Finding the Artist's Light

So excited to be back in Kirkcudbright for my second exhibition in the Tolbooth. We arrived as the Gallery and Museum was opening and quickly unpacked and began to hang the work.

It has a wire and track system that is easy to use.

 This time I have paintings of the wider area of Dumfries and Galloway as well as the street views of Kirkcudbright.

My buildings and streets are all framed in the same light ochre coloured frames. My lighthouses are framed in the dark grey.

Huge thanks to my very practical husband as he helped it all go up smoothly.

We ate a picnic lunch in the church grounds and then checked into The Selkirk Arms. 

Once settled in, James could then take off into the countryside on his pushbike for fresh air and exercise, visiting the Wicker Man.  

My exercise was a walk around the town with a handful of A4 posters that Dumfries and Galloway Council produce to advertise my exhibition. 

So many of the shops, cafes and galleries were helpful, agreeing to display my posters in their windows. 

I had some lovely chats with the shop owners as it is great to really get to know people in the town.

I handed in the canvas, I have painted for the Arts and Crafts Trail, to the Eco Art Centre. 

 Another lovely evening meal in The Selkirk Dining room. I had the Lamb Pie and James had the Galloway Burger.

After dinner we went out into the town for a walk. It was easily the best part of the day. It was warm and very still with gorgeous light bathing the harbour and the rooftops as the sun set. 

We chatted to locals down by Skippers Scran Van as we both had the same idea of taking photos of our reflections in the shiny food caravan. 

It makes me look slim. 

In the morning, after a full Scottish breakfast and another walk around town to hand out the remaining posters, I set up in the Gallery to paint. 

James went on a longer ride out to Creetown. Some of it on National Cycle Route 7. 

It is always nice to paint live in a Gallery and chat to visitors to explain the processes and materials involved in the work.

There seemed to be a number of visitors passing through on the way to Troon for the golf.

It was lovely to chat to visitors from all over the UK and The Netherlands and especially to meet a couple from near home from Lamplugh.

In the afternoon I sat out in the street painting as it was so nice to see the sun. 

The wind was picking up in the evening but it was still very pleasant to walk around and sit by the harbour with our chippie tea. 

Each time we visit we see more interesting aspects of Kirkcudbright. This time we were taken with the historic alms houses of Atkinson Place, with the communal washing line and our chat with Anne and Jim in their pretty garden. 

Looking forward to our return for the Arts and Craft Trail in August.