Water and Colour

March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.....

and....

The Jenny Matthews solo exhibition 'Water and Colour' opens on Friday.
Looking forward to seeing you all then
x

Up The Garden Path: A Couple of Gnomes!

Hello everyone

You might have noticed we don't get out much, so with the improved weather and lighter nights we have been making a conscious effort to make the most of it.
Imagine my delight to discover that every year, on the summer solstice of June 21st, The Edinburgh Botanic Gardens is open until 10.30pm!! With free entry to the glass houses and aquarium. Yippee!!

I have lived in Edinburgh for 18 years and only just discovered this.

Happy Camper 1.....

Happy Camper 2......

My all time favourite glass house. I was tempted to leap frog!

Leaving you with this toe-cringing photo of myself looking shockingly like a crazed garden gnome!

Speak soon x

Up The Garden Path with artist Ruth Addinall.

Hello everyone

I hope you have all been enjoying the much improved weather!

So, our Up The Garden Path exhibition continues and is proving to be a perfect fit for the time of year....fingers crossed that the fair weather continues.

There are 10 artists contributing to this mixed exhibition, and the first that I'd like to take a closer look at is Ruth Addinall. I have picked her out as she has been instrumental in this exhibition, even providing the inspiration for the title of the show.
3 years ago I visited Ruth in her studio and I remember the experience well:
It was pouring with rain on a Sunday morning, and all in all the day was looking quite grim. However, walking through Ruth's front door, my spirits were immediately lifted - I was instantly struck by how calm and peaceful her home was. As she showed me round her home, I remember getting excited every time I came across a cracking wee painting casually lying against a wall, hanging on a wall or in progress on her easel.
There was something of an aura in Ruth's house which was very relaxing and brought a sense of contentment to me. I guess it was Ruth's aura. She is a warm, gentle and thoughtful person and I think this radiates not only in her home, but in her work too. Take a look at this:

'Hellebores and Ivy in a Mug', oil on paper by Ruth Addinall.
A seemingly straight forward still life, it sits perfectly and is almost humble in appearance; it is gentle in subject matter, sensitively rendered and endlessly rewarding to look at. It makes me feel relaxed and content to look at.
Apart from her paintings I discovered another masterpiece at Ruth's house, her garden.
Having moved in 6 years ago, she has worked tirelessly to transform her outside space from concrete slabs and overgrown jungle into her very own oasis of calm. This is Ruth's first garden and there has been a great deal of trial and error, which I'm sure many a gardener will recognise.  But after a lot of hard work and commitment, the results have been well worth it.
Before:

and

from chaos.....

comes order

and peace and tranquillity.
Leaving you with this:

Not content with being just a pretty face, a great artist and being green-fingered, Ruth Addinall is also a brilliant pianist who tutors youngsters on how to get the best out of the ivories.
This is her piano in her front room looking onto that lovely garden.
Often when I look at Ruth's work I imagine her sitting peacefully at her piano, mainly in the evening and making beautiful music.

Have a lovely weekend all x

The Bee Hunter

Hello everyone,

So as the summer draws to a close and autumn slaps us in the face, I've been thinking about the bees and insects and their continuing plight, which is made even harder as conditions harshen.

In the lead up to this exhibition I had done some swatting up on bees and the problems they (and all insects) face, and how we can help.  I'm even taking steps to make my garden more bee and butterfly friendly.  If you want any tips, just ask me!

So I've learnt a fascinating fact or two about the bees, and I can even identify (at very close range) the odd species.  However, I can't claim to have studied the bees and butterflies in half as much detail as award-winning artist Jenny Matthews.

This is a great photo of Jenny visiting the hives at Edinburgh University's King Buildings.  Jenny explains that a beekeepers suit does not actually prevent you from being stung - only from being stung to death.  Reasuring I know, but surely there's a bit of a design flaw there.  Still, I suppose we must all suffer for our art!

Indeed, such was the committment of Jenny Matthews to this exhibition that her husband, Pierre, tells me that she adopted unusual behavoiral patterns such as dashing off in mid conversation having spotted a particular butterfly or bee.  The following photos show Jenny researching and hard at work:

 












In the Pentlands, and:

In the Botanic Gardens.

So basically, Jenny Matthews spent her summer throwing herself into this project and I am very grateful to her, as I am to all the artists who have contributed to the exhibition.  The results of her work are outstanding, and this shows:

 
















'Insect Observations: Summer 2011', watercolour, by Jenny Matthews.
What a stunning painting this is!

