There’s a wee bonus on offer if you’re visiting the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig this weekend.
As well as seeing polar bears, tigers, lynx and snow leopards, you can have a go at making Christmas cards with me!
I’m running a day of mini-workshops at the park on Saturday, with some fun and easy ways to make lovely pictures. Materials will be provided and the sessions are free and suitable for all ages and abilities.
We’ll use the airbrush to blow green ink around to draw Christmas trees. And we’ll do some easy printing with feathers and turn the images into animals by drawing on them with pens and coloured pencils.
These are simple ways of creating artwork – everyone can have a go.
The workshops will start every hour from 12.15pm and will take place in the shop.
This has been a major project for Karen Blessington and Dave Garman and it was great to see so many people turn out to see the fantastic results. Everyone loved the miniature railway – I did too.
I’m also pleased to have my products in the shop. They include some specially designed mugs featuring Highland Games athletes. You might also get the chance to sip some delicious coffee from them in the cafe, which is in two converted carriages. Everything looks brilliant and I wish them the best of luck with the venture.
My summer of craft fairs starts this weekend at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, with Exclusively Highlands. It’s always a busy one in the Highland capital and this time I will among a range of businesses demonstrating their craft.
Eden Court Theatre craft fair
I’ll be doing a spot of painting so the easel will be up and I’ll be chipping away at some new works. I’m looking forward to fielding your questions about how to paint a Highland landscape.
The craft fair is on Saturday and Sunday, from 10am-5pm both days. Free entry!
I’m excited to reveal details of my new summer exhibition, Superfly, which is on at Logie Steading from June 30 – July 8.
As you know, I’ve been working on loads of new paintings, trying to capture the magic of fishing that you don’t see because it’s underwater. These new works feature fishing flies that have just been cast across the loch. I’ve been striving to portray the way the light goes through the water. It’s all about showing how the bubbles and ripples distort the reflective film of the water.
I’ve also been inspired by the big fancy camera they used on the BBC’s Blue Planet 2 and I’ve tried to show what’s above and below the surface. Painting in this way allows me to add greater context to the underwater pictures.
The exhibition will be in the Long Room at Logie Steading, near Forres. The Long Room is between the whisky shop and farm shop, right next to the car park so you can’t miss it!
And you’re invited to the launch night on June 30, from 6-8pm, when you can enjoy your art with a wee glass of something and I’ll be around to chat about the paintings (or fishing!)
There’s going to be more than a hundred lorries taking part in this charity event, which is taking place for the first time on Saturday May 12. The day kicks off with a massive convoy down the High Street, followed by a big display at the showfield. There will be trade stalls and entertainment, including an aftershow dance.
Just set up for the first time at Castle Fraser. Open 24 and 25 November from 10am-4pm. It is a wonderful fair in a stunning venue, with such a lot of good stuff for sale.
If you’re through this way it’s well worth a visit.
