Tam O'Shanter Exhibition Kirkcudbright/Small Paintings

Our big annual art exhibition opens today till August, in the Town Hall, Kirkcudbright - The hall has been transformed into a fantastic backdrop for Robert Burn's "Tam O'Shanter" told in the form of massive paintings - a magical experience.
View my small paintings as you climb the stairs to the main exhibition - I was privileged to be asked to hang some work there - so come along and see them in the "flesh!"

The Glebe

I have sketched these trees quite a few times during the last few weeks and at different times of the day. I just have to walk to the end of the golf course in front of my house and there they are. The field is known locally as "the Glebe." You can just make out the River Dee in the distance on the lefthand side of the painting.

I took my Friday morning class out to sketch them one lovely sunny Friday - we all sat in the graveyard next door, (we didn't disturb a soul, literally) looking into the field at these gorgeous trees! We couldn't get into the field as there were sheep and cattle at either end. Funny how the sheep stayed as far away from the cattle as they could get and vice versa! It was a great morning and got my girls and boy using their new sketchbooks!

Crazy Daisy

This flower is called Crazy Daisy and I love the colour! The little glass jar is an Colman's Mustard container. This painting is dedicated to Ginger, a dear sweet friend who is so poorly in Colorado after a tragic accident

It has been like an Autumn day here so have been in the studio since 9am! My shoulders are aching but have managed to complete 2 small paintings, gessoed a load of boards. I've taken photos of my latest works, glued and clamped up a frame and NOT tidied up! I shall head up to the house very shortly, it has been a long but productive day!
I had a great day out sketching with Liz and Susan on Wednesday, though I did have one sunburnt lower leg! I thought I had put sunscreen on all the exposed areas, obviously not. I have been out sketching more and more and am trying not to be intimidated by passersby. In my next post I will let you see a small oil I have completed, of trees very near to me - I have sketched them a good few times, it definately makes a difference.

Maclaurin Open Exhibition, Ayr

My friend Liz and I headed up to Ayr yesterday (with the hubbies) to see our work hanging in the Rozelle Gallery. We are so delighted to have our work selected. It is a wonderful exhibition - if you can, go along and enjoy! You can also have a lovely lunch in the restaurant, so make a day of it!

Maybe even buy a painting or two!!

Sunny Sketches

We have had a beautiful week of great sunny warm weather! So the sketchbook came out. I even took my little class out to sketch too!

The sketches are just what they are - pretty sketchy, but I loved doing them. They were all done from one of the loveliest private gardens I have ever seen. I know what you are saying - no garden sketches! I was fascinated to see the High St from inside this garden - recognising the rooftop of Broughton House straight away - then I saw the chimney of a neighouring house had a gorgeous pink flowering plant covering the entire chimney top, looking so attractive, hence the rooftop sketches! My artist friends Pauline and Oriol had a wonderful time too in Jane and Lindsey's garden.

I have returned!

I am still in the land of the living, though having painters' block for so long, it hasn't felt like it. Today I made myself come down at 8.30am to the studio and paint all day! I have tried this on numerous occasions and all I have ended up with was a couple of wiped boards, come evening.
I was trying to paint more tulips and now I believe I am done with them till next year.

I bought 3 osteospernum plants yesterday, they are such an unusual colour, not red, not pink, not orange  but a mixture of the three. These little dotty cups and saucers were bought from our first summer car boot sales in the town's harbour square. I love that shade of green.
Last Friday I drove 4 friends out round the Wigtownshire (Yellow)route during the annual Spring Fling Open Studios. We had a wonderful day, so sunny and I was happy showing them all my childhood haunts. The studios were fantastic and the artists gave so much of themselves, their techniques and painting processes, with their materials and sketchbooks all on show. The work was beautiful too. I went on the local route on Sunday with B. Susan and Jan were inundated with visitors and sales were good too! Their work was well worth seeing, fabulous.

This photo shows the girls heading into the Stable block at Castle Kennedy - the whole grounds of the castle just takes your breath away. Michael Clark's work in the stable block was stunning. At Port Patrick, our last studio of the day, Suzan Malcolm's still life paintings were just the cherry on the cake - she is a lovely person too.
Spring Fling Open Studios seemed to have lost it's way over the last few years but I am so glad I gave it another "go", they excelled themselves! Well done to everyone taking part.

Clickety click Red High Heels

These are Rowan's red shoes - she is my daughter in law's little (not - she is so tall) sister. She is at drama school in Glasgow hoping to become a famous actress some day. Also in December she was Santa's tallest elf! 

to buywww.margaretsmilligan.co.uk

She was asked in her interview, what would she say to a child who thinks she is too big to be an elf of Santa's - her instant reply was " Santa needs really tall elves to reach the toys on the top shelves!!