Land of the Big Sky.

Dawn and dusk are wondrous sights at this time of the year.

l do not see much of the Dawn but of course the Dawn Patroller does.

I do see the sunsets. One above tonight.  One below last night. Taken by me....

The DP was also up in the early hours of the morning, pre dawn, taking photographs of the eclipse of the moon .

And the subsequent red super moon.  No wonder in Pagan times they made a quick sacrifice to appease the gods. And it worked as the moon returned to its normal colour.  But we know we dont have to do that anymore,( unless someone has particularly annoyed you)  Any excuse.  In your dreams so long as you keep it there!

It is still fun down the shedudio.  I have my view of the sky from there.

Although from this angle it does look as if I have no view!  

This one hopefully shows I do have a view of the sky.

Inside - my latest painting.

 Bearded tit from a photograph by Norman Watson.  A rarity this far up North. Too cold for them, so another sign of global warming?

Oh and with a bit of the big sky in it.  The Dawn Patroller won best photograph in a local exhibition.

Just keep looking up.  There is a big sky up there.

North East Open Studios. Closed.

Each entrant is given 2 of these signs. Well it isnt enough.

I am number 50, in the middle, and in the middle of nowhere.  The others on our mini trail were in villages.  

But I did have visitors who found me, not as many as I would like......

 Here I am holding forth (note the artists smock!) as to how I do it, while the seated one eyes up the home bakes.

Note the one on the right is watching the birds outside..........

At the end of the nine days I was well and truly shattered.

But I sold some paintings, lots of mugs!  I also got a commission.

For a painting of a Turkey.

Says it all. 



 

North East Open Studios. Day 1

The first day...

 

I opened my studio at 10 a.m.  This was me at 11 a.m.  

Just after 11 people began to arrive.  And never stopped.  I had all on to eat at  - around - lunchtime.  

I had some lovely shortbread and sweeties for the visitors.

Although looking at some fellow entrants facebook pages it was more a bake off than an artists studio.

Come on!!!!

After 10 years running a bed and breakfast, once retired, I gave up baking for ever,

The delicious shortbread was donated by a lovely friend. The sweeties came from Tescos.

For once I was not annoyed they were bringing in Christmas stuff in in September.  Those large tins for a fiver that we end up eating far too much of.

I much prefer painting.  And the idea is to meet the artist.  So this one managed to do a bit.

Back at the drawing board tomorrow and serving coffee and teas and smiling and chatting, most of which I dont find difficult.

Setting up for NEOS.

It is a good job this North East Open Studios is only once a year.  

My attempts at displaying my wares is not the best. 

I had the idea of having my paintings put onto mugs.  Well impressed. Photobox. No they are not sponsoring this post. (But I am open to offers as I have spent so much with them!)

I was so impressed with the mugs - and the packaging - each in its own box, I selected more and more. So if you are related to me and get a Christmas gift from me no clues as to what you will be getting.  All the ones that do not sell.

Although I have already sold two of these via my facebook page. Buchan Birds and Beasts.

 
 Trawled through the browsers.  Some removed and gone to the drawer of infamy.

 Thanks to the DP the outside has been weeded, tidied and plants purchased for me to pot up.  I now have a grand entrance!

Framed paintings hung.  Although one did fall off and had to be re-framed, so with that and photobox purchases, the tax man can not bother with me.  Already in the red.

Still its more about being part of it all.  Welcoming people in to my sanctuary, making teas and coffees, providing home bakes.  Demonstrating how easy it is to paint!  You can make a mark on a piece of paper?  You can do it too!

Yeah.  8 days I have to sit down the shedudio.  From 10 til 4. 

Might catch up with all the work in progress...................

Left on one side while I set up for NEOS.