Brown Trousers Day - My first painting demonstration

I had a message arrive last night on my answerphone reminding me of my forthcoming art demonstration at the Fair Oak Art Society on the first of February. Needless to say that I had completely forgotten about this, so after a panic-stricken five minutes of feverish, sphincter-tightening confusion I rang the person who was the organiser desperately hoping I could wing it to sound like a professional artist enquiring about a few last minute details that I was'nt sure about. Fortunately it turned out that it was being held near Eastleigh not far from Southampton which I reckoned I could get to by train as I have no car and indeed can't drive.  I had agreed to do it when I was demonstrating at Art in Action last year in a moment of possible hubris on my part as I have never done this before as a solo performer as it were. 

   So I have agreed to do an oil painting demonstration in front of about 35 people; they have an easel, all I need is paints, brushes etc.....and to bring some paintings to show what I do. Luckily I have arranged instead to go there in Cliff Wright's van who has kindly offered to drive over so I will be able to take everything I need and then some. We have decided to make it (weather permitting) a Grand Day Out, taking in a bit of The New Forest and a hopefully luxurious cream tea in a cottage tea house of choice - I will pay for the petrol....and the cream tea of course!

    Now I have had a chance to think about it for the demonstration I have decided to take over another landscape painting of Cuckmere Haven that I have pre-painted in acrylic as far as the underpainting in Van Dyke Red stage. This means that I can start straight away in oils and get as much done as I can in the two hours and have a print to show (like cookery programmes that show "something I did earlier") of the finished painting of the earlier Cuckmere Haven picture which it should closely resemble. By painting a scene that I have done several times before I can hopefully give myself a chance of being able to paint in front of all those people without making a complete fool of myself as at least it should be familiar to me, including what colours to use etc.

I'm still going to wear brown trousers though........