This week I have worked on aluminium panels for the first time - the surface is coated to accept whatever media you’re using. These two - Robin on a Frosty Twig (15 x 20cm) and Winter Lane (12.5cm square) are both acrylic. I enjoyed painting them and will be working on these aluminium panels again I think!

Been a bit under the weather lately - either two colds one after the other or the same one continually mutating - but a mild malady I find very good for enforced productivity...

'Winter Tree in a Field', A3 acrylic on canvas (title may need some work!) and
'Brimlad', acrylic 290 x 290mm (an Anglo Saxon girl's name meaning seaway, fact fans)

Actually there isn't much sign of it at all - an unseasonable 19 degrees here today - although we are firmly into autumnal territory foliage-wise. Nevertheless this week I have been fixated on snow and have painted these two acrylics on board 'Winter mist, low sun' and 'Winter Crow'. Both A3.

This week 8-16 September sees the 50th Annual East Linton Open Art Show. This annual event was first held in 1968 when it was organised by the East Linton Traders Association and has been run by volunteers ever since. Read more at eastlintonannualartshow.weebly.com/ 
I am pleased to be one of the committee members who helped with the slightly daunting task of hanging nearly 300 works of art that were submitted! I have three framed works on display this week - 'Misty Autumn Woods'; 'Paragon & Design' and 'Two Yellow Floats'.

And what a summer it's been - weeks and weeks of warm sunny weather. I have been at my beach hut studio nearly every day, painting and meeting interesting people. Last week the Fringe by the Sea was in town too, so we were sharing our space with two Spiegeltents, interesting music and the daily tantalisation of wonderful cooking smells drifting over from the food court. I may have succumbed once or twice...
No hut today, or yesterday, as it has been rather damp. I have finally finished this painting 'Paragon & Design' and treated myself to a new tiny paintbrush (having ruined the old one!).
Next stop - the Edinburgh Macmillan Art Show at Bonhams in Edinburgh

The last ten days has seen a run of the best kind of late spring weather here in North Berwick - sunny, fairly warm and not too windy (which is rare!). I have been down at my beach hut studio every day (not today though as we seem to have reverted to a strong easterly wind which has sent the temperature right down) and, having brought down my easel and paints, I have been able to get on with some outdoor painting. This acrylic on canvas board was executed entirely outdoors, apart from the smaller tree on the right.

I seem to have been a little remiss in updating my blog recently so here are three bits of news all wrapped up in to one easily digested bundle...

1. I was delighted to be voted the winner of the Public Vote in the recent Dalkeith Arts Spring Exhibition held in the Riccio Gallery in Dalkeith, with my painting 'The Meadows in the Snow'.

2.  I am currently exhibiting some of my boat paintings in the lovely Number Four Gallery in scenic St Abbs, as part of their Spring Exhibition. This is a lovely gallery with a very fine mix of work on display and well worth a visit. http://www.numberfourgallery.co.uk/

3. I'm back in my Beach Hut! Yes, beach nut no 5 'Lamb' at North Berwick Harbour is again my home for the summer, providing a space to work and display my artwork. Still a little chilly some days but I'll be there when the weather is reasonable, from about 12.30 onwards.

A new venture which is fundraising for the main 3 Harbours Festival in June in Prestonpans, Port Seton and Cockenzie. I am taking part along with about twenty other local artists. The exhibition is taking place in Prestonpans Town Hall on 24th and 25th February - tea and coffee will be served and there is also a raffle.

After doing a fair amount of drawing in coloured pencils since the start of the year, this week I felt inspired to try something completely different from my usual. Canvas board is not a surface I have used often and the chance to try out a new palette of colours on a new surface was quite exciting. Add in to the mix pens, sponges and cocktail sticks and there has been a fair amount of experimentation. Luckily I am very pleased with the result!

"Late Autumn Apricity", acrylic and pen on canvas board, 500 x 400mm