counter hit xanga

Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category

Seasons Greetings

Posted by admin on December 24th, 2010

Irvine-Harbour-December-2010

Irvine Harbour, December 2010

It’s Christmas Eve and yet another bright sunny and very cold day here in Irvine. The snow we had last weekend is still lying and once again I doubt the temperature is going to get above freezing. Everything certainly looks fantastic, especially down on the harbour side where for quite a few days now the water has been completely frozen.

The pipes at the Courtyard thawed out briefly last weekend but have been solid again since Sunday afternoon and so it’s been a week of short shifts at Studio E mixed with drawing at home. I have to admit though that I was a little optimistic last week about the progress of my new pencil drawing …it’s still not finished although its coming on quite well. I’ll probably have another crack at it later today.

Ship-in-Frozen-Harbour-Irvine-2010

Ship in Frozen Harbour, Irvine 2010

The rest of the work for the show at Strathearn is coming on well and although I have almost daily panics …causing me to count and re count the work that I have ready, I should have everything completed and framed by the end of January and in time to get it delivered to the gallery for hanging. I’ll need something in the region of 40 – 45 pieces and I’m trying to get a quite varied selection of work together……all based on the Scottish landscape but a mix of the slightly more traditional views as well as the more abstract impressions. Having some drawings in the show too is important and I hope to include a couple of more finished drawings as well as some of my quicker line drawings in pastel or pen.

Irvine-Harbour-2010

Frozen Estuary at Irvine Harbour, 2010

I also plan to include one largish piece although this is still on the go at the studio. It’s 135 cm x 61 cm and is based on a couple of small drawings I did a few years ago. The piece is quite abstract and done in a mix of reds, oranges and yellows. I think it should work well and will help to give the exhibition a bit of diversity. We’ll have to wait and see I guess!

My partner Anita is working at the hospital on Christmas night and then doing a twelve and a half hour shift on Monday 27th, so we’re going to postpone festivities for a few days and then enjoy a quiet day on the 28th. I’ll probably carry on with the drawing until then so that I can enjoy a few days off and perhaps a day or two walking in the hills later in the week.

Right well, for all of you who have suffered my weekly ramblings during 2010, …..my very best wishes to you over this festive period.

Posted in Information Updates, New Artworks, Personal, Studio - Videos Tags: , , No Comments »

Bugged, snowed on, frozen and no work worked for six days!….Slacking or what?

Posted by admin on December 12th, 2010
'In Eglinton Country Park, Monday afternoon'

'In Eglinton Country Park, Monday afternoon'

A late blog again I’m afraid.  Suddenly it’s Sunday evening and I’ve just realised I haven’t written anything.  It’s been one of those weeks and one best forgotten.  Not only did I not get the blog written, I also got no painting done either.

The week started out well last Sunday with a very enjoyable few hours at the Courtyard Studios Christmas Fair.  It was the first time we’d held such an event and so I think we were all a little uncertain as to quite how many people might come along.  The fair took place at the Harbour Arts Centre which is just two doors down the street from the studios.  It’s an excellent venue and has a great bar / restaurant too.  We are though out along the harbour side and as such, a 15 minute walk from the main shopping area in Irvine.  At this time of year not too many people leave their town based Christmas shopping to venture in our direction.  That said though, Gordon (our new studio rep) did a grand job at promoting the event and had managed to get the local paper to write a piece about the fair….and it worked.  We had a very good turn out and although none of us I guess will be able to retire on the proceeds, we all I think sold a few items and most importantly, we helped let people know where we are.

'Trees in Eglinton Country Park, Monday afternoon'

'Trees in Eglinton Country Park, Monday afternoon'

From that point though, the week took a decided downward trend.  By Sunday evening I was feeling decidedly rough and as things hadn’t improved the next morning I decided to stay at home and catch up with some work on the computer.  Then it started snowing …and sticking, which is quite an event for Irvine.  Being on the coast we quite often miss the snow …but not this time.  We didn’t have the falls that so badly affected most of the central belt but it was nice and by the afternoon despite feeling ill, I just had to go out for a wee walk in it.  From the house you can follow an old disused railway line up to the edge of Eglinton Country Park and from their follow any number of paths through the rough mixture of grass and woodland.  It makes a very pleasant wander and with the snow down it looked great even under the dark grey skies.

