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.
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.
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.
Is it me and old age? Whizzed by. All the local Galas, every village has one. Many last a week, all done. Open days. Lifeboats, gone by.
Barley harvested.
Northern Lights, Aurora, with us. Apparently always there but depends on the clouds, the moon, whether it is visible with the naked eye. This was. 2 nights ago. From our dining room patio door we watched it. Dancing. Later, after we had gone to bed, the red bits joined in. Was also visible last night. But - well, one can get a bit blase......!!
Then there is now the imminent advent of North East Open Studios.
So a fair bit of tarting up to do.
Four shedudios. We four are the Hidden Corner Artists and have created a mini trail to lure people to visit. Mine is the last picture.
So. Roll on September.
Some of you caught the post I did yesterday evening prior to my removing it.
Basically yesterday evening I had a visit from the police.
They had received an anonymous tip off that I was driving without being able to see properly.. The anonymous tip off was made 3 months ago following my April post on having cataracts. Said post written in my attempt at humour when being presented with an unpleasant fact.
Of course I could and can see perfectly well.
The fact it took the police 3 months to speak to me about this shows how serious they treated an anonymous report.
Which is how we should and do react to anonymous comments on our blogs.
However a visit from the police at 8p.m in the evening meant it took them a while to convince me they were not here to report a death or serious injury to one or more of my nearest and dearest. I am sure that my anonymous enemy is rubbing their hands in glee at that.
My knee jerk reaction to all this was the post I wrote last night and to stop blogging.
But then, on reflection, some of the other details the police gave from this anonymous 'tip off' made me and my partner realise I knew full well who it was from.
Whether I am right or wrong on that I care not. I will not allow anyone to prevent me living my life and doing or writing what I want to do so long as it does not harm anyone and shows due respect to all. If I can raise a smile even better.
Perhaps the sad individuals who need to get a life should follows the same aspirations.
Whatever happened this cat purred. Sometimes took a while to get going. When she was knocked by a vehicle. She came in and purred. Only three working legs. She purred. Operation pin the leg on the cat as opposed to the donkey, she purred. Attacked by a feral cat and the same leg dislocated at the hip she purred.
Tuesday this week she began suddenly to have major fits. After a while she purred as I comforted her as she came round. After four more major fits she didnt purr.
We humans can take our loved ones and have euthanasia administered. We did. Echoing John Gray who is a fellow blogger, would that the powers that be allow us to go down the same road.
I can still hear her purring.
No comments please. Its over. But thanks for me being able to tell someone.
North East Open Studios commences 12th September through to the 21st. Although I have participated as part of my Wednesday Art Group the last two years, at the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. But that was a group. Now it is me on my own in the shedudio.
So - it is sort out and clean BIG TIME.
Two panels and a table tick.
Third panel hung. Tick.
Mini trail poster . Tick.
This with a map will go into the main catalogue.
Tick. Distribute catalogues. Ah well....... Plenty time.
But you can view my entry.
I have to go now, there are eleven more panels. Some still to have shed paint second coat... Have paintings hung. Sort out browsers. Make more cards. Mop floor.
Why do I agree to do these things? Away to do my breathing exercises.
