Show and Tell, and a lot about North East Art.

This is Harvey.  A rescued greyhound, owned by a lady who lives in Lincoln.  A friend on Facebook, (will not go into they whys and wherefores!) She posted this photograph and I asked if I could paint from it.

The above is my take on the beautiful Harvey, which I subsequently posted on FB, along with the pencil sketch.  Well, dear readers, this received so many comments and praise, I hang my head to hide my blushes.  So overcome was I, I mounted the dog (FRAMED IT), and sent it off, along with the sketch also mounted,(means FRAMED) to the owner of Harvey.  I even paid the postage.

I then was asked, "Do mine, do mine."

Hey up, I dont spend hours down the shed, albeit I enjoy it, giving away the results of my blood, sweat and tears, and expensive paint, paper, mounts, cellophane packaging, do I?

But, here is another Harvey, a Bengal cat, isnt he just so-o-o-o beautiful?

The above was after he had returned from capturing a huge fish, which he devoured, and then sprawled out on an expensive shawl.

Who?   Me?

So, theres me, down the shed, .......capturing Harvey the cat, well, trying to.  All work in progress.  Apart from the one top right which will be on the Wall of Infamy as its so wrong....

Fortunately for me, no one owns the deer, so I can do my take on it and paint it and hopefully sell it.

And now, a proper artist.  Louise M. Hewitt is exhibiting in the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses from tomorrow.  My first proper exhibitor which I am responsible for.  But not paid for.

 Inspired by the spectrum of light created by the lights within the Museum she has, for some years, expanded that inspiration.

I have organised, planned, hopefully got all the bits and pieces ready for her to 'hang', done the publicity.  Tomorrow I will be tested.  If I can get this one right I can relax a wee bit, as next month we have the Gardenstown Collective exhibiting.  And more exhibitions each month......

You just would not believe how many artists there are in this part of the world, and those who appreciate it.

This morning I visited my mate Doug Irvine who frames my pictures professionally, (rather than me recycling a charity shop frame, which invariably crashes to the floor, as I havent done it very well.)  

We have coffee and a good craik (chat).  

But this morning two men joined us.  

One a Funeral Director, and t'other a Deep Sea Fisherman with a hu-u-ge trawler, almost as big as a cruise ship, and I kid you not, kitted out within as good as a cruise ship.  And these two turned out to be collectors of Art.  Now then, chatting away, it evolved one has been to an auction recently where pictures were being 'knocked down' over the £100,000 mark.  

I sat down -  on the floor.

"I didna like the jug and the flairs.  By some colourist?  That went for 130 thou."

"But I did pick up one for ye to sort out the nicks in the frame Doug."

I did manage a whisper, "So ye dinna wish to lik at mine?"

Show and tell.  The name of the Joiner who makes the casks that gae in the lair, and the Fisherman who sails the seas I shall not tell.

But I would be interested to know your take on me and my paintings and actually asking for them to be paid for?

Photography and freeze framing.

Occasionally the Dawn Patroller goes out at night.  

Thursday evenings is the Fraserburgh Photographic Society's meeting.

Quite good for me as I can watch rubbish on the television without lots of snorting in disgust from the DP.  (sometimes its good to watch twaddle, rests the brain).

Wondering what the heck he is getting up to being so late home, these photographs were somewhat of a relief to see.  

So when he told me a friend had offered him this FANTASTIC LENS AT BELOW HALF PRICE, well, if it keeps him occupied so I could possibly watch more rubbish, I gave him the cheque book.

Apparently it is good for things that move..... hitting on them, so to speak, and ha gotcha.  These above were his first go, and have to say, I am impressed.  (though not at our bank balance.)

I however, do not need to bother about zapping moving things, I have to worry about showing that they are moving.

Spam.

Unless someone can tell me how to do it different, I have reluctantly gone to the awful word recognition stuff which drives me mad, as I can never see the numbers/words.  Hopefully it wont be long as I am now getting 11 comments,  10 of which are Spam/rude/and yes I know its a robot, but having got excited at 11 comments having to delete 10 which are disgusting I need a break.

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.

Its catch up time.

Very late this year with the ploughing.  