By Tuesday I felt even worse and took to my bed and slept.  Wednesday was just as bad and Thursday too, but on Friday I suddenly started to feel a good deal better and so finally made it back to the studio on Saturday.  Today I’m still sniffing and coughing but just about back to rights but with six days missed I now have to try and catch up with my work.  I don’t normally work to a deadline but with the show coming up in Strathearn Gallery in early February I have quite a tight schedule.  I also sold one painting the previous weekend and have heard that I may have sold another one at one of the galleries …so a bit more work to be done….it’s all go.

Posted in Exhibitions, Personal, Studio - Videos Tags: , , No Comments »

Snap!

Posted by admin on December 2nd, 2010
West from Cul Mor, Assynt

West from Cul Mor, Assynt

I’ve loved taking photographs ever since buying my first camera, (a little Ilford instamatic) through a special offer on the back of a cereal box, back in 1969.  It wasn’t the finest of cameras but at the age of ten it seemed pretty good to me.  I bought it just before we went on holiday to Eire and I came back with 12 (albeit rather fuzzy) photos of the Dingle peninsular.  What is more, they were the only photographs of the holiday  ….my father had failed to load his 35 mm film properly and came back to find an unexposed roll of film in his camera!

That little camera certainly got me into snapping photos whenever we went anywhere and before long I moved up market a little and got myself a very solid Zenith SLR. This camera was certainly not a sexy beast, (I think it was made out of plate steel) and I  lugged it around along with a great little Weston light meter, for many years.   By the time I was at Falmouth School of Art in the early 1980’s it was a bit of a joke to many of my friends who had spent much of their grants on new hi tech cameras.  In the Easter break in 1981 a small group of us spent three weeks up on North Uist enjoying the wild beaches, the loch strewn land and the isolated hills of Beinn Mhor and Hecla.  One of the group forgot to take a spare battery for his camera …and it ran out on the first week  …no place to buy a replacement of course.  Another friend, Paul, dropped his camera and being made out of plastic, the top cracked.  And so it was yours truly  (feeling rather smug) with my battered old iron clad manual Zenith who came away with the photos.

From Am Bodach, the Mamores

From Am Bodach, the Mamores

The Zenith, (now almost 35 years old,) still works although I put it into retirement at least ten years ago) and I’ve now moved into the digital age!!  As my sight deteriorated I found I was taking more and more bad photographs.  Using film and finding that 22 out of the roll of 24 were either tilting the sea out, had a thumb in the corner, or were simply just dreadful …well, it was getting expensive….hence my getting a digital camera. Now I can tilt the skyline as much as I want, take hundreds of dreadful pictures and get all five digits in front of the lens …and it doesn’t cost me anything …and if you snap enough you tend to get a couple of reasonable pictures most days.

On the edge of Rannoch Moor

On the edge of Rannoch Moor

Anyway, the reason for rambling on about photographs and cameras is that we’re holding a small Christmas Affordable Art Fair at the Harbour Arts  Centre in Irvine on Sunday 5th December and Sunday 19th December.  Around about a dozen of the artists and makers at the Courtyard Studios will be taking part with a wide range of paintings, drawings, prints, jewellery and cards on sale.  I’ve decided to show a dozen photographs taken on the Scottish hills during the last 10 or so years.  Most of them are my own but I’ve also included a couple that my partner Anita took….with her permission of course!  It’ll be interesting to see what reaction I get with them.

The Cobbler

The Cobbler

So, the event runs from 12 noon until 4 pm on 5th & 19th December.  The Courtyard Studios are only two doors away from the Harbour Arts Centre on Harbour Street in Irvine.  I’ll have my studio open as well so if you want to see some paintings too, then just drop by.  There should be other studios open at the Courtyard too.  I look forward to meeting anyone who can get along.

Posted in Exhibitions, Information Updates, Mountain Photos, Personal, Photography Tags: , , , , , , , No Comments »

A day on Beinn Chuirn …..but not on good form

Posted by admin on November 27th, 2010
View from the coire Ben Chuirn

View from the coire Ben Chuirn

It’s amazing, I’ve been walking in the hills since the age of ten ….introduced to the mountains by my father shortly after we moved to Wales from Essex in 1969.   I loved these wild places so much that when my sight went bad back in the early 90’s I was still determined to continue these walks despite the practical difficulties.  I’m certainly not an outdoor expert, (I still have much to learn) but I am I guess fairly experienced when it comes to walking in the hills. This said however, every once in a while I have a day when I really struggle, where quite simply I lose my nerve somewhat.  Yesterday was just such an occasion.

