in Brighton

Little Mustard Shop in Brighton, which used to sell only Sam’s art, is now actually run as a Collective. There are monthly shows by different artists, but with a permanent Mustard gift corner where you’ll be able to see unique pieces made by Sam, such as hand painted jig dolls and small ceramic “Doris” Jack Russells! The window displays are always lovely and very inviting. Sam’s next exhibition is between 5th-13th November if you would like to pop down for the day!

Just around the corner at Powis Square there are also two beautifully restored red phone boxes housing monthly exhibitions. The Dog & Bone Gallery is Brighton’s smallest exhibition space.

At the Diane hutt Gallery, we just love Sam Toft. Her work is thoughtful, loving and very calming. Her adoration of the characters she creates shows a real homecoming warmth and her soft muted colours will look wonderful on any wall within your home.

To view Sam’s full range we stock, please take a look.

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