Dubai artist Judy Roberts and I will be having a joint show - again at the GWYNFA GALLERY - on NOVEMBER 5th- 7th. We will have approximately 40 pieces between us, and should be a terrific mix . Paintings, drawings, original prints and mixed media.

Opening reception thursday 7pm 5th November, subsequent days 10am - 7pm - we will probably be around for most of the show to chat. The opening evening is usually a good wine and nibbles do, and a chance to meet new friends or neighbours - and buy incredible works of art, of course !

GWYNFA GALLERY     Villa 57 Khalidiya Village, 28th Street Abu Dhabi (behind Khalidiya Mall)

Opening reception on 22ndOct. 7pm , 23rd & 24th  from 10am-7pm. At least one of the artists will be present throughout the show, I shall be there on saturday afternoon.

After much thought, and inspite of off-putting remarks from my husband, I have finally set up a blog. There is also a direct link to it from the main index list.

I have 6 pieces in the Ramadan Affordable Art fair, Ghaf Gallery 23rd Aug-7th Sept - all etchings.

1-5th September I have made the decision, perhaps foolishly, to do 5 nights at the Meridien Hotel Art and Craft Fair.They are holding the event in the empty Turkish Restaurant room, with its lovely painted vaulted ceiling. Must remember to take a book, incase it's quiet. People may end up just eating in the surrounding restaurants instead of buying our wares !

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 ?

I continue to have open studio shows twice year, which are quite successful.

Exciting, innovative, affordable  Art in all media - definitely a space to watch.

     Home Sale.  Wed. 5th & 6th May 

 Studio sale of  paintings and original prints  Plus  silver jewellery, antique engravings & calligraphy, decorated boxes etc  etc ...........................and NEW CARDS !!

JUDY ROBERTS from Dubai will also have her vast range of goodies -New soft teddies wearing UAE T shirts, and darling tiny little ones with jumpers or skirts. Bottle stoppers and Keyrings inset with coins, screen-printed aprons and carrier bags, hand-painted 'Shake & Shaker' salt and peppers.......... if you need gifts to take home for the summer....this is the place.

COME AND BROWSE , OVER A CUP OF COFFEE AND A BROWNIE !!

Ten of us have formed a group/art cooperative, called Fanaan (Artist in arabic) - to try and get round the lack of exhibition opportunities, and exhorbitant fees required by the few galleries that exist in Abu Dhabi.  We are hoping to be able to have an Art Fair somewhere this year, and have been encouraged by the offer of a couple of venues -  even though we will still have to pay a fee to ADNEC, a government institution.  This is not like Dubai - there are very few galleries available. Having said that, 2 new ones have opened in the past six weeks, so things are looking up.

Fanaan's FIRST APPEARANCES show will be at the Ghaf Gallery, Abu Dhabi, 18th-29th Jan 2009.

Next stop  Art-Paris Abu Dhabi ??

Carrying on working on mixed media paintings, on ephemera - also altered books.  Exhibition from home May 21st and 22nd, to test the waters.

Hope to exhibit at the Hemisphere Gallery in the autumn.