It is traditional at most golf clubs for Lady Captain (and other Captains) to have a special competition day for her members (Lady Captain’s Day) and, as I am currently Lady Captain of my golf club at Bourn (Cambs), I decided to make my theme for my day “Nature’s Time”. There were many prizes of pictures, Whimsy jigsaw puzzles and mugs which I had specially made, designed around my artwork. I also posted a nature quiz, setting up my paintings in a little exhibition (as I am having serious withdrawal symptoms at not participating in exhibitions during my sabbatical year). The four main prizes were special clocks, in the shape of an artist’s palette, upon which I painted pictures in acrylic (Not my favourite medium – more of that story here) representing the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. I purchased the wooden paintable clocks from the Society of All Artists (SAA).
There are several different shapes and sizes of paintable clocks available, but I thought that this shape represented my profession as an artist, and was also an ideal shape for illumination and picture painting. I had to layer the paint to make it vibrant because, although it stated that the clocks’ surface was ready to paint on, the paint still penetrated into the wood. I then put on two coats of satin acrylic varnish to protect the completed artwork and wood surface. My husband, David, then very kindly put the clock hands and unit into place and we set them up on the prize table.
I designed an illumination pattern and text for the clocks which was standard on all four of them. But the pictures on each were different to go with the season they represented. It was great fun, and I hope you like them.
The Spring Clock picture: Wren, Primroses and bluebells in Spring colours
The Summer Clock Picture: Bullfinch, Poppy, Greater Spearwort, in flaming June colours
The Autumn Clock Picture: Kingfisher, Blackberries and Spindleberry, in glorious Autumn splendour
The Winter Clock picture: Gardener’s Friend the Robin, Snowdrops and Holly with a black and white illumination.
…And these are the clocks on SAA cardboard stands with their hands attached ready for presentation to the winners of my Lady Captain’s Day competition.