Saturday 27th May.
I had attended the Private View at Rollington on Friday evening and did my two hours stewarding stint as Soft Drinks barman. I then got to have a look around most of the exhibition and bought Anne a print that she liked by Linda Wallis. A very sunny evening.
So, Saturday morning dawned, I looked out – Mist or low cloud? Here on the edge of Kingston and Houns Tout we often find ourselves in low cloud while Swanage below is clear. I messaged friends to find out if their conditions were better – clear but cloudy was the reply. Well day one, how would my PAW experience start?
It was misty and wet but during the day as the sky cleared I had 17 visitors, I was pleased with this considering our location and several came across us purely by accident as they set out for walks. I sold 8 cards which doesn’t sound much but beat my previous experiences at craft events. So a good start. I have also added that dogs are welcome to bring in more of the regular dog walkers using the footpath. Some people arrived by car which was not the intention but I will need to monitor this on a daily basis.
In gaps between visitors I produced three new pieces of work:
This solitary Foxglove has grown in the garden. I worked from the photo as it was too cold and damp to draw outside.
I experimented with some new ways to show leaves where there is a tangle of wild plants. I am pleased with the result.
A view towards Houns Tout on its western side as it leads down to Chapmans Pool. I still need to develop strategies for colour where there are a variety of tree species – the joy of ongoing learning.
A view from a photo taken by my brother-in-law during a visit this winter. It shows the towers at Reculver that used to defend the Wantsum Channel mouth that separated the Isle of Thanet from the rest of East Kent in Roman times. So I have now lost bed in two Isles – Thanet and Purbeck.
Many good discussions with visitors today about my studio which of course is so new to me and my ultimate gain from PAW. Also the very short timeline between declaring myself an artist on January 31, entering PAW February 1 and PAW May 27th and the amount of work I have already produced in that time.