What should have been another fantastic day, turned into a difficult and quite stressful one for me.  The forecast for the Loch Lomond National Park area had improved rapidly over the previous 24 hours and although there was much snow falling over in the east of the country, on the west coast it was dry, bright and cold.  We planned to drive up to Tyndrum and walk into Cononish glen as far as the farm of Cononish.  Here the track splits, one continuing up the glen to end below Ben Lui, the other heading up hill to the entrance of the small gold mine at the base of Beinn Chuirn…..the hill we were hoping to walk.

Beinn Chuirn

Beinn Chuirn

There was a dusting of snow on the ground at Tyndrum but most of the hills around had little or no snow on them.  As the path entered the Cononish glen though, we got our first view of Ben Lui …and it was well covered with snow.  It looked superb and all of its 1100m.  Its neighbour, Beinn Chuirn (880m) was though, virtually clear of the white stuff.  It all looked rather strange.  Beinn Chuirn has an impressive coire below its summit and we hoped we would be able to walk up into this and then out onto its rim and around that to the summit cairn.  This looked fairly steep but as we approached the hill above Cononish, Anita and our friend Guy both said it looked OK.

At this point though we left the track and headed across the rough ground aiming for the coire …and things became pretty difficult.  Although there was no snow, the ground was completely frozen in most places, there were numerous areas of solid ice hidden in the grass and heather, some areas were frosted, some in bright sun, some in deep shadow and of course there were numerous rocks.

From the coire, Ben Chuirn

From the coire, Ben Chuirn

Now then, I’ve walked on ground like this plenty of times before and although it’s difficult I’ve not had a problem.  Yesterday however, for whatever reason, I just found it very challenging. I moved exceedingly slowly despite putting on the spiders to help give me extra grip on the icy ground.  Nita and Guy were as always, very patient and guided me excellently, but with the prospect of the ground getting much steeper I really wasn’t looking forward to the ascent.  At this time of year the days are almost at their shortest and I knew I had to get back to the big track in the glen before it got dark.  I looked at the slow pace I was going and realised there was no way that I would be able to get up to the top and back down in time.

We decided instead to carry on into the coire but simply try to get to a point where we could see our route to the top ….then at least we’d know for a future trip.  Well then, we did manage this and the coire was dramatic and the views back out, very impressive …but I was really struggling on this patchwork of surfaces.  After a lunch break we retreated back down into the glen and arrived back at the car as it was getting dusk.  Nita and Guy had enjoyed their day…..I on the other hand, felt rather glum.  I honestly don’t know why I found it so difficult yesterday.  Perhaps though it’s that on this occasion I thought just a little bit too much about what I was doing.

Dusk, Ben Lui from Cononish

Dusk, Ben Lui from Cononish

Walking hills and mountains when you have such a limited amount of sight, really is quite difficult.  It takes a huge amount of concentration, great guides (which I’m lucky to have in Nita and Guy), and at times a little bit of bottle.  Either that or you just need to be completely mad!  I think most of the times I’m out in these wonderful wild places; it’s a little bit of all of these.   Sometimes though, like yesterday, reality cuts in and I find it quite scary!   Next time though I’ll get it right again… with a bit of luck.

Photos by Anita Groves

Posted in Information Updates, Inspiring Mountain Walks, Mountain Photos, Personal, Visual Disability Tags: , , , , , , No Comments »

A change of scene

Posted by admin on September 9th, 2010
New Look Courtyard

New Look Courtyard

When I left Irvine for Speyer on May 11th, big changes were afoot at the courtyard studios. WASPS had decided to refurbish the studios and while doing so, were taking the opportunity to create several new spaces in the roof space. The work was planned to last until around the start of July and in a way, it was perfect timing for me as I would miss much of the disruption. As it turned out, I heard tell of the disruption every few days as Anita was ‘studio sitting’. My space is in the old part of the building. I’m not quite sure how old, but a chap came in the other year and told me that my studio used to be his office back in the 1950s…when he was a customs officer. Since then it had fallen into disrepair….understatement. When the builders moved in, they found that a section of the floor joists had rotted through and it was only the patchwork of pink and yellow carpet that was holding the floor up! The rear wall, covered by a chipboard outer, was completely crumbling away and Gordon, one of the other artists, described it as being like a waterfall when it rained…explains the dampness I think.

