Art!

The books in the window of Addyman's Annexe looked faintly familiar - and as I got closer, I saw why. Someone has written a book about Jean Miller's paintings!
I first saw Jean Miller's paintings when they were exhibited at Addyman's main shop (their only shop at the time). She lives just up Lion Street, and I think it was the first time her work had been exhibited anywhere. Since then she's gone from strength to strength - she's opened up her house as an art gallery during the festival, and had other exhibitions. Her work is very brightly coloured, and seems to be very popular - and now there's a book, and Jean was doing a book signing session today!
There's more art at 2, Belmont Road. There are a couple of bronzes in the window, of tall columns with women's faces at the top, and glimpses of richly coloured canvases within.
There's new art at the Hourglass Gallery too, and photographs upstairs at Marina's - and more photos at Addymans'. There are probably other special exhibitions for the Festival, too. I've been invited to two opening events.
The first invitation was slightly alarming! There were two women filming around town, and as I passed them, one of them pointed at me and said "I know this lady!"
I honestly didn't recognise her, until she mentioned the Timbuktu Twinning Ceremony, when I dressed up as Matilda de Breos. I was wearing a wimple then - so how she recognised me in 'plain clothes' .... She gave me an invitation to the opening, anyway - free glass of wine, Timbuktu goody bag, film, photographic exhibition. Sounds like a good evening.

This evening I met her again, along with the rest of the filming crew. I was just taking Islay out for her evening walk when I met Ann Brichto, who took me by the arm and said I must come to the Three Tuns with her for a drink and to meet the filmers. I had to take Islay home first, and then I sat with four or five other friends of Ann. When the film crew arrived, they said that they thought it would be useful if they did some filming then - probably just for research purposes, so it would never get as far as the documentary itself. So they asked Ann what she was doing and why she was going to Timbuktu, and then asked each of us what we thought of the idea, and they asked me about why I dressed up last year. I told them that Matilda de Breos had built the castle, and so she was the perfect person to greet foreign dignitaries - and it was especially apt, as Timbuktu was also supposedly founded by a woman.
It was a very jolly evening.