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.
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.
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.
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