Once a year ain’t bad I suppose.

Well, actually it’s not good either. I would have hoped to update before now.

My last blog post detailed some of my experiences of 2023 and ended with my exhibition at An Talla Dearg. and, as I write this a new exhibition has been hung and I’m more than well enough now to do a duty or two myself!

I’ve a lot of new work and have been adding some images of it to my website. I will probably upload some art for sale once the exhibition is over, perhaps just on my Etsy shop, but I might upload some of my larger pieces for sale here as I’ve had some enquiries, so watch this space for more info on that,

It’s great to be at Hotel Eilean Iarmain again, last year I only managed a quick visit. It’s only day two, but it’s been lovely so far. Lots of nice friendly visitors and one or two sales and I’m sitting here listening to a rather chatty duck announcing his presence to the world outside the gallery.

So where have I been?

After my last post I ended up in hospital again, no need for an operation that time, but it was a bit of a bump in the road and the recovery process slowed for quite a while.

Then my mother took ill and ended up in a care home.

I’m not going into details here, but the combination of my own ill health and having to help support my mother meant no time for art at all. In May my mother died and in July my son got married. So the first half of the year was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster.

Since then I’ve made a lot of art. My style has changed a bit I think, it’s looser than it was and I’ve been focussing on getting some texture as well as light into my work. I’ve always struggled to capture the texture of the vegetation, the flora and fauna, but I think I’m getting there at last.

Sitting here, looking at my current body of work, I still have a lot of water in my compositions, but I also have a fascination for the iconic white houses that dot the Highland landscape. It’s been rather wonderful to have such a creative period and I’m still full of ideas, though maybe things will slow down for a little while.

Having two deadlines, however was key in getting me back into the studio. I had so little work left and I think mild panic was a great incentive. In addition to the exhibition at An Talla Dearg I was very privileged to be invited to exhibit at a wonderful local cafè (Waterside Cafè) with a great photographer Rob Wilkinson of BobTeddy Images

Our exhibition was part of a whole week of events in my home village. Tartan Week, Lochcarron this year was a trial project. We’re very lucky to be the original home of Lochcarron of Scotland, which is a world famous Tartan manufacturer. (I’ve linked to their heritage shop, here and, if you are planning on buying Tartan or are just interested please do check it out.) The thinking was that if New York can celebrate Tartan we should be able to do so too.

The event was a great success (there are loads of photos and more information on the Facebook page above if you are interested.) and it will definitely be happening again next year.

As well as my event with Rob as also got to work with wonderful local artist Sarah Longley who (amongst other things) is a very skilled community artist. We had 44 children take part and we’re hoping to be able to create a permanent display of the artwork that they created.

I also became quite involved in another community project. A group of us started a Growing Group and we manage a garden at the new community centre in the village, as well as maintaining barrels that line the Main Street. This year we also built a community polytunnel, which has definitely helped me to regain some fitness.

So it’s definitely been a year of two halfs. The first six/seven months I was focussed on my own health and family, the second half has been home and art orientated.

I hope and plan to update several times before Christmas, but there have been so many changes and surprises this year, that I don’t want to promise.

Please do message me me if anything in this blog has resonated with you, if you have any comments or want to share your experience of the last year, please do get in touch.

Much love, Cindie

#art, #anartistslife, #healthandfamily, #communityprojects, #bumpsintheroad