I collected the screen prints from Scott McIntyre - a framer here in Haddington. I am so pleased with the results. There is something about framing - like icing on a cake or expensive buttons on a suit. That 'finish'.

It always strikes me how convoluted the whole process of exhibiting is. Nothing is straight forward and there are so many niggly things to remember. Like signing the work and getting labels made up. Giving consideration to hanging - what is required and how taut can I make that string. Then there is the list of works to think about. And prices. I hate thinking about prices but this has to be done.  Finally, an artist statement to cement the work and say what is appropriate - very, very tricky.

So, the constant flitting about collecting all sorts of likely necessary equipment has commenced for the first instal tomorrow.

Red dots - hope springs eternal
Scissors
Cellotape
Pens
Screwdrivers and screws for last minute panic with hanging
A visitor's book
Price labels ...

Hopefully all will go smoothly and things will for once slot into place in a natural and perfect manner. Ha!

Gradually the house in addition to the purpose-built shed/studio outside is being over-run by artworks. In a way I should have done this before as it is good to see the paintings up and about however in truth, this is perhaps the first time I feel the artworks are worth being on display.

Borrowing from the moto of 3 Harbours Arts Festival I decided to make the location of some of my artwork 'unusual places'. The totems I made as part of installations now adorn the trellises around the garden. They will age the same way as the trellises do. A fitting end to pieces created out of found wood.

So- working out what how to prepare for the 3HAF. We had a meeting yesterday at Prestongrange Museum at which we were given useful information as to how to exhibit and manage that exhibition when the venue is an Open House. Cockenzie Business Centre can be considered such - but as a business centre it has the benefit of not being 'muddied' by personal effects. That being said, I think that a benefit of having work in a home is that often folk can more easily visualise the work hanging in THEIR homes.

The need to make it as attractive a proposition on the outside of the venue was emphasised - to welcome folk in. Trisha and I are considering how to make an A-frame to sit outside and also posters to highlight our presence. We also discussed with other folk who are also exhibiting in that area the possibility of supporting each other in making sure that our visitors go to their venues and vice versa. Footfall is so important.

Fliers, postcards and business card making is on the agenda along with finalising work. I am upcycling previous projects. I enjoy cutting down larger pieces that are not as successful into smaller pieces which are. In this case it fits into the whole fragmentation/trace theme very well. The work I am cutting up is based on shadows so another form of trace or memory. I am making small tiles - the fact that they are slightly irregular in size and shape does not matter - adds to the character. As they are oil based I am augmenting with oil and working out relationships to make two artworks which compliment each other. I have covered board with canvas on to which I have applied washes of acrylic paint. The tiles are then glued on. Once the oil paint is dry I will apply varnish to the tiles.

I have working on the tiles so that they read into one another though spacing is important too in order to add to provide a pause or drama to the piece.

This is the eighth year of taking part in this festival. This year there is a new development - I am to exhibit alongside a long-term painting colleague and friend in a venue so not part of the large contingency that was Cockenzie Power Station (now closed) and Cockenzie House. We have been offered the public spaces of Cockenzie Business Centre, so corridor, the main hall leading off that, two sets of stairs (it is an old school - one stairway for the boys and another for the girls!) plus top landing and an anti room. There are some constraints - we can only use the hooks that are already in place: the stairways are tricky in that there is wooden panelling running all the way up so hence a restricted drop from the hook down. The main hall is welcoming with seats etc but there are so many doors off it and no hanging facilities it could be a void space where really we need it to be part of the exhibit. I have asked for a table there for laying artworks etc on and really hope for some sculpure to sit there too.

We have a total of 37 hooks to furnish. My colleage Trisha Kane and I hope to be able to have our work sitting side by side but as Trisha's work tends to be larger than mine it could be that we have to take separate spaces to best suit the artworks. There is good light through out. The corrider could be tricky in that it can be narrow when people travel through it. Best to stagger large with small pieces and try to avoid over-working the space.

We also aim to having a welcoming wine and nibbles on the opening Sat

The feedback at the final crit of the year was that as usual I was investing too much in the pieces of work I produced. It was suggested to me that I consider the Margarita Pizza approach - three components only. So, I took up that challenge confining myself to a background/support, painting surface and motif. I experimented with many found objects including a tin can which had to be new in order to use it which unfortunately produced a shiny surface and not one which fitted the brief. Better results were produced from slate, stone and wood. On holiday on Mull, I came across three lonesome boats left to rot at a disused quay. Lying on the sandy banks were sections of wood panel and other assorted rusty tools/sections. I collected a panel and a section was used in serveral parts of these artworks.