The feedback on this exhibition has been extraordinary and very encouraging, and so far we have raised £700 for The Bumblebee Conservation Trust.  This is great news and proves that, even in these difficult times, it is still important to give something back where you can, especially as all charities are struggling just now.

I will end by wishing you all a happy weekend and, if you're very, very lucky, next time I will share with you some of the secrets behind my favourite Jenny Matthews painting to date:

 
















'Skep Needle Book', acrylic on canvas, by Jenny Matthews.

Keep Buzzin'

Going FULL BLOOM!: Jenny Matthews solo

Hello everyone
I decided to set myself a little project the other day to get my brain into the "zone", in preperation for the spectacular Jenny Matthews solo exhibition in May. I did something similar before during the Christmas Exhibition. We were showing Janet Melrose's stunning paintings, some of which featured the little birds that visit her garden. I went on a reckie to do a spot of bird wathching.....only then did I fully appreciate the difficulties of trying to paint the wee blighters....they wont hold still!
So this time, armed with my wonderful wellies, a spotty dog and camera, I decided to get myself inspired by the flora around Edinburgh.

During the expedition the spotted one thought he'd found himself a girlfriend, however sensible Crombie took one sniff of Harry and thought better of it!

I was trying to pick out certain types of flowers in keeping with Jenny Matthews style: she likes the kind that suprise you, have grown quite happily on their own, not necessarily really exotic or overly manicured specimens. I also picked out a few of my own favourites, probably because like a lot of other people I am so glad to see them finally here.....we have defeated another winter! That's why we are having the Jenny Matthews solo exhibition. It seemed fitting to celebrate getting through a particulary tough winter, and rather grim year for many people, by putting on this beautiful exhibition. Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate with us!
Back to the project:

I confess to actually having taken this photo (not a bad one if I may so so myself!) back in February. These snowdrops are the first to come out in Edinburgh and every year I make a point of going to visit them.

Yes, I am sure I am not alone in being very glad to see these fellas. Although I do remember them one year being out in full glory during March.....then being snowed on! I picked this one out as it was just the couple of flowers in the middle of no where. Who put that bulb there then?

I came across this on my adventures:

I think both artists Jenny Matthews and Janet Melrose would like this. A perfect little bit of nature, lovingly and dutifully crafted. I would just like to point out that I found this little nest (probably last years) lying at the side of the path....I did not take it out of a tree!

The bravest of the brave: Helleborus makes an appearance in January when all the other sensible flowers have shut up shop. I noticed that artist David Hosie had one of these potted up in his studio on my recent visit. It's a pretty tough species, so may survive ok in doors.
Leaving you with this picture as it put a smile on the old scowly:

Edinburghs finest. Two lovely WPCs take some time out to allow the children to pat the horses. I wanted to have a pat myself but unfortunately the spotted one made it impossible. This was in Inverleith Park, which I will show you a couple more snaps of soon....with a bit of a Fiona Jappy artist theme.

Bye bye for now x

Little Treasures

I recently took delivery of some new work from the charming artist Mark Nicholas Edwards. He is another talent whose work I have enjoyed for a few years now and I am lucky enough to own one of his "treasures". I also love Koi Carp and sometimes visit the Botanic Gardens to see the Carp in the ponds. I find it very theraputic to watch them clamly bobbing about, not a care in the world. Mark's work has been a big hit at the gallery and he has quite a following already. These new pieces are scoring high on the gorgeous radar! His choice of title's for them are spot on too. I was also really keen to see them on a black back ground as I know a couple who bought a large piece that was to be hung on a black wall. Very stylish I thought.

(Also hoping Santa might be reading this)

"Little Treasures I" by Mark Nicholas Edward.

"Little Treasures II" by Mark Nicholas Edward.

I should point out that these beautiful little pieces are only 13x13cm yet the work in them is quite astonishing. The above piece being a good example. The shading on the right hand side and the work on the scales and fins looks painstaking. A labour of love.

"Little Treasures III" by Mark Nicholas Edward.

Last little treasure.....

"Little Treasures IV" by Mark Nicholas Edwards.

Again this treasure got a gasp. The Koi in this piece are a mere 3cms yet the attention to detail is incredible. Also for such a little painting I think the composition is perfect. I also know that to achieve that slick, glossy, black back ground is a difficult process for Mark. I should image even more so on such a tight scale.

Real little "gems"..... brilliant work.

In the studio space next to Mark works another artist whose work we show.

Imogen Alabaster's work has proved so irresistible that we have none left! However we will be lucky enough to be given another 4 pieces for our Christmas Exhibition. Looking forward to seeing them.

"Affection is what I need" by Imogen Alabaster.

Another cracking title by another clever artist.