Carsaig

17.6C bright and warm with cloud. Zephyr.

Apothecary7's day off. We went on an art map adventure.

This weekend is Argyll's 9th Annual Open Studios event, or Artmap Argyll. We decided to go and have a look at some of the artists studios and their work round the Mid Argyll area. Maeve the Deerhound came too.

Our first call was to Bellanoch on the Crinana Canal, where the artist who runs the Art in the Hothouse workshops A7 has been attending on some recent Tuesdays had borrowed her daughter's furniture upholstry studio for the weekend. Some great work on show. Painting, prints, pastel paintings. We had a chat too of course.

Then we went across to Tayvallich and the extra mile to Carsaig where we visited a printmaker and wildlife artist (and former wildlife film maker). We had a chat, found we had another printmaking friend in common, admired her work, and bought some postcards and her book Wild Island (A Year in the Hebrides) which is a compilation of her journeys to and time spent on the island of Oronsay made from her notes and liberally scattered with wonderful prints. We visited a painter's studio nearby, then went back to Tayvallich for lunch at the cafe on the shore. Always a good venue with tables outside on the deck where Maeve is allowed.

Next stop was Lochgilphead where we went to the Archway Gallery. They have a Jolomo exhibition. We put one of A7's paintings from her Bridge House Art week in for framing. Then we visited another small gallery and the studio of a painter who has an upstairs studio in her house in Lochgilphead.

North again to Kilmartin where we visited the house of a watercolour artist and his wife who used to run a gallery together in Campbeltown. He had rather nice little paintings of Kintyre, and lots of sketchbooks out for people to look though. The lady of the house does flower arrangments and has been painting in oils on small wooden blocks.

Refreshment was taken at the Kilmartin House Museum cafe then we started South for home, stopping not far along the way for a quick visit to the Ballymeanoch standing stones before continuing our drive by Lochgilphead, Ardrishaig, through Tarbert, then down Kintyre's West coast to Campbeltown.

DMC-LX7 f/3.5 1/2000 sec. ISO-80 5m (35mm focal length 24mm)