Orkney Exhibition - Loft Gallery, South Ronaldsay

Arctic Terns: watercolour, 27"x22"

Almost there! I seem to have spent the whole of 2012 working on exhibition pieces or commissions - a far cry from the intended project which was supposed to be targeted towards my new book; landscape and plein air work only . . . ah well.

Oystercatchers & Curlew; conte & watercolour, 30"x22"

The show in the States opened a couple of weeks ago and seems to be fairly well received. I’m really disappointed I couldn’t scrape the time and/or funds together to make the trip over the water, but next time, maybe.

So –next up is slightly closer to home. When I was asked late last year to exhibit at The Loft Gallery in St Margaret’s Hope this summer, I was delighted to accept. I have only shown in this intimate and delightful upstairs gallery once before, and it was a thoroughly pleasurable experience. It was also an excellent opportunity to have a few glasses with old friends (we used to live just a couple of miles from the village). Some may say that preparing artwork for two One-man shows in as many months is an ambitious target, but I find the pressure of looming deadlines quite exhilarating and I think the work I’ve produced over the past couple of months is at least equal to the best of my efforts from previous years. Better than most, perhaps.  

Eiders; watercolour, 27"x22"

The show opens this Friday evening at 7pm, so if anyone is in the locale and would like to drop in for a glass and a chat about the work, please feel free to pop in.

Pee-wit!: conte & watercolour, 30"x22"

The rest of the working year will be spent in painting work for a joint exhibition at The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge in September, a few pieces for the FAME project with some really wonderful artists all contributing work for this most important seabird conservation project. The artists involved are:

Jane Smith http://janesmithwildlifeart.blogspot.co.uk/ Katrina van Grouw http://www.unfeatheredbird.com/Bruce Pearson http://www.brucepearson.net/Rhian Field http://www.rhianfield-art.co.uk/Sandy Grant http://gis.uk.com/artists.php/98/sandy+grant Howard Towll http://www.howardtowll.com/ Ruth Carruthers http://quiksilver.co.uk/en/women/news/20120706164152NEWS906614962623/india+bourne+interview+for+qsw.html

Eider & Arctic Terns; watercolour, 27"x22"  

Finally I will draw a line under the exhibiting year with preparation for the SWLA (Society of Wildlife Artists) Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London.  I can then turn my attentions to the slightly pressing issue of building my studio.  And then next year, I’ll be devoting my time to landscapes and plein air work only . . . maybe.