Almost Over

An interesting and worthwhile exercise.  The gathering together of the three Art Groups who meet, at different times and different days, at Dalrymple Hall, Fraserburgh.  

I am an active member of two.  The Wednesday Art Group and D'Art who meet on Thursday afternoons.  

Broadsea Art Society meet on a Monday evening and I pay my subs and go to the "Summer Painting in Isabel's back garden ".

But in the main I dont do evenings.  But I do get the discount at Doug the framers for being a member!

So back to the exhibition.  We took over Dalrymple Hall.  Which meant me using the lift a lot as it is on two floors.  Joined with the Fraserburgh Photographic Society who actually started centuries ago at Dalrymple Hall, but havent been in there for centuries since.....

Hanging and displaying took place on Thursday.  I kept calm by doing as I was told.  A first for me.

Friday we were open from 10 til 5 and had a fairly quiet day... Friday night was the Private Viewing for the great and the good.  Lots of networking and yes, the red wine.

 

 The Artist as an Old Woman.  Sadly I discovered a design fault on the chariot.  Nowhere to put the wine.  Being sorted I can assure you.  Do note my lovely hooter tho and obligatory Lighthouse decoration.  

Behind my right ear is the horse I painted.  Behind my left ear one of my Chicken paintings.  Just above my wine glass is nothing to do with me.  Done by a real artist.

Quote from an Art Critic no less.....

'Home from Home was lucky enough to be invited to the FASE 1 private view this evening at the Dalrymple Hall in Fraserburgh. The work on show is mainly by amateur artists attending non-taught art classes in Fraserburgh, but the work is no poorer for that: this is no display of mere 'copyists', but a rich tapestry of gorgeously rendered and imaginatively constructed pieces. Isobel Beedie's and Doug Irvine's paintings displayed a creative use of mark-making and a departure from their previous representational work into abstraction while Ethel West's watercolours demonstrated a maturity and expertise in the use of her medium. Jill Chandler's stylised bird paintings showed her flair for colour and design, while Shona Lippe's soft focus graphite portraits and Bronwen Bartram's wildlife drawings were painstakingly executed. The photography in particular was exceptional, with a breadth of subject matter and a lack of sentimentality. On leaving the main hall, though, Home from Home's eye was caught by an unusual piece; a large pencil drawing of semi-urban landscape by Fiona Murdo. There was something curiously compelling about the subject matter and the style and we were reminded of the paintings of the late great R J Kitaj.
If the act of creativity is a homage to God, then we are truly blessed in our town. Go see!! On show at the Dalrymple Hall until Sunday - free entry.

I had to have a lie down after reading that.

Today, Saturday, has been humming.  Lots and lots of visitors.  I sold one of mine, before being sent home.  

One of our very talented members sold almost everything.  Mostly to her very large extended family.  I think they are into money laundering.

Now home and finishing off the red wine that was left over from last night.  Yes, left over, even tho I was there!

Tomorrow is our final day.

Starts at 12 instead of 10 (as Fraserburgh is very religious, and everyone but me goes to church in the morning) til 5p.m. When we have to take it all down again.

Definitely be doing it again tho.

(Having read this back I am totally unsure why there is a different size font done by Blogger, not me.....)

The Dust Settles....

Well, you didnt expect me to start cleaning after an exhausting week of rellies and hangers on did you?

NO!

Our cats are only just moving back in out of the shedudio.   

The one pictured above is one of, oh it must be, the hundred living at the Willows Animal Rescue Centre.  

This one, in my favourite colour of cat, appears to be working out how to get in the cage and eat the guinea pig.

Some of my time since my family left on Saturday has been chilling out, along with our two cats, down the shedudio.

I have been drawing with the brush,  not very successfully.  

Had a break, much needed after the failed exercise, of drawing with a pencil.

 

Have to admit I really have not done anything about the dust, but me and the washing machine and the clothes line have really been going it.  All bedding and towels washed and dried.  Pillow cases into the ironing basket, the rest folded ready to go back on the beds. Towels back into drawers.

Also been out distributing NEOS Catalogues to cafes, Leisure Centre, oh just everywhere.

While scooting from the shed to the house am totally horrified by the amount of weeds shooting up everywhere.  So when I do get the dust to settle and then vacuum it up I have to go outside and kill things.

Speaking of killing things, anyone else in the UK been inundated with b****y flies?  I know why, it happens every year, harvest time.  Combine Harvesters due any minute.  Then I have no chance of dust settling.

 
 

A New Spring to ones bow.

Proper April weather.  Rain followed by sun shine.  April showers.  Also showered now with birds.  Migrants, birds displaying and pairing off.  

Down on the sea shore.  Pied Wagtail above.  Just look at the colour of those rocks. Definitely a painting there.

Wheatear below.

And up in the sky, Oyster catchers, in formation.

Inland.  The Feathered Ones also feeling Spring is in the air.

Not impressed.

Possibly impressed?

And even closer to home, a first for our garden, a Blackcap.

We are warming up a bit weather wise.  The garden is certainly showing signs and grass is growing, daffodills are in full bloom and tulips are all in bud.  Last year I planted quite a lot of bulbs.....and all seem to be successful.  Just hoping the Summer bulbs do the same.

This week I have started to plan the Summer Kids Activity Mornings at the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, in July school holidays, with a Sea Birds theme.  Plus the One Thousand Sea Birds Challenge for the Art/Craft Gallery at the same.  Done extra stints at the same as our beloved manager is taking a well deserved holiday.  Plus my usual Art Groups, Wednesday Morning and Thursday afternoon.  Tomorrow more planning, but actually a day off, Saturday a very long shift at the museum.  So tonight - a glass of the red stuff.  

