Wow!!Its December. I couldn’t think of a suitable rhyming word for December so I used it again.

For those of you who I haven’t told personally my paintings were eventually found and delivered to Watercolour NZ’s national exhibition and I was very fortunate to receive the award for ‘Innovation in Watercolour’. I was very pleased to have my abstract work acknowledged by the Judge, Brian Baxter and several prominent watercolourists of national standing. The little voice at the back of my head had been saying “they won’t like it, they will laugh you out of the exhibition, blah,blah,blah…” But they didn’t. I felt so good. Further to that, the five paintings that were sent to the exhibition, only one came back. Thank you to all the buyers who felt the connection with my work and chose to purchase them.

On the 10th November, Karen, another artist at the Beach, and I attended the Creatives Lunch here at Waihi Beach. Usually this event is held in Tauranga so it was so nice to be able to attend locally. Run by Creative Bay of Plenty there were artists of all genre, from visual artists to musicians, and everything in between. Such a valuable time for meeting other like minded artists from the local area. always good to visit the Flat White as well.

I can’t report on the Waihi Plein Air creativity as we were rained out. This month we will do our plein air from the luxury of the tables at the Talisman hotel in Katikati were we shall celebrate a year of plein air. We will start again in February.

The other big event for me in November was the Tauranga Garden and Art Festival. It was such an amazing time. Although the rain spoilt the opportunity for a lot of people getting out and about those that did venture out were very keen to spend the time to talk and meet with the artists.

I had a little cabin which I was able to display my work, and when it rained I shut the doors and waited for the shower to pass. One day my granddaughter came and helped me to arrange and display the work. We were at the Racecourse so she dressed appropriately in her polo shirt.

I had some wonderful conversations with lots of very interested people. The sales that happened were from people who had been ‘following’ me on instagram, seen my work somewhere else and / or recently bought some work on line. All these people knew my work and what I did. That is a real buzz for me that there are those of you who watch with interest how my art develops.

Tauranga Urban Sketchers met at Pilot Bay at Mount Maunganui and did a progressive sketching exercise then had lunch together at a local cafe/ restaurant. Our last get together for the year.

This being the last blog for the year, I would like to wish you all a Christmas of sharing, compassion and understanding of those who are different to you. I wish that over this time of great stress and financial awareness that you can follow the words of my very wise daughter who said, ‘may you live with ease’.

Just a little ‘heads up’. My computer and everything associated with it, will be on holiday for the rest of December and January. I’m going to see if I can do it!!!! I’ll only answer my phone. Talk next year.

Pamela