Anyway, I flew back to Scotland last Thursday evening and went down to my studio on Friday…and what a difference. For starters, the dreadful pink outer walls are now a slightly better, if somewhat strange, green colour….but it does look a lot better and people have started to notice us. As for my own studio, they have done a great job…a new floor, the waterworks completely repaired and a new door that actually fits the frame…and a heater! With a bit of luck, it will be a much more pleasant experience during the winter months and I’ll not need to dress up like the Michelin man.

New Look for the WASP Courtyard Studios, Irvine, Ayrshire

The WASP Courtyard Studios, Irvine, Ayrshire

So then, it has been straight back to work, as I have to get 6 pieces ready for a group show at Scotlandart.com which opens in late October. It’s great to be back in Scotland but although there’s lots of work to do, I am going to make sure there’s time to relax too. Today Anita and I have been to see the magnificent exhibition of the Lewis chessmen at the National Museum of Scotland and the Impressionist Gardens exhibition at the RSA, both in Edinburgh. We’re heading up for a walk near the Cairngorms on Sunday and have already organised a day on the hill with our very good friend Guy…I can’t wait. Well and truly back in business I think.

*** Please note that WASP Courtyard Studios will be having its traditional Open Weekend from the 2nd and 3rd of October. So why not come along and see the changes. Everyone is very welcome!  ***

Posted in Information Updates, Personal, Studio - Videos Tags: , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Well then, that just about wraps it up…

Posted by admin on September 3rd, 2010

at-the-kunstlerhaus

At the Kunstlerhaus

I’m awake and up early this morning and after two or three days of heavy rain it looks like I might have one last sunny day here in Speyer before I fly back to Scotland. It’s quite amazing really to think my stay in Germany is almost over. I guess it’s a time of mixed emotions …. I’ve had a great time, met some amazing people, great artists and thoroughly enjoyed living in this beautiful and friendly little city …..but ….on the other hand I think I’m about ready now to get back to Irvine, albeit with its litter strewn streets. I’ve missed my walk along the harbour side to my studio each day, hearing the sound of the yachts clinking at their moorings, the raucous cries of the gulls and the beautiful song of the skylarks on the other side of the river….and perhaps it’s that very special Scottish thing …the quality of light, that I’ve missed the most. I always say to people who visit my studio in Irvine, that I just love the harbour side because it doesn’t matter what the weather is doing, whether it’s pouring with rain or bright sunshine, summer or winter …the light is always wonderful. It’s a very special place.

But before getting back to it there are a few final things to be done and said here. I am currently sat amidst the remnants of my exhibition. The show ended on Sunday evening and although it’d only been open for three days, I’m pleased to report that it was a real success. There was a real ‘buzz’ about the preview last Thursday and this followed through over the next few days, resulting in over half the available pieces being sold. Interestingly, the four ‘Scottish’ scenes I painted here (that were not for sale as they are for the forthcoming Jolomo Finalists exhibition in London next month) generated a lot of interest ….indeed I could have sold a couple of them several times over! So then, a good boost to my bank balance and my studio rent is secure for another year …great stuff.

You know the big drawing I’ve been going on about for the last month or so? Well, that is probably the most interesting tale from the whole exhibition. I did this drawing …well, just because I could. What I mean is, because I had a five metre long wall to work on. At home I can just about fit a 2 metre wide painting board on the wall so this was an opportunity not to miss. When we came to hang the exhibition it seemed right to include the drawing …it did, even though I say it myself, look good, but I never really thought, (it being 4 metres long and a metre and a half high) that anyone would want to buy it. As it turned out, I actually had four people interested, including the new Lord Mayor. In the end, a local businessman bought the piece for his popular city centre restaurant. He invited Anita and me down to the restaurant to see the wall where he was planning to hang the drawing …and it’s a great space in a great location. He already has two big pieces of artwork hanging in the restaurant and so my drawing will fit in well I think. There was of course the question of just how exactly the drawing would be hung, but after a visit from a local carpenter and much discussion, a solution has been arrived at. People here who’ve seen the drawing seem to be genuinely pleased that it will stay in Speyer …and in a place where they can get to see it …the restaurant where it is to hang has a reputation for high quality food and wine …so a good excuse to go and see the picture! Of course this now gives me a good excuse to visit Speyer again …as if I needed one!

