The Largest Painting I have Ever Done

Two weeks ago I painted a backdrop for a play as a gift to the school that my daughter teaches at in Oxford. The play was, "The Tempest" adapted for children and was performed by 9-11 yr olds. I saw the dress rehearsal and it was fantastic.

It took me two whole school days to paint the picture. I was given just a line drawing with two horizontal vertical lines to represent sea and sky with about six vertical lines with things sticking out the top to represent trees to work from. I was also told that the sky had to represent storm, calm, night and day which is no mean feat. It was fitted over climbing apparatus at the end of the school hall. As I looked up at the vast quantities of blank white material I wondered if I had bitten off more than I could chew. As it turned out I loved doing it and thoroughly enjoyed chatting to children who stopped for a look and to ask questions as they passed by. I became the unplanned "artist in residence." Everyone, including me, was delighted with the finished piece and it looked wonderful as a setting for the children to show their acting skills.