Summer has gone by in a flash of gorgeous food from Sally cooking in the kitchen, wet-and-windy painting excursions to the moorlands with Paul, blazing sunshine on Blackpool sands with Bettina, clay covered tables in the pottery and studios with Jill Fanshawe Kato and Laurel and yet more student filled courses with Paul.
It’s been a great summer, not least of all because of all the students that have visited and made it so. It’s a real inspiration to meet everyone and to see the transition in students work from the first day of the courses to the last. A great weekend has just finished with Mic Chambers and Jill Fanshawe Kato where the change in portrait painting by Mic’s student from start to end was a huge testament to both Mic’s teaching and the students hard work and creativity. Jill’s students also produced some stunning work which is currently drying in preparation for firing in the next few weeks.
It’s a beautiful day today at Coombe with clear blue skies, chirping birds and cooing doves! Eva and Callum are doing fantastic work on the grounds during this quiet period between courses completing some essential maintenance work, which I hope all returning students will benefit from! Paul, Tina and Mimi are away in Prague for the whole month where Paul’s Private View for his exhibition was a great success – see his new website at www.paulrileyart.com for images (and picture above). The sold out course taking place in Prague and Southern Bohemia is well underway and Tina has just sent a blog post with all their news.
Back here at Coombe Remaining courses for 2011 are Paul’s Marine Painting 7-9th October where no doubt he will share his excitement and new techniques from the work he completed for the Prague exhibition. Creating Atmosphere in Watercolour takes place during the October half term (24th-28th Oct) which has just a couple of places left so get in quick if you’d like to book! Laurel Keeley’s ceramics course 4-6th November is now sold out, however you would like to be added to the waiting list do let me know and we will inform you if any places become available or get in now for next year!. The final course of the year is Paul’s traditional woodcuts, 2-4th December which is a great opportunity to work with Paul in a different medium.
It’s also been a busy time for the rest of the family with Antony working full time at The Photographic Angle www.thephotographicangle.co.uk & Malin completing her internship at Magnum in Paris. They are also expecting their first baby in December and Mark and Liz are hot on their heels with their third child due in January! Martin and I are very happily enjoying our time at Coombe this month having moved in to the house for a test run whilst Paul and Tina are away in Prague. We will soon be putting our own house on the market as the build nears completion and the grand move starts to become a reality! All very exciting!