Despite my worries about how I’d cope with little sight and not speaking the language, it’s been a wonderful time. Everyone has been so friendly and helpful and I’ll leave on Thursday with some great memories and some real friends. The arts are so well supported here, both by the city and its inhabitants …but then again, why not, the city has many fine artists living and working here. The Kunstlerbund is a group the city can be proud of and I’ve been delighted to have been their guest this summer. I am the 23rd guest artist to live and work in the Kunstlerhaus and I’m sure whoever the 24th lucky artist is, he or she will have an equally enjoyable and inspiring time as I.

Posted in Information Updates, Personal, Speyer Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Last week I bought a goat….

Posted by admin on August 17th, 2010

view-from-the-top

View from the top

It’s been a busy week again….so apologies for the very late arrival of last weeks blog. I’ve been trying to get my last few paintings finished and have also been busy socialising….there have been dinner invitations, art events and a meeting with the local press, and I’ve been out walking each of the last two weekends,……oh, and I bought a goat! So then, it’s been quiet hectic but very good fun.

Before telling of the walks I’ve done I feel it only right that I first explain about the goat. On Saturday I was invited to join some friends to see an exhibition of work by a group of young Rwandan artists. This was more than just an exhibition, it was part of fund raising event organised by a charitable organisation working in Rwanda. They were raising money in order to purchase these animals for the communities there. It seemed a simple but effective way of providing help and an interesting way for people to donate something to the charity. The exhibition was good with a number of very striking paintings. There was also an exhibition of photographs, displays of craft-ware and live music and good food …it made for a great evening out.

As I said though, I’ve also been out walking a couple of times …and what a difference a week makes. A week ago I had a phone call from Mike Lauter asking if I’d fancy going for a walk somewhere. It was a beautiful day with clear skies and bright sun.

above-the-forest-late-afternoon

Above the forest, late afternoon

We headed for the hills and after about 40 minutes drive the road we were on started to climb very steeply through the trees, zigzagging its way up hill. At the high point a number of cars were parked and a sign stated we were at a little over 400 m. We headed off along a broad path and as it was quite late in the afternoon, met a lot of people heading back towards their cars. We were then onto a small footpath the gradually climbed through the trees …it was beautiful with the deep shade and bright spots of sunlight. After a while we reached the top of the hill and crowning it was a magnificent ruined castle that gave superb views out over the valley below and across the wooded hills for as far as we could see. Our route back followed another path that went right around the hill, gradually descending to reach the place where we started ….and of course, taking in a small Inn / cafe along the way.

could-be-scotland

Could be Scotland!

Yesterdays walk was to a different place, but was a longer walk ….and the weather …well it could easily have been Scotland on one of its more infamous weather days! Instead of the bright sun and beautiful views, we found ourselves in cloud for much of the walk and rain that fell heavy and torrential for most of the 4 hours we were walking. But as we all said, it was good to get out and stretch the legs and at the outward point of our trip there was conveniently situated another fine inn.

I’m hoping that when I get back to Scotland in a couple of weeks I’ll be able to enjoy a few late summer days walking in the Highlands before the winter rain and gales arrive ….if not, then at least yesterdays walk will have got me back into the swing of cloud and rain and a house full of wet gear!

Posted in Inspiring Mountain Walks, Personal, Speyer Tags: , , , , , , No Comments »

Holiday booking – May 2011

Posted by admin on June 18th, 2010

On Cul Mor, Assynt

On Cul Mor, Assynt

I was talking with my partner yesterday evening about the various commitments I have for 2011. Despite it being some time away I already have a number of things lined up. In February I have a solo show of work at the Strathearn Gallery in Creiff …it’s a big space and will take a lot of filling – around 45 pieces of work apparently. Later, in the autumn, I’ve been invited to show work as part of the 2011 Dundee Mountain Film Festival. This runs for one weekend but each year they invite one artist and one photographer to show a selection of their work as part of the festival. At some stage next year, possibly in August, I’ve been invited to show work in a group exhibition at the Queens Gallery in Dundee. So then, as I say, I have a few things lined up ….and no holiday booked! As I’ve said in past blogs, we normally go away for the first two weeks in May and so, not as to miss out, we decided to book a place well ahead ….otherwise I’ll agree to something and we’ll miss our spring trip to the Highlands!

