Wet Canvas member visits Australia

[grannyb]

Hi Folks, Just thought I would give you an update on Alan Craig's visit to Australia.
Alan and I met on Wet canvas and after almost two years of planning his visit arrived last month. We spent the entire four weeks of his visit travelling around painting at great sites and taking rest stops at home in between .. !where Alan also painted at my neighbours farm.At the end of the four weeks Alan had 12 paintings done , we had a Meet the Artist day at our local Art Group. Alan gave a short talk on the Hermitage Museum/Gallery in Russia and we had all his paintings on display.The local Mayor and councillors as well as invited guests attended and it made the front page of our local paper.

We travelled a total of 4500 kilometers in those four weeks and I think Alan was glad to go home to Florida and rest....but he's and inveterate traveller and is off soon to Alaska as well as having been to Chile earlier in the year.

I hope to host another visitor soon .....maybe it will be You !
From Sue in Australia where the miles just run away with you!:clap:

[Deb]

Sue it sounds like you two had a great time. Thanks for letting us know how it went. That Alan is not only a very interesting man but he can sure get those paintings done! Were you able to take any photos...we would love to see them. And I would love to be one of your visitors (sigh), maybe one day. :p

[paintfool]

Sounds wonderful Sue!! We had hoped to be honored with Alans' presence at Amelia Island last month but alas, he was off globetrotting with you! ;) Glad you enjoyed your visit. :)
Cheryl

[grannyb]

Yes we did take lots of pics ....my camera was malfunctioning so only half came out ..I did try to attach the pic from our local paper to the thread but the file was too big and I'm not too sure how to reduce it as it has text and pic.

We started out by driving along what is known as The Great Ocean Road...it skirts the edge of the sea for nearly 300 miles and is at times most spectacular,the media even found us on day one as there was a politician opening a new lookout on a cliff right by where we newly arrived ,had set up our easels.They took no time to ask Alan to pose with the poly..she was Minister for the Environment.That appeared in the paper a day or so later too.

We obtained special permission for Alan (who is a retired Geologist) to enter a big gold mine near here and he spent the day on a slag heap painting the mine (open cut and lovely strata)before being taken on a tour of the whole complex.

He was chuffed to see two kangaroos stroll (hop) across the grass in front of us while we ate breakfast one morning but the koalas were a bit shy (nocturnal) and didn't show themselves while we were in Halls Gap ....a mountain resort near here.

He had a bit of trouble with our trees though ....they are crooked and full of character from their trials with drought and wind etc....but Alan likes his trees a bit straighter...he found they looked tortured!!

Alan is off to Alaska next week ...he is always on the go....lucky man.