Flapping In Granny's Good Hat

I haven't really been doing much artwork at all this week due to feeling stressed about having to move again after only ten months here. However I decided to go to art on Wednesday so that I could take my mind off things at home. As we were meant to have a long lunch I made a weetbix slice with coconut and as we were also meant to go dressed Art Deco I wore Granny's old burgundy velvet dress from that era as well as her best black velvet going-to-funerals-hat which I embellished with a burgundy scarf.

While we were driving to Otane I told Gine about a dream I'd had the night before where we walked into the room and realised we were the only ones dressed up. And sure enough.......If only I could dream about winning Lotto! There were excuses of it being too cold to wear dresses but I think we shamed the others into making an effort. One person made a garland from wildflowers outside, another a paper hat decorated with eyes and a nose, someone else had brought along a black afro wig and joke glasses that completely changed her appearance and frightened the hell out of me when I unexpectedly met her coming out of the kitchen the first time. Another constructed a hat from an old corset decorated with a red geranium. We nearly died laughing all day for whenever she spoke the catches for the stockings jiggled in agreement with what she was saying.

A table was decorated with flowers and plates of food in the garden room and we settled in for an hour and a half lunch. There was a fair being held at Otane at the same time and every so often people wandered in to look at the art. One man stood in the doorway, horrified at the motley crew being very merry thank you and said "Which group are you?" No wonder we have a reputation for being uncouth.

It was 1.30pm when Gine and I left to brave the crowds so we could look at some of the stalls. Many people were packing up to leave by the time we got there so didn't stay long. Dressed like 1920s flappers (or in my case flapless) is a definite way to get people to look at you. Granny would be appalled that I took her good hat on such a frivilous expedition.

Friday I went to portraiture with Gaye for the first time. Just had time to unpack before we were into one minute gesture drawings. Megan sat for us again and because it was hot she was in short shorts and a tank top which made for great foreshortening exercises. This picture took me ten minutes. I didn't look at the form as a human body but concentrated instead on just drawing shapes and negative spaces. By the time the two hours were up I was wrung out from concentrating. I wonder if I would be brave enough to tackle members of my family yet. Maybe not- family feuds have started over less.