Ayrshire Open Studios

My small hallway so far

I'm taking part in a new venture called OPEN STUDIOS AYRSHIRE on 22, 23 and 24 March.

This is our first go although Open Studios is now a very successful part of the UK art scene.

 For this first time we've 36 artist working in pottery, prints and painting and a brochure with a map is being popped into libraries, shops and anywhere else willing to take a bundle. This photo shows my small hallway so far, although I think I'd best get the black frame changed to a cream one. Also I need to get greeting cards, postcards and business cards printed so searching for reliable printing companies.

The idea is that visitors come to your studio and browse and maybe buy some art, though I have to say I have a very small house. and the trouble is we've no idea how well the event will be attended.

I thought if I served coffees, teas and maybe had some wine at the ready, as well as my friends wonderful home made scones, it might encourage a bit of rash spending!

And if very few come, well, my scone maker and I can always drink the wine ourselves.

A last Postcard to Vivien .

Cliff Walk at Ayr

Acrylic on Card  2012

This was my very last postcard, sent to Vivien  - http://vivienb.blogspot.co.uk/ - as part of our postcard exchange. It's been the best time - making and receiving cards from all around the world and not only seeing my Blogger friends' work in reality but to be able to keep them.

Round 2 is just about to start at http://walk-postcard.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/keep-on-walking.html

with Cathy's wonderful new logo.

A Postcard to Cathy in South Africa

Acrylic on thick watercolour paper

This is another postcard from me to Cathy in South Africa. It's supposed to be a card from a walk - the exercise part. But having been a bit housebound at that time, I used my back garden as a resource with the winter stalks and frosted leaves but also with the snowdrops just beginning to show.

November Postcard

This is my November Postcard to Martin - How to draw a tree .

"Bridget Hunter sent me a nice card with a tree grove in typical Scottish colors. She critically reflects her latest ambitions in playing golf which at present mainly seems to be an excuse to have coffee and a giggle at the club house after a couple of golf balls have been buried between the tree trunks. She calls that exercise.

I think that it is this tabooless exchange of international customs that contributes a lot to the excitement in this postcard exchange. I am impressed by the quality of the gouache which arrived here in perfect condition. Thanks Bridget and good luck with golfing :)."


This was sent as part of the postcard exchange featured on the Blog - Postcard from my Walk.

Alloway Auld Kirk

Spent an Autumn afternoon hunkered down beside the gravestones at Alloway Auld Kirk to sketch this card in Acrylic for Liz in Australia - Liz and Borromini  So glad it arrived safely as a previous card disappeared into the pit of the lost post.

From Postcard from my Walk

"Today I received this amazing postcard from Bridget.

It is of the church in the village of Alloway – the setting for Robert Burn's poem Tam O’Shanter. Although I am in love with Scotland and been there 9 times in the past 12 years, I have only had limited exposure to Burns and did not know this poem at all. Of course I have looked it up now

She prophesied that late or soon,Thou wad be found, deep drown'd in Doon,Or catch'd wi' warlocks in the mirk,By Alloway's auld, haunted kirk.

Just wish I had someone with a lovely thick Scottish accent to read me the whole poem!"
  Liz and Borromini

A postcard to Katherine

This is the postcard I sent to Katherine 

 (MAKING A MARK) in London. It shows part of the Topiary garden at Chateau Dumas where I recently spent a week with Joan Lawson and her painting school.

A Postcard for August

This was the August postcard I sent to Desiree     http://desireesdesigns.blogspot.com/     in California. It"s done in acrylic on watercolour paper and shows a cornfield at Culzean Castle. It's one of my favourite places to sketch and paint and also to take the grandchildren for an outing.

 www.culzeanexperience.org

/

A Postcard for July

A bit of my Garden

Acrylic on Watercolour Paper   5 x 7"

Bridget Hunter 2011

Our Sketchercise group continue to send postcards from around the world.  I've a lovely collection so far and all so varied. This month my postcard to Ronelle Africantapestry in France shows part of my garden.

Postcard from my Walk

Brushes and Paints.

Acrylic on canvas  12 x 12

Bridget Hunter 2009

 Now, I'm the first to admit that for me, arranging a still life composition is not something that comes easily . Unless I keep to just a few items I spend ages moving things and adding and taking away. Sometimes I just give up before I lift a brush. `

Today I was struggling to base a still life around an amazing white Carltonware bowl with red lobster feet that cries out to be part of a painting. But in the end nothing I tried was pleasing. Then I remembered a small painting I'd done of paints and brushes lying about on a table. Its not really finished but at the time I was reasonably pleased with the composition. It was simple but I felt it worked.So maybe that's the way to go. Forget about complicated arranging and just spend the time markmaking with the paint.

I like Kurt Anderson's words -

"When I paint a still life, I want it to be anything but still. I want it to shimmer with light. I want it to rustle with movement."

My lobster bowl

A Postcard to Albrecht in Germany

A postcard from the Island of Sky

Today I received a beautiful postcard from an area which is still on my list ofplaces I would like to visit in my lifetime. Great, many thanks Bridget! I guess you have painted the postcard with acrylic. A few strokes of a pen are visible. Bridgetwrote: "I've spent the last week on the Island of Skye. Though it frequently rainednothing could spoil the dramatic landscape, the Black Cuillin Mountains plunginginto the sea. Its history is also full of drama too - the remains of abandoned crafts(small stonehouses) when the crofters were forced to leave their land to makeway for sheep, many having to emigrate and the stories of Bonnie Prince Charliewho took refuge here. This view is off the shore at ARDVASAR, on the southernpart of the island.«
I of course immediately asked at Wikipedia about the unfortunate Charles EdwardStuart. When I come to Rome next time I will visit his tomb in St. Peter's.
One more time: Thank you so much Bridget for this gem in my collection of postcards!

I'm glad this postcard arrived safely in Germany as did the one sent to Alison in London.I'd sent my earlier cards in envelopes but I thought I'd try sending it as a piece of mailart. I used thick watercolour paper and acrylic,

sketching on site but admit to adding a few pen marks and finer brushwork later.

Its so exciting to receive cards from the other members of the group and not just to see the images on the computer.

Boat at Portpatrick

Acrylic on board  8 x 6"

Bridget Hunter 2010

It's back to acrylic again because I've 10 paintings to be delivered to a gallery by 5th November for a mixed Christmas exhibition of small works. And they have to be framed !! As I've never painted work as small as The daily Painters regularly do its a challenge of a different sort. This is a first effort. One down - 9 to go. So much for retirement !

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