As a child Beatrix and her family enjoyed long summer holidays in the Birnam area of Perthshire. Staying in the countryside, away from the more formal life they led in London, Beatrix and her young brother, Bertram, were able to study the local wildlife. It was from Eastwood, Dunkeld, in 1893 that Beatrix wrote the now famous picture letter to Noel Moore which was later to become The Tale of Peter Rabbit. The following day she wrote a letter to Noel’s brother, Eric, about a frog called Jeremy Fisher. People she had met there on holiday inspired the loveable characters of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle and Mr. Jeremy Fisher.
Beatrix Potter is renowned not only as an author and illustrator, but also as an eminent scientist. During her time in the Birnam area she met and formed a special friendship with Charles McIntosh - the Perthshire Naturalist - sharing a mutual interest in fungi and wildlife.
The Birnam Institute houses a wonderful exhibition telling the tale of this 'Fascinating Acquaintance', and the nearby Beatrix Potter Garden magically recreates the lovely countryside which so impressed the young Beatrix Potter and features flowers, fungi and characters associated with her relationship with the area. Footpaths lead past the houses of Mr. Tod and Mrs. Tiggy-winkle , alongside the stream and pond where Mr. Jeremy Fisher lives and 'Peter Rabbit's burrow'.
The Birnam Institute, Exhibition Centre and Garden, Station Road, Birnam, Perthshire.
Below is a slide show of our day at the Beatrix Potter Gardens....I have warm memories of many an evening snuggled up reading the tales of Jemima Puddleduck and all her friends and their adventures to my kids when they were smaller...We have strolled these gardens a number of times but it is all especially beautiful in the autumn....Dunkeld with its architecture, art, scenery and scrumptious dining experience is beautiful all year round.
Link for art exhibition sculptural ceramics at Ivy cottage venue.. by Shona Leitch is on side bar. There were a number of galleries featuring local art throughout this week in October 2008 with many local artists also exhibiting at certain times in their own homes.
Sunday 22 February 2009
Saturday 14 February 2009
Sketches, pastels and water colours by Lorna Cameron
Some more recent paintings inspired by nature and dance....What I'm working on from now on is creating more depth and movement in paintings named after my favourite dances....
The Offering
Storm Brewing
Serenity
Mamboleo
Arboreum
Rhumba
Waltz
Below......Apart from all the ZZZzzzz this is what I've been doing whilst in bed recovering....Yes even though I covered it with a large towel my bed covers did end up with paint on them and glue and clay! .Happy Valentines day!
The Offering
Storm Brewing
Serenity
Mamboleo
Arboreum
Rhumba 
Waltz
Below......Apart from all the ZZZzzzz this is what I've been doing whilst in bed recovering....Yes even though I covered it with a large towel my bed covers did end up with paint on them and glue and clay! .Happy Valentines day!
Friday 13 February 2009
November Art exhibition at gallery 8
It would seem I've been neglecting my blog over the last few months....Just had a lot to deal with that's all...So reflecting back to November...I have some photos of our art exhibition to share and over the next while I will be sharing more adventures, creations and discoveries...Some of the photos are a little out of focus which is unfortunate as it makes it harder to see the finer detail or true vibrancy of colour.
The art exhibition was at Gallery 8 in Aberdour(web addy link in side bar). Lewis very kindly cleared the gallery of all his work and gave us the whole studio for five days free of charge. We exhibited work from the clients of re-create Special needs group and some of our own work....Half of the proceeds went back into the re-create account to sustain future development. We all designed tshirts and I decided to try my hand at some canvas painting using gouache, water colours and acrylics, I was delighted to find out that I love to paint...For now it seems most relaxing for me to paint abstractly and it was more of an experiment than anything...as I had bumped into an old school pal of mine at an art exhibition and she wondered had I done anything with my art as apparently I was very good at it at secondary school...I have no recollection of this at all and was pleasantly surprised when I sold two canvases, a t-shirt and a poetry book!
Last year half of my poetry frames went to new homes, which was encouraging considering I spent the best part of the year struggling with ill health amongst other things. Now having overcome obstacles, a fresher perspective is shinning through creatively as I am beginning to feel more like myself again....Looking forward to many more developments as I pace my creative self alongside my commitments.
Sheila's work...Sheila is a textile artist and photographer, she also runs the re-create workshops.
Ali's work and she is wearing the t-shirt she designed.
Ali's other T-shirt design
Gillians Masterpiece
Arthur's masterpieces...Arthur paints and weaves using only his head which has a helmet and copper pipe attached in which he inserts either a paintbrush or a fork for weaving...Fantastic! He sold most t-shirts and his achievements were recorded in a local art and poetry book.
Dora's weaving, which wasn't quite finished in time for the exhibition
My creations
My son Craig playing his guitar and some of the guests who attended the preview night.
The art exhibition was at Gallery 8 in Aberdour(web addy link in side bar). Lewis very kindly cleared the gallery of all his work and gave us the whole studio for five days free of charge. We exhibited work from the clients of re-create Special needs group and some of our own work....Half of the proceeds went back into the re-create account to sustain future development. We all designed tshirts and I decided to try my hand at some canvas painting using gouache, water colours and acrylics, I was delighted to find out that I love to paint...For now it seems most relaxing for me to paint abstractly and it was more of an experiment than anything...as I had bumped into an old school pal of mine at an art exhibition and she wondered had I done anything with my art as apparently I was very good at it at secondary school...I have no recollection of this at all and was pleasantly surprised when I sold two canvases, a t-shirt and a poetry book!
Last year half of my poetry frames went to new homes, which was encouraging considering I spent the best part of the year struggling with ill health amongst other things. Now having overcome obstacles, a fresher perspective is shinning through creatively as I am beginning to feel more like myself again....Looking forward to many more developments as I pace my creative self alongside my commitments.
Sheila's work...Sheila is a textile artist and photographer, she also runs the re-create workshops.
Ali's work and she is wearing the t-shirt she designed.
Ali's other T-shirt design
Gillians Masterpiece
Arthur's masterpieces...Arthur paints and weaves using only his head which has a helmet and copper pipe attached in which he inserts either a paintbrush or a fork for weaving...Fantastic! He sold most t-shirts and his achievements were recorded in a local art and poetry book.
Dora's weaving, which wasn't quite finished in time for the exhibition
My creations
My son Craig playing his guitar and some of the guests who attended the preview night.
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