How do the birds know the ploughing is being done?  Is it the sound?  Do they have one of them up high in the sky who watches and then tells the rest?

I have also been doing a bit of catching up.  Well, chilling out a bit too.  Catching my breath after the last few hectic weeks of Pirates and Grandchildren.

Minerva McGonagall and I went down the shed and listened to opera, (good job the cats like it too.)

Oh, and having bought a frame from the charity shop, fiddling about, unsealing, sealing, ha ha!  Then realised I hadnt signed it....................Need to get my brain to catch up.

Spring. At last.

Bloggers Meeting.

We do occasionally do this.  We are fortunate sometimes to meet up with friends we have made through blogging.  I have been happy to meet up with Tina from thequiethome.blogspot.com. and Christine from writingfromscotland.com and today I met up with Marina from Livinglifeintheemptyquarter.

Funny how you meet up with people through your life and hit it off.  

Marina and I had a shared love of fabrics initially.  She made fantastic curtains, drapes, from amazing fabrics. And she sold these from our department store in Fraserburgh, now theres a surprise, we do have a department store in Fraserburgh, called Maitlands.

There were remnants, she sold these off in a wee shop in Strichen and thats how we met.

 We both struggled with selling our beautiful old houses, huge houses, bedrooms numerous, me wanting to downsize, she wanting to get back with her husband working off shore in the oil industry in the United Arab Emirates.  Well we both did it.  

She now has shown all around there in the UAE what an amazing driver she is, (a woman for Allahs sake), hope I am not upsetting anyone here with the mention of Allah, she churns up and down sand dunes, prepares and plans for others on  off roading trips, plans and maps so that any visitor to the country can really enjoy and get the thrill of camping, exploring, the wonderful land that she lives in and respects.  (Not much different really to me, an incomer here, trying to push what we have for tourists!)

From Marina I was given a lovely orange scented candle, one of my most favourite smells... and from me to her a painting of a Roe Deer, yes they do have deer, but they are different.... ok?

Its good to be friends. 

Supergran,

Whooo.  Not sure I am any good on the Grandma front.  

Eldest daughter, partner, and 4 year old and one year old, arrived Thursday.  Both the DP and I are only just upright.

Friday they all went to the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.

While Grandma was doing her volunteering (and trying to knock the business managers nose off.)


Today, following an evening of much wine quaffing, everyone, (apart from Grandma who had quaffed far too much, but really wanted a bit of peace and quiet), went off to Aden Country Park.  Which among other things, ruined mansion, Museum, also has working circa 1950 farm.

Sadly, not many 1950's animals, apart from the above.  And a stuffed cow below, presumably from the 1950s.

But the boys enjoyed themselves, boys do tend to roar and try to be scary.

When they returned, it was Grandmas turn.  While the wee one had a nap, I instructed how to make a pirate out of a loo roll inner.  

Seriously, all his own work.  Let me know if you want to know how, or are daft enough.

We made a pirate hat out of newspaper and skull and crossbones printed off and glued on.

Together we made, Pirate mask, Captain Hook's hook, from plastic cup and foil, and spyglass from kitchen paper inner.  One happy Pirate, looking fierce, as thats what Pirates do apparently.

Plan was to let the kids fly a kite.  Big Kids took over.

Little kids didnt seem to mind.

They return home tomorrow.

And leave me with one big question.  Why did I have four daughters?

Its Sandy, no - its Tuesday,

Sorry - a family joke, many years ago one of the children said, "Its sandy!"  and a wee girl from the South of England said, "Its not Sanday its Tuesday."  (They speak funny down there.)

Today it was SANDY.  Strong winds from a different direction to the normal (not so cold)  have whipped up the sand from the beaches on the Moray Coast, which includes Fraserburgh.

See the orange haze?  This is from the top of Kinnaird Head Lighthouse (The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.)

This below, is Tesco's car park, not far from the beach.

More sand in Tesco's car park!

The sand was carried inland in great clouds.

The above were taken from the front of our house.

Sitting down the shed, doing yet another hen painting..... I could hear bits of sand hitting the windows.  The wind has eased a wee bit and the sheep have come out from their huddle, backs to the wind, and are tangoing in the sun shine.

Its exciting int it.