Last week, my friend Isabel invited me to stay with her for a few days in a beautiful cottage in the English Lake District. The cottage overlooked Lake Windermere and was part of an old converted school. While I was there, she asked me to show her how to paint in watercolour since she wanted to try it, but had never painted since leaving school. We started with a blue flower and then moved on to a strawberry. I will let her tell you of her experiences, in her own words.

“I think the best thing was that you chose very simple shapes and a single colour. Even using something as simple as this, I was able to learn a great deal.   I also appreciated watching you demonstrate, seeing you do it and then for me to create my own version. I found it interesting that you were aware that we see things differently and was prepared to let me paint what I saw, for example the sage green strawberry leaves.”

“You made it much less scary by stressing the fun element and the fact that it was very private; that no one needs to see it.  By saying that, the process became almost more important than the outcome and the pressure was taken off. You have always said that time passes quickly whn you are painting, but I had thought that that wouldn’t be the case with me. I thought I would struggle so much I would lose heart, get bored and want to stop soon. In fact I almost missed lunch - most unlike me!”

I am very happy to say that Isabel went off and bought  paper and books on watercolour painting and drawing so I am sure she will get as hooked on it as I am. Thanks to Isobel I had a very happy time with her at her cottage and look forward to seeing what she paints in the future, that is if I’m allowed to see it.

Aileen

I have just spent two weekends selling my paintings and prints on the Railings at the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow. (20/21 and 27/28 June). There were up to 22 artists there selling their work outdoors, hanging work on the railings, as part of the Glasgow West End Festival fortnight. I only decided, with my husband Mike, to take a ‘pitch’ at short notice and so we spent a hectic few days selecting paintings, getting them ready, wrapping them in Cellophane, labelling them, and getting all the other materials we needed to make a good display. We had to be at the railings at 7am each day to get a ‘good pitch’ and set up the display. Because it was selling outdoors, we had to be ready to cover everything with polythene should it start raining. Only on one day of the 2 weekends did we have a few showers and luckily these were very brief.

My display on the first day

Over the two weekend I sold 18 original paintings and 18 prints directly from the display or from a browser  and the response from the public to my work was very gratifying. Even those who did not buy, but stopped to look, were very complementary in their comments. In addition to this, I met lots of other artists who were all very friendly and chatty and it was very enjoyable talking with them when there were few people about.

Some of the 22 artists showing their work on the railings

Given the success and enjoyment of the weekends, I hope to be able to do this event again next year.

Aileen