Kilmorack Gallery Christmas Exhibition 2009

Much to my amazement, it is a year since I was asked by artist Brigid Collins to frame a number of paintings for entry into an exhibition at the Kilmorack Gallery, near Beauly. They were the first ‘proper’ framing commissions I had ever undertaken and so hubs and I made the trip all the way up to Inverness-shire to see my handiwork ‘in the flesh’.

Well one year on, and in collaboration with Brigid, I have just completed two frames for her work in this years Christmas 2009 exhibition which previews this Thursday 27 November. ‘You could not come’ and ‘Our two soules’ are shown above and opposite.

Over 30 artists are represented, including Brigid’s husband, Alan McGowan and the exhibition continues until Christmas. If you are up that way, it’s a beautiful gallery and well worth a visit.

A feeling of deja vu

Yes I know I should have accents (acute/grave/circumflex/cedilla or whatever) on my title but I can’t find the appropriate key commands. No doubt someone will tell me. Anyway, the heading refers to the fact that, for the second post in succession, I appear to have lost another month. Where did October go? I was all set to write about the lovely autumn weather. Golden, russet and scarlet leaves adorning the trees. Glorious sunny days with cloudless blue skies. Unusually balmy temperatures.

But I’m too late! November has arrived and with it, lashing rain and gale force winds.

And the heaters are back on. For the faithful few followers of my sporadic ramblings, you will remember that the winter months here at Albion Road are none too warm. This year, I have invested in extra heaters, new boots (with room enough for a couple of pairs of socks) and leather gloves that once sported fingers. With daily doses of zuppa from the wonderful Manna House bakery*, this should hopefully see me through till the thaws.

The passing of October also saw me complete my first year as a picture framer. I have thoroughly enjoyed my change in career. Working for myself and just myself, gives me a real sense of freedom. My time is my own. Unless, of course, I’m working to a deadline. Which on a number of occasions – exhibitions, weddings, etc – I have been. And I’ve made some lovely new friends on the way.

Right now, I am taking a few days off to visit my folks so hope to use my time efficiently, showing you pics of some of my most recent commissions.

Now where’s my digital camera?

*Readers of my earlier posts will recall that I wrote extolling the virtues of the wonderful zuppa. What I declined to tell you, was where it was from, lest you all flocked there. But like all good things in life, this is something that should be shared.

http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/edinburgh/business-guide/feature/the-manna-house/29053

What happened to July? And August!

OMG! I am so tardy! Only too aware that I haven’t posted for quite some time – but two months!
I’ve had some really nice framing projects since you last visited, so no excuse really for not showing them. I have lots of shots to upload, which I will do very soon (though not just now ’cos I’m off to yoga).
Amongst the clients I have been working for, three of them have work entered into the RSW (Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour). The exhibition, which finishes this Saturday 12 September, is on at The Meffan in Forfar. Looking at the website, www.rsw.org.uk there’s lots of great stuff, so if you can, pop up to Angus before this Saturday. I am going tomorrow with my friend and artist Brigid Collins, who has two entries in the exhibition.

Flaming June and The Roslin Studio Trail

Unbelievably, now half way through the year, here we are in June. Flaming June – as it is often referred to. And so far, it hasn’t been a bad one. A fair amount of sunshine with a smattering of showers and some nippy winds.

The workshop is heating up nicely and the windows have been thrown open a few times this week. And it has been a really good week work-wise. One that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

Last weekend I had a call from a client for whom I had done some work late last year. Her name is Aine Divine and she is a portrait painter who also happens to paint things other than people. Anyway, she had an exhibition looming and she called me to see if I could frame a number of oil paintings in time for this weekend. Never one to turn work away – particularly when I get the opportunity to work closely with the artist – of course, I jumped at the chance.

Aine came to see me last Sunday and we discussed what style of mouldings we felt would work for each individual painting. I really enjoy working with Aine as, although she has an idea of what she thinks will work, she pretty much leaves the decisions to me.

The following morning, I spent a couple of hours considering each individual painting in order to decide just what I would do with them. One thing I really enjoy doing, is working with bare wood, then hand staining and waxing the finished frame. I knew Aine liked this approach too as she had seen some of my other commissions, so decided I would do that with two of the larger pieces – Little Women, a mixed media piece and Sleeping Child (which along with the others, can be seen in the gallery opposite).

With both of these, I added slips. A cream covered slip in the case of Little Women, and a gold slip which I lightly brushed with an ivory paint, for Sleeping Child. Little Women is probably the most contemporary of all the paintings and as it is mixed media (oil and collage), we felt this one needed to be behind glass. (All the other paintings, beings oils, are not behind glass.)

Anyway, the work was completed and delivered on time (about 5 hours ago) in readiness for the weekend-long exhibition that starts tomorrow Saturday 13 June and continues on Sunday 14th as part of the Roslin Studio Trail. This also takes in the work of Sarah Keer-Keer. Both their studios are in the village of Roslin (surprise, surprise) and they can be found at:

2 Pentland View Terrace (Aine Divine) and 24 Manse Road (Sarah Keer-Keer).

View Larger Map

Do try and visit. If the weather holds, not only will it be a lovely day out, but there are lots of original artworks for sale – at very competitive prices. Not to mention, quality framing!

