I accidentally locked myself out of my email account for a bit. Oops!
AND I have also been super busy this first half of the year. Want to find out why?
Read on dear friends.
I’m really going to try not to waffle too much and just let you know what I’ve been up to but you know me... Why use five words when you can use fifty?
First of all, I pretty much took January off. Last year was totally crazy for doing way too much and it nearly broke me, physically, financially and mentally.
So, as you’ll already know if you read my last email, I took the decision to close my online gallery, Aether to Easel.
It was the right thing to do, I need to focus solely on my own work this year and recover in all the above ways.
First step to that recovery was to take a wee spa break in January with one of my friends. Nothing better than steaming and soaking and setting the world to rights with a pal, especially when it’s frosty and cold outside. This is the view from the spa in the Golf View Hotel, Nairn.
After that restorative interlude I had to get straight back to work. My first show of the year needed 8-10 pieces by the end of April. I had very little work left from last year so it was full steam ahead in the studio.
I managed to get 9 paintings and 3 needlefelt sculptures together for Larks Gallery in Ballater where I am currently Featured Artist for the Month of May.
The next big event was going to visit an old school friend, Lucy, to surprise her for her 50th birthday. It was just a flying visit down to Ely area for a weekend but so wonderful to catch up and get to spend such a special event together.
As soon as I was home it was straight back to painting again because I also had to provide 10 to 12 pieces for a joint exhibition with Jill Mackenzie over at The Alchemist Gallery in Dingwall.
That exhibition doesn’t start until 6th of June so I’ll send out a wee notification when that one opens. It will be on until 16th July and on Saturday 6th July I’ll be there from 11am until 1pm chatting to visitors about my work.
Then, in April it was my 50th birthday which I spent visiting another school friend, Emma, in Dubai. A fabulous time was had and it was so wonderful to see her again. I think it’s been around 6 years since the last time? My god she never seems to age!
Back home again and even more painting to do as well as trying something new. After the recent needlefelt sculptures I made I was excited to try working in another 3D medium.
I’m delighted to have been invited to join an international group exhibition hosted by The Inverarity Gallery with the theme of “Cat & Crow”.
Rather than create another painting of which I still had many to do for other exhibitions, I decided to try my hand at sculpture.
I divided my time with painting in the studio during the day and spending every evening sculpting. After many, many hours of work (approx 180) I completed my piece that I’ve called “Take Us to the In-Between”.
“Take us to the in-between, where earth meets sky and wake meets dream, and time passes by unseen.” - S. L. Stacy
This actually comes with a mouth-blown glass display dome to protect it and a non-motorised turntable for ease of rotation to see all the way round.
The exhibition starts on the 1st June until 31st July and you can reserve pieces ahead of time or sign up for the preview email by contacting the gallery.
Last weekend I went along to the Opening of the new Portsoy Gallery.
When I had a stand at the Aberdeen Art Fair last year, the lovely owners of this new venture, Glynn and Yana, invited me to show some of my “Out of Chaos” paintings.
It’s a beautiful space in a lovely setting and the art on display is amazing. It’s definitely worth a visit down to Low Street, just off the harbour at Portsoy to see a fantastic array of artist’s work.
Ok, so I think that’s everything covered. There are no imminent events that I have to work towards right now but I will have to gear up for the North East Open Studios event later in the year.
In the meantime I have a wedding portrait to do and I’m excited to start renovating this special find at the local Wastebusters thrift store.
I think this will make a wonderful heirloom to pass from generation to generation once I’ve worked my colourful creative magic on it. Watch this space!
First things first though. After all the work I’ve done already this year, my studio is a mess and in desperate need of a good tidy up before I can start anything new.
Wish me luck!
Catch up soon, I hope. Love and gratitude as always.
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