The Halloween Quiz went very well and was a fun night with the pub full and more money raised for Embleton Fireworks.
Over the weekend we decided that as this coming weekend was the only free weekend we had for a while so we booked a hotel in The Lakes so that we could deliver the various paintings to my 2 galleries. My frames arrived on Friday so my priority on Monday was to get my oils for OCG framed and packed and my large paintings for Beckstones ready.
The frames were fortunately just right and undamaged. After framing the oils and packing them up I decided to include a large framed painting of Borrowdale, which together with the 3 large paintings for Beckstones were stored in our “party shed” and that’s where the fun began.
We had stored a huge collection of flat packed packing boxes that our neighbours had given us in the party shed and getting stuff out of there without damaging any of the paintings was a struggle. I took them one by one into my studio. The Borrowdale painting was all ready to go but I cello wrapped the frame to protect it. At the risk of sounding repetitive, my studio is full. After this weekend it will be less full but the risk of damaging things as I try to work in there is, at the moment, a real problem.
I have nowhere to properly lay out large paintings in order to string them and add the information needed to take work to a gallery. I had to string them in an upright position. On the first painting I managed to puncture the painting with a screwdriver whilst trying to screw on a d-ring. Trying not to panic I managed to get it on my easel and repair the damage, paint and varnish the damaged area and finish stringing and labelling. I really shouldn’t be working like this!
I finished the other paintings by using the easel without further mishap. I then cello wrapped the edges for protection. These large boxed canvases with painted edges are very vulnerable to scratches whilst transporting them. There’s also the risk of accidentally puncturing the canvas. I would normally box them up but this time I can’t because boxed they won’t fit in the car!
After that minor trauma, I decided to string and label and pack the 4 “Croft” paintings for Tallantyre Gallery. I managed this without any problems. Natasha is going to drop them off next week when she’s in Morpeth.
On Tuesday, in order to restore my sanity, I thought I’d tackle the commission painting I’d promised the lady from the Longframlington Art Group who had ordered the painting from my website which I couldn’t find, mentioned in my blog the other week. She had requested a coastal painting, done mainly with a palette knife in a “chunky” style. I had a 24”x24” board which I prepared with 2 coats of primer and a coat of cobalt blue. Removing the glaring white primed board with a base colour(in this case cobalt blue) it makes it easier to visualise a composition and also unifies the whole painting. I hadn’t painted like this for a while but I found using a palette knife very liberating and I really enjoyed the work. I also liked the result and I think she will too. With the painting finished( it took about 4hours with breaks) and Luna in Doggy Daycare, I had some time spare in the afternoon, so I decided to use the 4 small (40cm x30cm) deep-edged canvases I had to experiment with painting some acrylic landscapes in the style of the watercolours I do for Beckstones Gallery.
These are different to anything I do for anyone else. The watercolours have proven to be successful and I wondered if I could replicate them in acrylics. After completing the first one that afternoon, I thought I might be on to something.
On Wednesday I completed another 3 and realised that I had time to get them varnished and ready to take to Beckstones at the weekend as a few extra paintings that might complement the watercolours I am also taking.
We are booked in The Salutation Hotel and Spa in Ambleside in a dog friendly room, which is handily right next to The Old Courthouse Gallery. It will be a very early start on Saturday morning as we will call at Beckstones Gallery on the way into The Lakes. We will have a full car packed with paintings and a dog in the boot! We may also return with a full car as I am expecting some returns from Beckstones and OCG have requested a full swap of work. I’ve informed them that we will take what we can fit in the car. Hopefully with paintings delivered we will have time for some relaxation, dog walks, a few pints and some rugby? It will finish off a busy week!