I Love Chania

It never fails to amaze me how quickly time can pass without me realising it! Already it has been two weeks since I wrote my last post and thinking back, I have to really concentrate on remembering everything I’ve done during this period of time.

First and foremost springing to mind is the visit I had from some customers who have now become good friends – Paul and Sheila Vernier and their son John. I met these wonderful people a few years ago whilst I was selling on the beach in Almyrida. They have furnished their beautiful holiday home near Rethymnon with my artworks and are the clients I mentioned in my blog a year ago, who commissioned me to do two large 3-panel Archways.

John, Sheila and Paul

John, Sheila and Paul – Good customers and even better friends!

One of these Archways hangs outside by their swimming pool all summer and they take it inside during the winter months. Unfortunately, during an unexpected storm in September (usually a hot and calm month) last year, persistent heavy rain pounding directly onto the canvases, completely stripped them of all their sand! Normally, my artworks can withstand most weather conditions but not quite this volume of rain water. So they came to my apartment to drop off the canvases for repair and to buy two more of my artworks. We spent a pleasant couple of hours catching up with our news and I hope to see them again when they return to Crete in September.

Seashell Mosaic of Fisherman Mending his Net - 30 x 50cms

One of the Seashell Mosaics the Verniers purchased – Fisherman Mending his Net – 30 x 50cms

We have had much activity going on in Plaka and Almyrida, with meetings and discussions regarding the local and national elections. I first registered to vote here in 2010 because as a recognised member of the local community, I am interested in all things concerning the Apokoronou area of Crete in which I live and love and I think it’s important to show that interest. It is good too, that the local Greek community do recognise the value and input from the considerable expat community living here and furthermore, are interested in hearing our opinions and suggestions. It was quite amusing the other day when I was selling in Almyrida and I had visits from at least three of the local candidates – all of them, of course, trying to persuade me to vote for them!

Strangely but not unsurprising – we had some unsettled weather around the time the UK was enjoying its ‘Barbeque Weekend’. This often happens at the beginning or the end of the summer – if the UK is having good weather, here on Crete it deteriorates slightly – almost as though we swap places! I have always done a beach selling day on a Monday but last week I just didn’t feel confident about setting up. The sky was thick with cloud and rain was forecast. For the first time in five years I didn’t pitch up on that Monday and I was glad that I didn’t because the sun never showed its face and there were odd rain showers throughout the day. Almyrida was like a ghost town, with all the tourists taking the bus into Chania for a shopping day instead of a beach day.

David, Yianna and I

David, Yianna and I – right opposite the Mosque where David and I hold our exhibitions

Talking of Chania, last week David and I spent the day there sourcing various printers. My dear friend Paul used to print all my leaflets for me on his colour printer but sadly he died earlier this year. So now I have to get them done professionally, which is not a bad thing but is certainly more expensive. David was also looking for the right printer to produce good copies of his paintings, which up until now he has had printed in the UK. We did find one or two suitable companies and I gave one of them the artwork and the go-ahead to print 1,000 of my sales leaflets.

Chania Harbour Front

Chania Harbour Front showing our friends with their horse and carriages

Because we are usually in Chania at this time of the year, holding our exhibition in the Mosque, we took the opportunity of visiting many of our friends who work on the harbour front. It was great to see Yianna, who sells the daily boat trips and some of the people who run the horse and carriages. Everyone was asking us why we weren’t exhibiting and so we let them all know we would be back in September. I do love the atmosphere and the buzz on the harbour front in Chania and can’t wait to spend a whole week there when we have our exhibition.

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