Heavenly Beverley : Last Mango In Beverley (Probably Not...)

I absolutely love words. My darling Dad, a brilliant wordsmith, started my passion for the English language. My gorgeous friend and diva, Ms Jan George, is currently my inspiration for continuing this goal of maybe...being a wordsmith worthy of Dad's memory.

I suppose a lifetime of reading has contributed to my fascination and appreciation of words. I love rhymes (a bloody difficult word to spell, so I learnt it by rote at an early age), alliteration, idioms, similes and metaphors, double-entendres and I try never to miss Grandiloquent Word of the Day. There are situations that even too much extravagant pomposity isn't quite enough...

In the Gallery this afternoon, the temperature is a tad on the warm side. Perfect for writing in the breezy path of my favourite old-boiler standard fan. Vicky from Avon Trading across the road just dropped in for some respite from the heat with the grandies in tow. Mister Not Quite One was supposed to be having an afternoon nap. He was having none of that. His big sister, Miss Three, was talking the hind leg off a donkey and Grandma was physically wilting. In a stroke of genius, I set Miss Three up at our Aspiring Artists' Table. She duly complied and produced a delightfully colourful abstract masterpiece. Vicky had a short breather before launching forth out into the shimmering afternoon heat once more.

Anyway, I've diverged. Again. This post is all about colour. The East End Gallery is alive with colour at present. Nothing of a "beige" nature in here. Likewise with my hair. The purple I'd attempted before New Year's for Leigh's sixtieth 'P" party was a disappointment and had faded to the shade of an elderly shiraz with no redeeming features whatsoever.

In the bathroom cupboard, I discovered a Loreal hair dye called "Mango". My interest was piqued once more. Michael, expert hair colourist that he is, (he is an absolute perfectionist) applied the bright and lively liquid to my hair yesterday morning before I opened the Gallery. Given that the instructions did not promise a particularly impressive result on hair such as mine - the look of rusty barbed wire - I decided to leave the product on my locks for a full hour.

Oh, my giddy aunt! The effect is fantastic. My hair is now a fabulously vibrant bright orange that clashes with absolutely everything. "Mango" be damned! My next quandary will be whether I stick with this colour or try "Red Passion" next time...

As for the Gallery...don't take my word for our current display of wonderful artworks. Or that we now represent nearly eighty artists. Hooley Dooley. Stretching from the Perth Hills to Balladonia on the edge of the Nullarbor, our artists each bring their own blend of awe and magic to a Gallery that is truly a work of art in herself. Yes, the Forbes Building is a woman!

We managed to nail down York artist Murray Cook, his lovely wife Carmel and his dad Allan in the East End Gallery for an up-to-date photo, modernising his profile and receiving a particularly stunning piece of ceramic sculpture. Murray has finally given permission to sell his exquisite piece, "Billabong". Having supported us from the very beginning, we hope to do Murray a favour and send "Billabong" to a new home. Another of Murray's pieces, "Figurehead" was sold to Deborah just before Christmas. She was thrilled with her purchase. "Oxlake", its deep red hues lusciously rich, is also waiting to be snapped up.

"Flowers In My Garden", Michael's amazing piece of art honouring the early mining and agricultural industries is under lay-by. We have also sold a Steve Pease silver ring, Jan George's kooky "Mini Magda" and jewellery, Kim Allison's cards, a wine bag and doggie bandana by Dandaloo Dilly and one of David Lillico's leadlight wrens. Not bad for our first few days of 2019...

The weather is promising to be much cooler over the remainder of the weekend. So, if the kids are driving you nuts and you need an outing, take a day trip up here to Heavenly Beverley. Toss the urchins into our town's excellent swimming pool and enjoy a visit to the East End Gallery.

Looking forward to seeing all our guests.