Corsham Friends

 Last week I had my first Skype meeting with some fellow art student friends whom I first met at Bath Academy of Art some sixty years ago.

Paul from America, Marian from Switzerland, Jayne and Jean from the UK (only Diana from France couldn't make it because of computer problems) joined me for a two and a half hour chat and the years seemed to roll away.

The college had been situated in the village of Corsham at the home of Lord Methuen and we all had happy memories of our time there.

I thought we'd all talk at once but it was surprisingly civilised but we did have a good chuckle over our youthful experiences.

A Bargain

 My Open Studio weekends are now over with 268 visitors coming through the doors! I managed to sell seven of my preliminary canvases, two prints and various postcards, tour guides and gift cards.

Last  Sunday I sold the three tiny canvases of clown faces from the 'Eggheads' series. They were £20 each but I clinched the deal by making it £50 for all three. You can see them (and others) on the 

WORKS FOR SALE on my website.

Nice to get rid of a few to give me more space in the studio.

Keep It In The Family

 I was interviewed last week on Ely Radio  (it should be available on my website soon) about my Cambridge Open Studios event which is still open next weekend.

It took the form of Dessert Island Discs with my chat being interspersed with five pieces of music which were significant to my life. As the programme was pre-recorded I was able to ask for my fifteen year  old grandson's group, Room 3 as one of my requests. They played music/words they had written and I felt very proud of them.

The programme was called Isle of Ely Discs and was on at 6pm on Wednesday 12th July.

Quizzer

 I had 98 visitors to my first Cambridge Open Studios event this weekend so am feeling a bit exhausted!

One couple were intrigued by my grandmother's quizzer and how I had used it to tell the story in the painting 'The Rashomon Effect'.

A quizzer is a type of magnifying glass and she used it towards the end of her life. I portrayed it in the painting to represent my grandmother's view of a life that might have been. 

Window Shopping

 I start my three Cambridge Open Studio weekends- this weekend! For more details go to the NEWS AND REVIEWS page on my website.

I loaned one of my EGGHEADS preliminary canvases to a display advertising the open studios event, in the window of Tindalls art shop.  During July,  thirteen artists in Ely have their studios open to the public and there are 170 studios open across Cambridgeshire.

 Photos of the window display can be seen on my Facebook and Instagram posts.