Exhibition countdown

Dorset Art Weeks starts on Saturday. (Today being Thursday afternoon). I had a panic that the disadvantage of a garden studio is that people walk through the garden Doh! So have done a massive catch up on the veggie patch, sowing seeds and bought some tomato plants from the Sunday Boot Market for the greenhouse. It has all been neglected for the sake of Art this year, so cheating seems fair.

In addition to the cabin studio We have put up a tent and my husband is making some display boards to put in it. He found some white faced 'Finnish fiber board', so it all looks bright and clean. Not ready to hang pictures yet so tomorrow will be a busy day.

Exhibitions

For anyone in the area of southern England, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery in the Old Town Hall are going to put on what looks to be an interesting showing of Japanese Prints, from 21 June - 05 October http://www.hmag.org.uk/

My own plans are progressing and we have set up a small display in the town library to promote the brochure for Dorset Art Weeks. Meanwhile I am still pricing. I have roped in my husband to make up some boards and the material for a prototype is coming tomorrow. Will photo them if they work out.

We had the children and grandchildren down for a wet weekend, but managed to get to a kite flying competition on Weymouth Beach and to the local Roast hog and fete on the village green in Fordington.

Spring flowers

Musing on the brevity of life I took the camera to spring flowers in my garden.

The statue is from Bruges.. I just love the Belgian sense of humour.

Springtime in Bruges and UK

Have just had a few days in Bruges, which is just full of good Flemish art. It is such an inspiring place I hope to capture a sense of the place in a print later.

Not sure why some of these pics came out sideways.. sorry for the crick in the neck!

Framing past work

Have spent the last two months matting and framing. These are some monoprints dug out from the attic. I just love the mad freedom of working quickly on glass, using oil based printing ink and white spirit.

Have discovered a local source of 'seconds' handmade paper with rose petals etc incorporated. Would be interested in any one has experience of using this somewhat thicker paper with watercolour pigments and baren printing. Am keen to practice, but must get the last of the framing finished.

There are local exhibitions coming up to work in tandem with the Dorset Art Weeks, so I plan to try my hand at entering some of the work, if only to see if they pass the jury selection!

Sorry, this monoprint has come out sideways, the family are coming back soon for a meal so no time to sort.

I love reading the barenforum blogs, you are all such an inspiration.

self

Portugal, Oporto

Have just returned from a week in Oporto in North Portugal. Seeds for some future prints, I hope.

Half term is coming so must sort out the house, then plan to have marathon sessions framing and matting in preparation for showing. Going through earlier work is interesting. A lot I threw away, but some which I did not rate much at the time, seem more interesting. I hope to post a few in a couple of weeks, and would love some comments.

Good to be back