´From the summit, Ben Stack'

´From the summit, Ben Stack'

I think I must be getting old because in the past we always used to go somewhere different each year. Back in 2006 however we ventured north to Assynt for the first time ….and fell in love with the place. We went back the following year and then again last year. Guess what? We’re booking again for 2011! The thing is, it’s not just the stunning landscape, the beautiful spring colours, the magnificent wildlife and the friendly welcome everywhere, it’s also that we’ve found the most idyllic little place in which to stay. Being walkers, we like to get out early and arrive back late …and so we’re not really hotel or B&B people ….we like to self cater and then we can do exactly what we want to do at the time we want to do it. In 2006 we were looking for just such a place, either a cottage or static caravan ….and while Nita was trawling through the web pages she came across one advertising ‘Hill head Caravans’ in Achmelvich on the coast just north of Lochinver. It sounded perfect – a small group of vans set just back from a beautiful sandy beach …and just four miles from Lochinver. Well to call it perfect is an understatement. When we arrived that first holiday we couldn’t really believe quite what we’d found. You get to Achmelvich on a small single track road with stunning views down to a little sea loch below and bigger views across to the Assynt peaks. The wee road winds its way down to the community of Achmelvich. Maysie and Durrant MacLeod, the owners of the small site, were so friendly on our arrival and the vans were spotless, set just five minutes from the beach. In early May it was fairly quite here and when we set eyes on the beautiful curving white sands of the beach …there was hardly anyone else on it …just numerous birds and an odd seal bobbing about in the bay …wow, what a place to stay for two weeks.

'Suilven from Canisp, Assynt'

'Suilven from Canisp, Assynt'

We were lucky the first year there, the weather was very kind to us, it being hot and sunny and dry most of the time. We had wonderful days walking and exploring some of the famous Assynt hills, Canisp, Suilven, Conival and Quinag and spent less active days wandering along the rocky coastline or just sitting enjoying the peace and quiet of Achmelvich.

In the end then, it’s hardly surprising that we went back two more times …there’s hills a plenty and peace and quiet enough to un-wrangle the most stressed out brain. Here is to May 2011 and another bit of pure Scottish magic.

For more information click Hillhead in Achmelcich, Assynt.

Posted in Exhibitions, Information Updates, Inspiring Mountain Walks, Mountain Photos, Personal Tags: , , , , , , , No Comments »

Arrived!

Posted by admin on May 26th, 2010
speyer-river

View of Speyer across the river

Well, it’s not far short of two years since I first heard about the Speyer scholarship. I’d been working into the evening at the studio in September 2008 when I had a knock on the door and three visitors from Germany came in to see my work. One of them, a chap called Markus, was a member of the Speyer Kunstlerbund and before leaving, told me all about the annual scholarship ….and asked if it was something I’d be interested in…..and I said ‘yes’. The rest, as they say, is history, and two weeks ago I travelled out with my partner Anita. She’s joining me for the first couple of weeks to help me find my way around….and hopefully have a bit of a holiday too.

Being very unused to air travel and all the rigmarole of checking in, security and departure gates …we decided to give ourselves plenty of time. Our flight to Frankfurt left Edinburgh at 1.45pm and so, just to make absolutely sure you understand, we left Irvine at 8.30 am!

It was all a bit strange at the airport but even going at a snails pace we still had time for a leisurely pint, a leisurely look through the bookshop and a leisurely lunch ….and still had a fair wait at the departure gate ….so no rush! The flight was great and luckily Nita had a window seat and took her duties as guide to heart …giving me a full description of everything she could see below. This though lapsed as we came in to land at Frankfurt and my surprise as we touched down was only exceeded by Nita spotting a fox wandering across the grass at the side of the runway ….street wise or what?!

Two of the members from the Kunstlerbund had very kindly driven to the airport to meet us and so we had a great welcome and were driven in style to Speyer and the Kunstlerhaus where I am to live and work during my stay. As we approached Speyer the skies darkened, lightening flashed and the rain started to fall ….quite an arrival although sadly the grand view of the magnificent cathedral as you approach the city, was blotted out by the weather …but it was very dramatic all the same.

