Exhibitions are like buses . . .

Paula's Pansy - an early work!

© Teresa Kirkpatrick 2007

It's the end of September, and the final day of our exhibition at Artscape. It's been really strange with so few paintings in the house: apart from the ones at Artscape, one of my early works - Paula's Pansy - has been gracing the walls of Wesley's Coffee Shop at the Methodist Church in the High Street all month as part of a general Open Studios promotion in Harpenden. The Marbre Therese at Portmagee and Lavender Fields have just gone over to Letchworth for the forthcoming Open Exhibition at the Letchworth Arts Centre.

And last weekend I took three of my Tolkien paintings to the annual Tolkien Society Oxonmoot conference in Oxford, where there is a regular Art Exhibition. This year we were at Lady Margaret Hall. The event attracts a lot of Society members, many of whom visit the exhibition during the course of the weekend. Those of us exhibiting have the opportunity to hang our work alongside established Tolkien artists such as Ted Nasmith, Ruth Lacon and Jef Murray. The Oxonmoot Art Show is organised by Becky Hitchin, who also exhibits her work at the show. There were Tolkien-related lectures throughout the weekend, and the chance to catch up with old friends. You can read more about this year's Oxonmoot - and previous Tolkien-related events - here.

Exhibitions are like buses really . . . none for ages, then loads all at once. I'm still painting, though, and should have something new to post here soon!

A Room with a View

l - r: Betty's illustrations, my watercolours & Sue's paintings and Vanessa's acrylics © Teresa Kirkpatrick 2009

A Private View, to be precise. Friday night saw we five ladies of Artscape Arts nervously fluttering around in the upstairs room at Artscape, Harpenden's premier supplier of art, craft & office materials (and fine framing), taking each other's photos in front of our work and wondering how many of the invited guests would come along to see our exhibition, and how we were going to eat all the food we'd laid on if the turnout was low.













Judi's glass art display and a little something for the guests' refreshment! © Teresa Kirkpatrick 2009

We needn't have worried. Around fifty wonderful friends, relatives, fellow artists and other interested parties enjoyed the evening, including Rosemary Farmer, the Town Mayor, who, it transpires, is an art lover. There was plenty for everyone to look at, too: Sue's vibrant paintings inspired by ancient landscapes, Betty's amazing illustrations done for Vogue in the 1940s, Vanessa's bold, bright acrylics, Judi's beautiful glass pieces and my watercolours of Kerry and anything else which takes my fancy - I'm showing Swan and May Evening, Harpenden Common, amongst others!













The 'miscellaneous' wall: Betty's & Sue's watercolours alongside my photos and a life study by yours truly; and 'card corner' - Sue's above, mine below and Judi's to the side! © Teresa Kirkpatrick 2009

The main aim of the evening was for the guests to enjoy the art, and the food, and meet and chat to the artists - which they did - and during the course of the evening I was encouraged to find I'd sold some prints and cards as well. Preparing for this exhibition - and our Open Studios days on 12th, 17th - 19th and 24th - 26th September, when some of us will be at Artscape doing demos and chatting to the public - has been a long hard slog, but Friday made it all worthwhile.

Many thanks to my fellow artists Sue, Judi, Betty and Vanessa; to Jon the invaluable Artist's Assistant; and especially to Gamet, David, and the rest of the team at Artscape for their support.