Delivery Number Four

One of those truly magical days when it so nearly went horribly wrong right at the end, forever erasing the wonder. Luckily, it didn't; wonder intact. Went down to St Abbs to deliver paintings for the Christmas show at the very lovely Number Four gallery and so, so nearly ran out of petrol in a monsoon on the return journey! Phew.

The gallery turned out to be somewhere I was familiar with; St Abbs has a great bird colony on the cliffs and I had visited a couple of times years back when I was fresh in the country and out and about more; once I came on my own and came dangerously close to flying off the cliff top in a gale, so I approached with caution on this occasion.. Last time I visited I remember peeking into some lovely old farm buildings overlooking the plateau above the cliffs, where craft workshops were supposed to be, but were closed up. This is now the gallery, and so much more has been made of the space and location; I am in awe of the work that has gone into it and in love with most of the artwork. Jenny Martin, who runs the gallery, also creates some gorgeous minimal landscapes on fabric with very cool Japanese style minimalist frames - a kind of glass sandwich with wooden top and base held together with string (cord, twine...) which works really well. I also became very attached to a lot of different ceramicists - I always love a good potter and there were a remarkable number of great pieces here, especially little relief pictures by Hilke Macintyre and patterned ceramic plates by Pollie and Gary Uttley. Both of these I am eyeing up for myself, as long as the cats are able to keep their paws off. I should have written more names down, as I was quite overwhelmed a) to find so much great work and b) to be about to hang my work among it! I think it will look awesome though; my long deliberation about which pieces to take, and all the reframing, was worth it in the end. It is a good feeling when you are content and proud of a piece you leave behind somewhere...

The day was kind to me as well; weather so sunny and crisp that the right hand side of my face was pink and glowing by the time I turned off the A1; the views over field and coast were just fantastic and I felt myself coming all over landscapy again. If only there were more time in the world I would put all these ideas into being and have a housefull of paintings, all of different experimental ideas and genres. Alas, I do what I can in the time I am given.

Had one of those really 'wow' moments coming back as well; couldn't have timed it on purpose - just as the most amazing view up the coast to the Bass Rock hove into view, low sun steaking the fields gold, the trumpet solo from Slaid Cleave's 'One good year' came on the ipod. This is a moment in music that will tear me up on a dull Monday morning, so in this instance it was just beautiful; I love that song and it is one of those that holds a place in me and Stu's little story. Hey, we all have them, I'm not the only sentimental fool in the world!

And so now we wait - I will take Stu down to see the show as it will look just great, I know; the preview weekend is the 13th - 14th November and then it runs right up to Christmas. How cool would it be to see one of my favorite paintings sold for Christmas; 'Suki's Rubicon' marked a real change and development in style at the start of the year and I love it dearly as a painting and because of what it taught me. I would, however, be pleased as punch to see it go to a good home; I am always happy to send the little ones out into the world...