Newsletter

“While I admit to being a great admirer of the English language, sometimes I stumble across a word or an  expression from another language that has no English equivalent, but is so perfect a description of a quality or experience that I collect it. I have a sketchbook purchased years ago that I did not enjoy using for its intended purpose but it is perfect for collecting beautiful words, quotations or phrases both in English and other languages. From time to time I visit, turning pages and enjoying. Today I revisited the Welsh word, Hiraeth along with the Scottish word, Dumfungled.

The first describes a spiritual longing for a home which maybe never was; “nostalgia for ancient places to which we cannot return. It is the echo of the lost places of our soul’s past and our grief for them. It is the wind and the rocks and the waves. It is nowhere and it is everywhere.” I was recently chatting with a fellow artist and I said that all of my paintings start with a lump in my throat, a kind of heartache. Perhaps this is connected in some way to Hiraeth. 

The second, Dumfungled, describes the state of being mentally and physically worn out. Certainly after Christmas this is me for a brief while. I have been dumfungled. You too?

Along with collecting words and phrases I also collect, among other things, rocks, books, art, indoor plants and paperweights and, of course, sketchbooks. I am absolutely unable to pass up the chance to own a new sketchbook.

Do you collect? If so, what do you collect?

I am delighted to share with you that I “SOLD OUT” at Westland’s Square Foot show this year. Thank you to Al and Karen, Danielle, Anna and Michaela for all you do, for your support and encouragement.  Thank you to the lovely people who purchased my paintings. I am incredibly grateful and hope my paintings bring you much pleasure.

Also at Westland Gallery, I will be offering a four week course, working with triads, (Thursdays Feb 16th to March 9th 6:30-8:30) . I am also looking forward to exhibiting at Westland Gallery with a group of amazing artists in The Floral Show (Feb. 21st to March 11th). I hope to see you there.

I am busy preparing for upcoming club shows, ( Brush and Palette Club, April 13 to 15, St. Paul’s Cathedral), Lambeth Art Association, May 4 to 6, Lambeth United Church). Later on in the Fall, the Gallery Painting Group will hold their show.

I will be entering a few juried shows soon and will update you as information is received. I also have been approached to do a solo exhibition and will give you the details in upcoming newsletters.

As always, thank you for your ongoing interest and support. I love hearing from you and hope you enjoy receiving my letters. If at any time you would like to stop receiving them in your email, just unsubscribe. You can always find them on my website, www.susangarrington.com

Take care and enjoy today’s sunshine.

Sue