Back to the drawing board

On a ferry ride back to the island in December 2010, I noticed and pointed out to Mike a flyer for watercolour painting classes. “That would be a nice Christmas present,” I said. He got the point and registered me for a course starting at the end of January.

The woman who offers the courses generally runs a beginner and an intermediate class. Unfortunately there weren’t enough takers that January to make a beginner class viable, but she persuaded me to have a go at intermediate.

This was my first effort in late January 2011. It was a bit pitiful compared to the others produced in the class (by those who were genuinely intermediate), but, hey, I was pretty pleased with it.

The next week was a really-tough-for-a-beginner image.

Trust me when I say the photograph looks a lot better than the painting.

Then there was this one.

Mike liked it so much he put it in a frame and hung it beside his desk.

One was turned into a Christmas card later that year.

Mike didn’t get to see the Christmas card and I didn’t finish the 10-week course.  Before it was over, he was dead.

When I saw the following year’s classes advertised I decided to have another go – this time actually starting at the beginning. (The woman who ran the classes, bless her, gave me a discount for the classes I’d missed following Mike’s sudden death.)

This was the first painting from the beginner class.

I liked it so much I had it hanging in the bathroom for quite a long time until I needed the space for something else.

I took at least one more class, possibly two, before my ability to take on contract work dried up and money became very tight indeed. During those classes I produced three watercolours of which I am still quite proud and which I’ve had hanging in the front room for years.

Tough to get a decent pic of them where they are hanging, but hopefully you get some idea.

It’s been a number of years now, but when I saw a notice on Facebook that a new round of classes was starting at the end of February, I decided what the hell and signed up to do the beginner class again. Downside is I will be doing many of the same paintings again. Upside is I shall enjoy doing so.

Somewhat annoyingly I shall have to get the ferry to town this week to stock up on supplies before the first class next Saturday, but at least the shop is within walking distance, so I don’t have to take the car.

Ten new paintings (even if some of the subjects are being tackled a second, or possibly third, time) by the end of April. Sweet.