I know some of you haven't got spring yet iloveacloudyday.blogspot.co.uk

and some are a bit in front of us,pennyshenhouse.blogspot.co.uk do hope I have these right, its the first time I have tried to link.

A new spring to my bow.

Tuesday - Feathered Friends - or foes?

We actually had snow over night, but at day break there was left only small evidence in hedgerows.

The Pink Footed Geese saw the Dawn Patroller coming towards them.

And began to move.

Up and away.

A beautiful morning.  As lunch time approached, the skies grew darker, and darker, and then a blizzard of snow blanketed everywhere.  Within half an hour it finished, out came the sun and it was gone...... Weird.

Visitors to our garden today.

 Siskin.

Yellowhammer.

We are now closely watching the nest boxes within our garden.  One we have a camera inside.  Though from my vantage point down the shed/artist studio/opera theatre/drinking den I have seen no evidence of any bird even looking at it.  Although the one up our electric pole has had a lot of activity from tree sparrows.

Its exciting int it!

In between watching the birds I am having fun painting a new fanciful flock, well actually two.  The way I paint it takes ages for the paint to dry, so you may as well be doing another.....

More on the one shown yesterday,

And the start of another.  This is to be five hens striking various poses.  It is such fun!

I di hope you are enjoying seeing the stages one goes through, or is it like watching paint dry?

Birds in the North East of Scotland.

Whoooo.  Today has been a good day.  Feeling better, (last antibiotic, coffin sized pill, you do have to double check it says by mouth instead of....) 

I went off to Doug Irvine, Picture Framer extroadinaire.  Had coffee.  Chose mounts and frames for three pictures. 

These are three paintings I dont care if I sell as I LIKE THEM.

While I was doing this the Dawn Patroller was visiting a friend who lives in Peterhead.  She has over 30 Waxwings visiting her urban garden.  Okay she provides them with (peeled)

apples, (has to wash bird s*** off her windows),  but, hey, wow.  Waxwings winter here from Scandinavia.  I know we welcome them . (I wish we did the same as generously to other human immigrants).

These birds normally go for the red berries.  

Thank you Supermarkets and Local Authorities who do plant such shrubs as cotoneaster et al.

This afternoon I was down the shed.  Ha whats new.  Whilst I was drawing, painting and pen and inking, there was lots of noise from outside.  

Apart from our neighbour doing his first cut of his  vast lawns, and everyone who passes by has to toot him  on their car horn.... does interfere with Placido reaching his higher notes, the farmer was moving his sheep.  

We had the weigh in, those who have reached the weight, into the transporter and off for....(hands up who had lamb for  lunch on Sunday?)  

The others went back into the field.  And were then joined by the rest of the anorexics. (and dont anyone take offence here, I have personal experience of eating disorders but lets raise a laugh. Always)

Here they come from up the road field, down to our field.  Shepherd and dog and two young men who make strange noises.  Whoop, whistle, whoop, ( doesnt impress me and I have witnessed it doesnt impress sheep either).

Oh , says me, please turn left and eat our ex crap, failed,  wild flower meadow.

But no, they kept on and were then shepherded into the field.

Happy sheep, lots of Neeps (turnips, swedes) and hay, and water,  But, sad, one day soon they will also reach the required weight and be off to death row.  

The great thing is they have had such a wonderful fun life, out in the fresh air, playing, unlike some of the birds everywhere who are not.  Lets all give some thought as to where our food comes from.  And vegetarians - have you heard the scream from a carrot when it is pulled from the earth, so lets all stop being holier than thou and start asking, where did this come from?  Do they use pesticides?  Sorry didnt mean to preach.  This was supposed to be about the Birds.

So to my long gone beautiful free range Greenbrae Gang, our last home, and our last hens.  Who I hasten to add did not end up in the pot.  

Lots more birds in the NE of Scotland,, beautiful, interesting, awesome, paintable, wonderful.

January - what else do you expect?

Anyone else noticed when posting comments, strange sort of battery shape on top of comment space and then having to hit post comment twice before anything happens?  I have commented on quite a few blogs today without realising my comment was not being posted......

Right back to this blog.

An ice crystal sliding down the window.  How artistic is that!  (D.P.)

Now we have lots of birds in the snow.  (In fact we do - tons more when the weather is like this, feeders filled up twice a day - costing us a fortune.)

Blue tit.

Goldfinch.

Robin.

Great Tit.

Coal Tit, above and below.

Polar Bear from the Dining Room.  Yes, it was, from the Dining Room tele.  (DP being daft - again). (Twas him photographing the tele.)  Mr Buchan - drool.

Doesnt the beach look weird with snow on the sand?


Meanwhile...... I watched the  snow fall yesterday, watched the birds, not the polar bears, in between painting.

The Redshanks went off for framing this morning.   I took them in to Doug Irvine the ace framer.  Whilst there I mentioned my sale of the hens and the pressure to replace them in the exhibition.  Well - that man is divine, he said, "Do you want to borrow a painting?"  and then handed me my painting of the elephants, which he had bought, and framed, to hang!  How cool is that.

Also this morning I met some of the Crafting group for coffee.

Then, back home.  A friend who breeds hens, Silver Wybars, no less has her birthday today.  So after battling with my b-i-g replacement which will mean I can safely return Mummy and baby elephant to Doug, I did this.

Just cannot get away from hens!  Or prizewinning cockerels in this case.  I hope she likes it.  

But instead of doing a greeny background I should have gone with snow..........