Aine’s work can also be found at: www.divineportraits.co.uk

Happy May Day

N’er cast a clout till May is out. Never a truer word!
The day started very promisingly, with beautiful blue skies over Edinburgh. It is now very grey. And raining.
I am hoping however, that the weather gods are shining down in Padstow, Cornwall where the May Day celebrations will be in full swing. We were lucky enough to live in Padstow a number of years ago and the village marks the day (and the arrival of Spring) with a fantastic display of pagan ritual. There is dancing in the streets, in the houses, around the harbour. There’s bunting aplenty and every lamp-post is adorned with greenery. There are parties, barbeques, picnics. And the pubs, it’s fair to say, do a roaring trade.
At the end of the day, the fairies come out and clean the litter-strewn streets of all the fallout, as if nothing had happened. Bit like Hogmanay in Edinburgh I guess. There, I’ve come full circle. Happy May Day everyone!

RSA Spring Open Exhibition

I was delighted, earlier this month, to be asked by my neighbour/friend/client, Brigid Collins, to frame a couple of pictures that she was entering for the RSA Spring Exhibition. Entry into this esteemed event is not automatic and all entrants are rigorously judged, so it was with bated breath that we waited to see if she had been successful.
And she was!
Her two pictures, numbered 20 and 60 in Gallery One, are shown here and opposite. I had great fun creating the frames, using a wide, natural barewood moulding which I then stained and waxed – many times over – to get the deep, rich colours and lovely patina.
For ‘Come See’ (no 20) I used two layers of ebony stain followed by generous helpings of dark Jacobean wax to match the greeny-black tones in the painting. For ‘Late Fragment’ (no 60) I lovingly applied about four layers of walnut stain then again, finished with the same dark wax to add that extra depth of colour and richness that so complemented the beautiful tones in the painting.
I was lucky enough to be invited by Brigid to attend the Friends of the RSA evening last Thursday (23rd) and saw my frames in all their glory. Her paintings (mixed media) are wonderful and, like most of the art on show, not at all expensive to buy. Indeed, the RSA (part of the Own Art scheme), is offering interest-free credit whereby any amount from £100 to £2000 can be used towards the purchasing of artwork. A brilliant idea.
So do, pop along and see these and many more wonderful paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs and architecture. The exhibition runs until May 20.

Well now it’s April

And the good old Scottish weather keeps lulling me into a false sense of security. The heater’s on. The heater’s off. The workshop is chilly. The workshop is positively tropical. The workshop is decidedly dusty!
This is a result, not of my slovenly ways, but of the building work being carried out in the unit next door to me. And the not-insignificant holes through which said dust is permeating. A good vac required me thinks.
Other than that, the workshop is looking quite good now as the final touches have been put in place.
Chevrons are on display (those inverted V-shaped thingys you see at all framers that help you pick your frame).
Mouldings (the technical term for the lengths of wood we use to make the frame) are neatly arranged in style/colour in specially made storage system.
Book-keeping is about to be tackled.
Or maybe I’ll take Zippy for a walk first.

Was that March?

Yes, it was. And now it is April. I drafted a post last month but never got around to publishing it so now it is totally irrelevant. So what were my excuses for such a barren March?

Well, I was quite busy doing some rather nice projects (see recent commissions opposite) and I’ve been trying to get up to speed with the whole social networking thing. Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Framers’ Forum etc etc. So many to choose from. But how much time do I devote to each? How many times a day?

It’s all quite fascinating and, for me, in the case of the Framers’ Forum particularly, extremely informative and educational. It’s great that people are willing to take the time to share so much valuable knowledge with those of us, newer to the game.

Not a dewdrop in sight

Today, my sleeves are rolled up. But not as you might think, because I am hard at it, working away. No, it’s because it is warm! And I even turned the heater down a notch!

I have survived my first winter down at Albion Road.

EdTwestival

Made a brief appearance at the inaugural Twestival last night at a place that used to be The Hallion but is now called something else beginning with H.

I don’t Twitter much. Or is it tweet? As you can tell. Else I would be twittering and not blogging. But there was damned fine turnout and a good time was had by all. No less by my old muckers at Whitespace, Alex ‘GoogleSightseeing’ Turnbull and Nev ‘Is it lunchtime‘ Stokes.

I persuaded Nev to pose for a picture with my hat on. He looked ridiculous. Like some drunken Scottish idiot. Which he isn’t of course. (He is a drunken Yorkshire idiot.) The photo didn’t come out, luckily.

Alex was on fine form and it was lovely to see him so blissfully happy with family life since the arrival of little Elsie.

More information about the whole Twestival initiative can be found here.

PS Nev isn’t really an idiot, he’s a absolute gent and I love him. He would make someone a smashin’ husband. If there’s anyone out there – you could Tweet him!