paintings prints and stuff

Phew it's all finished - well apart from putting things away.   This was the exhibition with a little group of friends - we meet up once a month to discuss work in progress, critique, sometimes arrange to visit exhibitions or sketch plein air and a couple of times a year put on these shows.   You'll probably recognise the work here. 3 intense days, lots of visitors, lots of nice things said, lots of interesting conversations. My browser - the portrait behind is the work of one of the friends. so ...... here are a few images from the show.

Flooded slate quarry, Swithland Woods, Watercolour/mixed media, 11x14 ins approx, Vivien Blackburn The pale colours here in the ground are a little bleached out - they should have a pale pink/amber colour. Old flooded slate quarry, coloured pencil, approx 11x14 ins, Vivien Blackburn I've been looking at the old flooded quarry near Swithland woods in watercolour and coloured pencil. The slate that was quarried there is very ancient pre-Cambrian rock - the oldest rocks in Britain. Until recently it was thought that no fossils were preserved in this ancient rock - but recently fossils of ferns have been found (details of this and the geology and history of the area are in the links below). It's thought that the woods are the remains of primeval forest, having been there from at least 5,000BC. Links: The history of Swithland Woods, which may be the remains of primeval forest from 5,000 years BC Geology/History/walks in the area Photo of a larger pit nearby

It was such a gorgeous day today that I decided to have a day off :) I took off for a walk in Bradgate Park - the light was wonderful so I'd taken the camera - 126 photographs later ..... http://www.leicestershire.ndirect.co.uk/FFBradgate.htm Bradgate Park is where Lady Jane Grey lived - these photos show the ruins of her house in the lovely changing light as clouds passed by and made these lovely flashes of light and dark. The house is surrounded by rocky hills with ancient oak trees and a herd of deer. The park was left to the city last century and is a really popular place for walkers. You can walk miles from here through the large park and local woods and footpaths across fields. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Jane_Grey - a link to more information on Lady J, beheaded after trying to claim the crown, pushed by an ambitious family. The family owned the land for miles around. I love the long shadows of this time of year - these are from trees just out of the pict