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Everything not Botanical art or personal

Sunday in the US

| Gaynor's Flora

Writing this I feel very tired. I think the jet lag is catching up with me.

I woke up about 11:00 UK time – which was about 04:00 here, but got up a couple of hours later. There were dark thundery clouds outside and as I went to take picture, lightening flashed across the sky. What a welcome.

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We went to church in New Bedford, then returned home for a pancake breakfast. Delicious! Whilst the weather began to clear, we went around our host’a garden which is incredibly well arranged. It goes right down to the sea where two Plovers were taking their Sunday morning stroll.

After lunch our hosts had planned a trip to Rhode Island to visit the lovely Blithe wold mansion and gardens. It is a lovely garden and this is worthwhile visit. Unfortunately we could only spend a short time as some friends had been invited to summer.

The evening was very interesting and the time went too quickly discussing the BlythWold garden.

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Arrival in USA today (or yesterday)

| Gaynor's Flora

What an eventful day, it is now 23:24 USA time and 04:24 UK time.

We got up early, took an early train to Gatwick because of work on the line, then sat on the plane for over an hour because of IT problems in Ireland. We thought we would miss the connection in Dublin, but after running through immigration with another couple, we just got to the delayed connection in time.

Once we arrived in Boston, we hired a car and drove down to our friends in Mattapoisett. They live on the waters edge, but unfortunately we will have to wait until the morning to actually see the area.

We have been made most welcome, were fed and watered deliciously when a suggestion was made to go swimming before we went to bed. They have a pool , but I had not come prepared – no costume! That didn’t matter. Lights were turned off and we had a refreshing (grhhhhh) swim. Once I the wimp got in, it was fantastic and the water was perfect.

I will now sleep well.

Prep Thursday before travelling to Pittsburgh

| Gaynor's Flora

Today has been very busy. We have been trying to get things sorted and finished ready for leaving the day after tomorrow.

My husband has been very busy with something called ‘The Gift’. It is like an art trail, but goes from church to church locally. Practising Christians who feel that they have a God given gift in relation to their art, take part. I have previously done this, but I’m afraid that this time the trip to the States has rather got in the way. It is normally very good with a lot of interesting artwork . Our church in Bosham normally gets a lot of visitors as tourists want to see the church mentioned in the Bayeux Tapestry, so this also helps the artists showing their work.

We have exceptionally lovely neighbours. Today, whilst shopping for her supper, she suddenly thought we might not take the time out to eat properly today, so sorted it for us too (not without ringing me from the shop when the thought struck). How many people have such thoughtful friends?

The pen & ink picture. I had an extremely tight deadline in that it had to be finished before we go on Saturday. It is now finished and in a mount ready to go. But you can have a brief look at it now. I hope you like it?

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Prep Wednesday before Pittsburgh trip

| Gaynor's Flora

Nothing momentous has been happening today. My husband has booked train tickets for Saturday. Our hosts for the first couple of days have plans made for us before we continue our journey to Pittsburgh. We have discussed with our house sitters the feeding habits of our cats so that there should be no surprises there.

This morning I had the Wednesday botanical art group and it would seem that they are going to miss being here the next couple of weeks.

This afternoon I started the second layer to my pen and ink drawing. It is improving. I have tried out a couple of different type nibs and they are doing what I want them to do.

Tonight I might get to bed before midnight!

Prep Tuesday before travel to Pittsburgh

| Gaynor's Flora

I had my normal botanical art class this morning, although it was rather slimmed down. One person was moving house, another had swapped dates and another was on holiday. But then I will be on holiday next week too.

After the class finished I did a whole lot of sorting in preparation for Saturday, after which I cut a small Oak branch with large Acorns. I decided to take a break from the crabapples in coloured pencil and practice the pen and ink technique learnt on the Sarah Simblet course. So far not so good as the ink I had was not very good quality. Mind you, bad workmen blame their tools!

Here is a picture of the actual oak branch. If the small painting works out, I will post this at a later date.

