Its been all about the ants in my house! With lockdowns still continuing, I’ve been making field trips, armed with my magnifying glass, to our polytunnel in search of beasties to draw. When you get up close, ants are magnificent beasties. they are such a rich, dark red-brown-almost-black colour, like tiny pieces of articulated mahogany walking about and so shiny I could see my shape reflected on their backs. I brought them some cake one day which they seemed to enjoy, though there was a fight at one point. Too much sugar so early in the season maybe? I broke it up with a grass stalk and they soon forgot about it and got back to business.
Wild Things at the Beach
Three of my ant drawings have already been sent off to the Beach Gallery on Hoy in Orkney. They will be part of the “Wild Things” postcard exhibition which will run on their website from May to September 2021. The gallery hosted an exhibition of my work a couple of years ago and, although I was unable to visit, I had great fun creating videos to compliment art classes being run in the gallery and getting thank you videos back from the participants! I was delighted to get the chance to be involved with the gallery again. All the pieces in the exhibition are postcard sized and all are priced at £25.00. Check out their website to browse all the pieces submitted and their facebook page for news of new pieces arriving:
New Beginnings for Kilmood Art Club
Yet more ants are also in Kilmood Art Club’s latest virtual exhibition “New Beginnings” now showing on our facebook and website. The club has been unable to meet for over a year but the committee has made great efforts to keep activities for members going. this is our 5th online exhibition and it is great to see members the engaging so enthusiastically with over 40 entries. In addition to exhibitions we have been meeting by zoom for painting nights and for art demos from artists. We have even done an online life drawing class thanks to Boom Studios in Bangor! Here are the links where you can see the new exhibition:
Exhibition Wildlife Art Online
I am delighted to once again be taking part in the lovely Exhibition Wildlife art, albeit virtually, this Summer. There are high hopes that the physical show can take place again this year at Gordale Garden Centre, but there will also be an online gallery available for browsing and purchasing. With all the uncertainty around travel, this is the option I have chosen. I’ll be posting again nearer the time when I have chosen and uploaded my images. You never know, I might just send them some ants!
https://www.ewa-uk.com/pages/home.php
https://www.facebook.com/Exhibition-of-Wildlife-Art-1345925302112930