Spring 2007 Volume 5 No. 1 Page 2

 

© TOTTON ART SOCIETY

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TAS NEWS V5 n1 cover

 

 

 

 

 

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Mike Shandd and Ruth Edwards with cheque

Mike Shandd and Ruth Edwards

 

Group at Tide Mill Presentation

Photos © Totton Art Society

 

TIDE MILL PAINTING PRESENTATION


Today is the day! No - not a wedding, Christmas, or any other day of celebration - it was the day we were to hand over the Eling mosaic painting to Colonel Mike Shandd, trustee of Eling Heritage Trust and representative of the anonymous buyer of the painting. It was a really exciting time, apart from the speech I had to make - a nerve-wracking business! I've been told it gets easier, but I've still yet to find this out.

Back to the handing over ceremony… the day was cold, wet and windy (not exactly uplifting!) and we - that is some committee members, photographer and other representatives, were gathered inside the entrance to the mill. The press and T.V. people unfortunately did not turn up. Anne had been down the day before with the painting. It took the men hanging it no less than five hours to get it secured to the wall just behind the entrance door - an ideal place. Introductions were made and cameras brought out. Bunny Austin had made a big cheque for £350 for Mike Shandd and I to hold up (Totton Art Society will donate the money to Children in Need). Oh dear! Me 5 feet 2 inches next to a 6 feet plus meant that I could just peep over the top, giving a good impression of "Chad"! We lowered it a bit, but I still felt I was peeping.

Having had many sleepless nights and daylight hours composing a speech, half-way though, after conveying thanks to Mike Shandd and all others involved, I felt it was no good, tore my piece of paper up and said what I truly felt: that it really is a beautiful painting of Eling Creek and that besides all the skill and hard work put into it, it also holds all the warmth and care of the Society.
This is a great achievement for our society as well as raising money for Children in Need. Congratulations to everyone who took part: from the idea first formed, the planning, the preparation, painting and publicity, to the final hanging and handing over. Are we going to have another?

Ruth Edwards T.A.S. President