When we arrived at the Kunstlerhaus, several other members of the group were there to greet us and we celebrated the start of the scholarship with a glass of wine. The Kunstlerhaus itself is wonderful. It has its own small courtyard and two big light studio / gallery rooms. Upstairs I have a flat and all has been provided for a very comfortable stay over the summer. The fine hospitality didn’t stop there though and we were taken out to a local restaurant for beer and a very fine meal …wow!

By the time we got back we were both pretty tired. It had been a long but very enjoyable day …I lay awake in bed not quite believing I was actually in Germany and set up so well for a full summer of painting. All my gear arrived ok as did the materials I’d ordered …so I have no excuses now!

My studio in Speyer Sämergasse

My studio in Speyer Sämergasse

Watch this space!

Posted in Information Updates, Personal, Speyer, Studio - Videos Tags: , , No Comments »

Removals, wanders and warbles

Posted by admin on May 6th, 2010

Below White Caterthun

Below White Caterthun

I think I may have mentioned already that we have the builders in at the Courtyard Studios. They’re creating new studio spaces in the loft area and refurbishing the older studio building. So, when it’s all finished in June everything is going to look good and we’ll have space for a few new artists and craftspeople …so if you’re Ayrshire based and looking for studio space it’d be worth contacting WASPS …see the link at the side of this page. Of course the work is creating a little bit of mayhem as everyone has to move out and into a spare space while their studio is done. It’s going pretty well though and the new studio spaces are looking good. As I’m going to be away soon, the work in my studio is not starting until next week, but with all the jobs still needing to be done prior to my trip to Speyer, I decided it would be easier to clear my studio a week early …taking everything home. It’s surprising just how much junk you can accumulate in a couple of years and my studio was no exception. It took Anita and I most of last weekend to clear the space and cart all of the stuff home …and today I passed the keys over to the builders. The work will be finished by the end of May and so Anita will be using the space for a couple of days a week while I’m in Germany….she can be the first one to splash paint on the newly refurbished studio!

With the removal work all completed, my next job was to pack some of my painting gear and get it sent across to Speyer. This actually turned out to be easier than expected (well, if the stuff arrives OK that is) and yesterday a large old banana box full of paint, pastels and brushes was collected from my house and is as I type winging it’s way to Speyer. With a bit of luck it’ll be waiting for me on Tuesday next and I’ll be able to ‘hit the ground running’, as they say.

From the White Caterthun, Angus

From the White Caterthun, Angus

On Thursday we decided to take a wee break and drove up to see our friend Norma who lives in Angus. We do a walk or two with her most years and she is the coordinator for the ‘summer mountain skills course for visually impaired’ that is run at Glenmore Lodge by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland. It’s a fantastic course that is now in it’s tenth year …if you’re interested in learning more about the course, check out the Glenmore Lodge website …a quick ‘Google’ should find it.

Anyway, we had a great little visit and on Friday morning Norma suggested we do a short walk over a couple of local hills – the White and Brown Caterthuns. These wee hills sit on the edge of the Angus hills and each has an ancient hill fort at the top. Apparently they’re of different ages and the White Caterthun is very obvious, being a very large circle of piled stone. The weather last Friday morning was pretty fine with lots of sun but large shower clouds brewing. As we reached the top of White Caterthun and started to wander around the old fort or dun, we found ourselves being rained on…quite heavily! One of these big shower clouds had crept up on us. It didn’t last long and the views out across the Angus countryside were really beautiful. The Brown Caterthun lies a couple of kilometres away but to us, there didn’t really seem to be much sign of the ancient fort when we got there …but then again as both Norma and I are registered as blind, that’s not saying much!

The Angus countryside from White Caterthun

The Angus countryside from White Caterthun

It wasn’t the biggest walk I’ve ever done but it really was very enjoyable. Just getting out in such beautiful countryside does a lot of good especially in such a busy and hectic time. As we walked past a wee coppice of trees I heard the first Willow Warbler of the summer ….what more can you want?

Posted in Inspiring Mountain Walks, Mountain Photos, Personal, Visual Disability Tags: , , , , No Comments »
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

    Contact Details

  • Tel: 07568 380552 or 01294 216427
    E-mail: keith@keithsalmon.org