Winter Bookshop Windows

The children’s window at Sam Read Bookseller, Grasmere.

Work in progress. This picture is far better than the one with my face on it ( must learn to close mouth when concentrating…)

Painting the window at Sam Read Bookseller in Grasmere was great fun. I’d done it once before at the Saltbox Gallery in Helmsley, but this was the first time I’d used actual paint as well as chalk markers (Will from the shop had discovered this technique on one of his bookseller gatherings). I normally work really small so despite practising at home it was nerve-wracking trying to keep a steady hand on a big window that I couldn’t get up close to. It was a dark and stormy night, so luckily no one was about to watch; Polly brought some Christmas music and while I worked out the logistics of painting back to front ( the black for the eyes and nose went on first) she and Will conjured stars and baubles on the main window. Anyway, it doesn’t look bad , I could have got carried away with more detail but hopefully Elaine will let us have another go one day