TANIA BEAUMONT

Well, we are sweltering away here, and it's not even August. Temperatures have been up to 45C so far. Phew !

I'm trying to get on with work for two up-coming shows later in the year - Fanaan's themed show, 'Foreign', and a joint exhibition I'm doing with Judy Roberts (from Dubai). They are both to be held at the Gwynfa Gallery - in someone's villa, in Khalidiya Village. Fabulous space, with room for up to 40 pieces.

I have also booked a space at the Swisslinx Christmas Fair again, at the Beach Rotana Hotel - 3 days in a shed again (oh sorry, chalet !) It was surprisingly successful last year, with tourists and local residents mingling , buying......and partying basically. Quite bizarre to see people wandering around outside, in the garden, with glasses of wine from Spinneys drinks stand. It helped keep people there browsing I must admit.

Re. the 'Foreign' theme for Fanaan group, it's turning out to be more interesting than I'd anticipated and I am doing mixed media paintings, also incorporating etchings, lettering, photos etc. I'm having great fun. One of the collages, 'Stranger in a Strange land', is particularly autobiographical. It was wierd that although I knew of the Robert Heinlen book of that  title (and Leon Russel's song of course) it was only yesterday that I saw it, unread, on our bookshelf. WHAT ??!! goosebumps. We dont know how it got there.

Whether anyone else will like them is anyone's guess !

I have also started doing things to do with 'birds' and birdcages - kicked off by a dried, flat, quashed bird I found in the carpark (and some of the 'Foreign' ideas) - I'm just finishing a painting of it. well, each to his own eh ?