Friday 15th August

 The Exhibition started on Saturday and Natasha, Dylan and I had decided to walk up to The Cottage in Craster for an afternoon drink and tea. We seldom get a Saturday where we have nothing on and we thought it would be a good walk for Luna and would save us cooking tea. I asked Natasha to pull up the Exhibition on her phone to check how things were going. The WiFi was slow and she had to put her phone in a window to get a signal. About half an hour later I remembered the phone. She checked it and exclaimed that I had sold one of my 2 paintings . I was delighted.  She the said “you’ve sold both of them “

I couldn’t believe I’d sold both on the first day. This is an important gallery for me and this news was fantastic.  I later messaged them to impart my delight. They replied saying that they had a very successful weekend and that my large “Ullswater” painting was much admired and that they could have sold it several times over.

I had also received some good news from Jetty Gallery in Oban who had sold 6 watercolours in July. Annie had requested some more mounted watercolours and yet more cards. They sell a lot to the cruise ships in the summer and smaller, mounted originals sell well as they are easily transportable.

I started the new week by laminating my AITG posters. These will be posted around the area from this coming weekend.

I then got started on the watercolours for Jetty. I sketched out 8 pictures of local argyll scenes as requested. On Monday and Tuesday I completed them plus 20 hand painted cards.  I’ve ordered mounts as I haven’t got the room in my studio to cut my own. I can then get them done and sent early next week.

On Wednesday, with Luna in Doggy Daycare,  I decided to add to my collection of 16”×16” semi abstract seascapes. As I have said, I will keep these back from AITG and take them to a gallery. I was pleased with the 4 completed ones and finished them off on Thursday. They are very loose and bright yet have recognisable features.

Apart from a few jobs I will spend next week preparing for AITG and pack the paints away for a week. Matt and Sarah are bringing the Marquee up on Thursday and it will be all systems go from then. It’s best to get as much preparation done before then as it all happens in a blur from then. I need to sort the paintings,  easles, stands, tables, banners, signs, price cards, bags etc and it all takes ages.

My blog next week may be brief as I’ll be up to my neck in the whole thing.