This month saw the end of the Professional Development course that I started last September. The year has gone really quickly, I’ve learnt so much and I really didn’t want it to end! I’ve met some really lovely artists who I’ve shared the highs and lows of preparing for our end of year Graduation Exhibition at Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh (details below!).
All the team at Paintbox School of Art have been so supportive and inspirational, and I've pushed the boundaries with my art more than I thought possible before the course began, it’s been a fantastic learning experience - so much so that I have signed up for their monthly mentoring which will be great to keep me on track!
Besides the painting, the behind the scenes preparation for the exhibition has been a steep learning curve! So much goes into it, such as designing invitations, art work labels for the walls, digital catalogue designing and printing (this was very much a trial and error process as far as trying to fit my catalogue into the A5 template!). Also, lots of arrangements in preparation for the reception evening, with a live violin duo, lots of fizz, pink lemonade and gorgeous flowers. It’s sure to be a wonderful celebration of a great year.
I've really enjoyed working towards the exhibition over the last year. I have been researching and sketching the tidelines that are left along the Edinburgh and East Lothian coastline. They really are a fascinating microhabitat, and they support so many different species of sealife, birds and land-dwellers like voles and mice. However, they are sadly under threat due to beach cleaning for the tourist season and also climate change.
So, using mixed media, which lends itself so well to the colours, textures and shapes of the tidelines, I have now brought together a series which abstracts and highlights their intricate detail.
July will see my brushes having some time off, while I collect my thoughts, tidy up my studio (in particular the collage papers which have taken over!), and hopefully do some reading in the garden! I’ll not be putting art to one side altogether though, as there are some great summer exhibitions on in Edinburgh, in particular Grayson Perry’s ‘Smash Hits’ at Edinburgh’s Royal Scottish Academy on The Mound, and I'll be back at Dovecot Studios to see Scottish Women Artists: 250 Years of Changing Perception, which will include a favourite of mine, Joan Eardley.
I love visiting all types of exhibitions, and although the ‘big’ ones are incredible, the smaller ones are just as interesting. The Scottish Ornithologists' Club in Aberlady, East Lothian have a lovely space with a huge picture window, and they have regular wildlife art exhibitions. In July they have some of John Busby's beautiful work, and in August one of the artists from the the Professional Development course, Emily Ingrey-Counter is exhibiting her lovely wildlife work there.
My the next Blog post will be at the end of August with some more exiting exhibition news - in the meantime have a lovely summer.
‘Elements’ Exhibition
Dovecot Studios Ladies Baths, Edinburgh
Drinks reception: Thursday 29th June - 6pm to 8pm
Fri 30th June & Sat 1st July - 10am to 5pm
Sun 2nd July - 10am to 4pm
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