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This evening we had bible study so we now have a good basis for taking our break in America.

This is the Oak branch so far! Comments please.

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Prep Monday before Pittsburgh tour starting Saturday

| Gaynor's Flora

Today is Monday (Tuesday really). On Friday I go to the US. Next week is the opening of the Hunt Institutes 14th International Exhibition of Botanical art and Illustration. My picture will be part of the exhibition and I will be there at the opening. What excitement – I think. My head is only just being able to think about it.

The last few months have been extremely busy between painting, teaching, exhibitions, demos and large family visitations. I have now started the last of the six Crab Apple series of pictures. None are complete, but I now have enough detail to complete each one – I hope. I was worried about getting all the detail I needed for the Golden Hornet as I had not studied the leaves and growing habit in detail. But now I am well on the way with it – as long as the fruit from my new tree continues to grow and ripen without falling off the branch before I get back from the US. I am doing the apple branch from this section of the tree. Unfortunately it doesn’t have all the leaves as per the photo, as I have been removing them one at a time to copy!

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Back to the trip. I have been doing the usual things that one does before going away. Choosing and un-choosing suitable clothes for such an expedition. Apparently it is still very warm there. Making it difficult to make the right choices when I am freezing here! Also I have to bear in mind that apart fro Pittsburgh I am hoping to avoid towns whilst over there and try and find some nice places to walk and things to sketch – thus enough sketch books, pencil etc.

My additional luxury is that the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) has their conference in Pittsburgh at the same time. I am booked to take part in that.

My tickets are booked, visa sorted, pencils and sketch books ready, prints of the work to be exhibited are also ready to take with me – in case……. I’m not ready though!

I intend to write a short blog up until and during the trip.

Teaching with Fieldbreaks at Goodnestone Park Gardens

| Gaynor's Flora

On Monday of this week I went to Kent to teach at Goodnestone Park Gardens. What a beautiful area. It is so peaceful and they are so welcoming there.

This is the second year that I have had classes at Goodnestone Park with Fieldbreaks and the workshops are seemingly more popular each time.

I had a lovely group of people with half of them using coloured pencil, one eventually chose to use graphite and the remainder watercolour.

I think that things were about a week behind in comparison to where I live. In some places you could almost see the green tips begin to appear on the hedging, there were loads of daffodils, no tulips, the Magnolia x soulangeana was still closed but nearly ready to burst although the Magnolia x stillata was fully open and the Camelias were glorious. There was in fact a lot to choose from if only you looked and were able to see. The flowers eventually chosen to paint were the above, plus Primroses, Periwinkle, Hellebore and Fritillary. The results were very good and as far as I can tell, all those taking part were pleased with their results.

I get quite chuffed when students achieve what they set out to do – and in some instances even exceed that.

The only thing I hadn’t been prepared for was the summer warmth. I had layers to keep me warm, but even so I hadn’t expected it to be as warm and lovely as it was.

I will be having another workshop at Goodnestone Park with Field Breaks in June. Come and join us in this peaceful environment.

Family visit and lack of painting

| Gaynor's Flora

Early in April, my sister from Australia came to visit to escape partying around her 60th birthday down-under. She brought with her my two nieces, one partner and two grandchildren (3 and 8 months). My two children with a partner also came to see their cousins and aunt, so the house was full and cracking at the seams.

We had a lovely time over the three weeks they were here, although my sister was not too happy that no-one questioned when purchasing her first wrinkly ticket!!

Needless to say there has been no time to paint and I have been itching to get down into the peace and quiet of my studio at the bottom of the garden. It was of course already occupied!

However I did escape for for two days and one night. I spent the time at Goodnestone Park Gardens. But more on that in a separate blog.

The weather as you know has not been typical of April during their visit, although it is a little warmer than when they arrived. We did all get hefty colds in trying to appear tough and hardened Englishmen.

On Monday my children went back to Amsterdam, where they both live presently, taking with them one of the cousins and her partner. Today my sister and her other daughter and grandchildren returned to Australia.

The house is amazingly quiet!

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