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.....)
34 years wed.
Considerably more than a life sentence.
It took me a lot of practising to end up with the right one.
But I surely did.
Here he is doing what he enjoys,
(This is not our garden, though it is heading that way as he is not that keen on weeding.)
And he is happy for me to do what I enjoy.
For once we are working together on an exhibition.
If you are on facebook could you look at the Fraserburgh Art Summer Exhibition page and like it?
The DP is ecstatic when the likes increase.
Its the least I can do.
Feeling a bit weird as people come up to me and say,
"I saw you on the tele, you were awfa guid."
Although my physio did point out I was clearly struggling to breathe......(I had got out of a sick bed to be there, no way was I going to miss that opportunity!)
Apparently you can still watch it on BBC 2 I - player. I am right at the end. Best thing of course is the Museum got lots of free publicity. As did Fraserburgh as before me there is a fisherman being interviewed and they filmed at the Fish Market too.
Well, dear friends, last night I nearly went to Jail.
We had our first viewing!!! Yay.
The Dawn Patroller did most of the charging round, cleaning, vaccing, mopping, (why is that men do brilliantly at cleaning but never actually look at ledges/window sills/shelves?) And cutting grass.
I was allowed to do the showing round and describing till I ran out of breath ....
They loved the house!!!
Then informed us their house was not yet on the market.
So I was very near being famous for "Seller kills Viewer of House for Sale."
Never, ever done any exercise in my life. Other than swimming,squash, horse riding decades ago.
Now I cycle.
But dont go anywhere.
I started off doing 3 minutes on gear 2. Today I was on gear 5 for 4 minutes.
Walking 12 metres x 6 laps, today I did 25 laps.
Started the knee lifts with 2lbs on each leg x 20 lifts on each leg now 4lbs for 35 lifts.
Leading with the right leg,then the left leg started with 12, now 35 on each.
Sit to stand
This one is a killer. Today I did 35.
Dumbells.
Above your head , out in front and then to the side. Counts as one. Today I did 35. Started with 2kg, now 4.
This one actually consists of a walking stick with a weight wrapped round. Started with 2lbs, now 4lbs. Started with 12 lifts. Sitting down. Now 4lbs x 35 times.
We do warming up exercises and warm down at the end.
There is no cure for our variety of lung diseases.
But one things for sure our heart muscles got a work out , the bingo wings are departing and biceps, triceps, muscly legs and thighs are amazing.
And we certainly exercise our laughter muscles. After we have sat down.
To catch our breath. Well actually not catching ones breath, is not allowed. In through the nose out through the mouth to get control....
I challenge you all to do this. Breathing through a straw .
Because that is what it is like for us.
Now where did I start?
Ah, yes, BBC2 Scotland 9p.m tonight. Look out for the old woman in the pink jacket. Who does not appear to have any breathing problems at all, the way she whitters on.
Today I drove to the other side of Inverurie to the Thainstone Centre.
For the Taste of Grampian Food Festival. Also to give my new toy a practice run. For some time I have been unable to go to such events as I cannot walk very far, but now......!
Now thanks/no thanks to Aberdeenshire Council's non medically qualified staff who filled in a tick chart I have been refused a disabled parking sticker. So I had to go with the huge queues of traffic on and on and on and parked at the furthermost point from where it was all happening. Not only that but I had a near vertical hill to go down. I did find the brakes worked on the toy.....But then realised I would have to go back up the b***** hill to find the car, to return home.
In the week Thainstone is basically a Cattle Market. At the weekend it has a good swill down and turns into - a theatre. Wow.
So those blue seats are filled by people like me. Watching a cooking competition. Which is why I was there. Our chef at the Lighthouse Museum, Kipras Preidys was a finalist for the "Aspiring Chef of the Year."
There were four finalists. Kip on the right, and his heat competitor on the left.
Lady Claire Macdonald watching. She did a lot of watching our chef Kip and was very supportive speaking to him at the end, as he didnt win.
The two other judges are tutors at the North East College. I will say no more, other than it strikes me that's a bit unfair, as the winners - first and second - were pupils at the said college, as is Kip, but he entered as the chef at the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses Restaurant. But then I am biased.
Now I had to climb the hill and find my car. I did consider dialling 101 or 999. But I was rescued.
Escorted to a car, driven up to the car park, almost in the sky, I then had the very embarrassing search for my car, which took a while..... then I could go home. Sheesh.
Its really a bummer being disabled. Even though my disability isn't visible. Think about it.
But our chef sourced all his ingredients from Grampian. The Butchers, the Fish, and the veg from Fraserburgh and from the Lighthouse Keepers Cottage Garden and the wild garlic via the DP from across the road from us!
A real Taste of Grampian.
Earlier this week, at Pulmonary Physiotherapy, we had a visit from the Therapist who deals with THINGS TO MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER. (George Clooney not on offer.)
So one of our bunch was to get bath aids, in being able to get out of the bath. Why not a shower? He doesnt like showers.
Another wanted a walking stick to be able to keep up with his dogs (and keep them under control.)
Another wanted something to walk with and sit on . Lo and behold a four wheel walker with seat appeared and it was like all her Disneylands had arrived.
Then it was my turn. I said I would like a fold up Tesco trolley as even just buying a newspaper I parked near the trolley park and zoomed off with trolley and could get further than the wine aisle with said trolley.
Today I was awarded the above. Not the most exciting set of wheels is it.
I asked if I could personalise it and was told to get on with it as they never take them back. Have they not heard of recycling? I thought the NHS was in crisis!
Any suggestions most welcome.
Been on the market for a month our house has, not one viewing. The DP has cut the lawn far more times than in normal years, just in case ....
Garden looking magnificent. Far more blooms than last year and much earlier. Photographs below were taken at the beginning of May.
Masses of Cherry Blossom, unlike last year. Spring bulbs beneath.
Rogersii sending up flower spike months earlier than normal.
Clematis Montana.
Clematis? Cant remember name. But both still flowering.
Not shown - sorry - Laburnam and Lilac both magnificent and lots of it taken in to Art Group to be immortalised.
Now, back to viewing.
First exhibition for people to view my art was at Strichen Church.
I went in to have a look. My offerings were all in the browser, as none were framed, just mounted. I trawled through, trawled through again and then thought shock horror one has been nicked!!
My Three French Hens had been sold! One of the few to sell. Well pleased. (I dont know why I dont just churn hens out as they always sell.)
So back down the shedudio and readying oneself for more viewing as even more exhibitions loom.
Currently 3 headless chickens.
Skurries (Herring Gulls) United.
Both on the drawing board.
And one ready for viewing.....
Heron. Finished.
Right then. Viewing. Tuesday 10th of June. 9p.m. BBC 2 . The programme with Janet Street Porter. View.
