King Street Theatre ... knockout opening!

It was a knockout opening. The King Street Theatre opened last night after long rennovations and the assembled guests couldn't believe their eyes. I couldn't believe my eyes either. In the morning I had been there to help hang my paintings but when I left there were still carpenters and lighting people on ladders, a man laying carpets and mess everywhere. By 6pm the place had been miraculously transformed.

Twelve noon on opening day

6pm on opening night

When the guests arrived at 6:30 the show began. A pianist played, a singer sang, Sylvia performed a wonderful one-person piece about selling wine and the guests watched entranced.

Gifted pianist and singer entertain

Sylvia performs

Guests are entranced

About 10pm when most of the guests had gone, Mel sang a thank you song for Markus who sat with his arm around his daughter and tears in his eyes. The pianist read the notes from his ipod!

Markus and daughter

Mel sings

Then Maria and a friend sang Summertime.

Singing Summertime

One of the guests said, "This is So New York!"
I thought "and so Berlin, and so special."

Last minute drama

I dropped in to the theatre today to see how the paintings were hung and found the place crawling with electricians putting in lighting and plugs. There were also painters giving the final coat of paint to the bathrooms, actors rehearsing and the Intendant wringing his hands because the seats need to be installed before this weekend's performances.
The paintings were still in a row on the floor!

One Direction

One Direction T shirt with figures by my friend Ruby. (If you are into One Direction and you like this shirt there is a link under the picture to the sales site.)

I Love Zayn, Niall, Louis, Liam, Harry T shirt by kookykids

King Street Theatre ready to fly

The King Street Theatre has had a major revamp and is almost ready for opening night.

new paint - new lights - new vibe

The new paint finishes are ready, the actors are rehearsing their new play and paintings for the first exhibition are stacked against the wall.

paintings awaiting hanging

If you want a little taste of what will be on the walls - have a look here. I will post a picture when they are hung.

Strelitzia

Strelitzia flowers are so fantastical that they can easily overtake a canvas, which they did on my first attempt to paint them.  I gessoed over the result and tried again and this time they were better behaved.

Strelitzia

An enormous Strelitzia

At my front door there is an enormous Strelitzia plant that should be dug out, or at least divided.

Digging up and/or dividing would take a lot of muscle and would probably be best done in winter. While I wait and contemplate how it could be done I paint.

Ruhig atmen

Love this picture taken at a German opera house. This is what the singers see before the curtain rises.  Translation: Breath calmly, take a deep breath, don't stress!

Curtain (from a Facebook friend's page)

There is a lot more to singing than meets the eye.

Rumbalara Reserve

If you drive up, up, up Dolly Avenue in the Gosford suburb of Springfield, then on into the Rumbalara Reserve the narrow road leads to picnic spots with spectacular views across Gosford and the Brisbane Waters.

Watercolour: view over Gosford from the Yaruga Lookout

View over Gosfotrd from Rumbalara Reserve

Sometimes a painting can say more than a photograph.

Dawn

The days are getting shorter and daylight saving has finished. Sunrise is just after 6 am.

Sun rise last Thursday at Umina Beach

Standing on the table looking out to sea

This is what they are looking at.

The car park was full even at 6am last Thursday as surfers gathered to try their Easter luck. Next year the surf life saving  championships are being held at Umina Beach, a much safer beach than the Gold Coast which has claimed several lives over the last couple of years.

New Lawnmower

Its red and black, with a four stroke engine which runs along by itself if you pull the right handle. Yes, my new lawnmower is much flasher than I expected to buy and came from Aldi of all places, the German grocery store that seems to sell so much other stuff I am not sure if it qualifies as grocery store any more. Dear old  Victa Twostroke did wonderful service but when you wanted him to stop you had to lift the handle so high he was drained of petrol. Today I put Victa on the road with a sign saying 'Sill works" and within an hour he was gone to his new home.  Dear old Victa. Will I become as fond of the Gladiator?

Victa Twostroke

The Gladiator

Lilies

I bought a bunch of lilies on whim the other day, then decided I should paint them before they wilted. So, quite unexpectedly, I now have two lilies paintings.

I threw the wilted lilies out today and marvelled at the magic of paint that has captured them on canvas.