Blog 14 - After the Ness of Brodgar Summer, the Year Moves Forward Published September 2024

I am still trying to recover from the valiant attempts to keep paper, paint brush, and jacket still in the ferocious winds and wet of this year's Orkney summer.  Knowing that by the end of August, the 20 year old archaeological site, the Ness of Brodgar, was going to cease digging and get covered over as it had been for thousands of years, well, there was an urgency to my painting.

When the weather was right, it was right and I thank the lovely Mary Lewis for snapping the photo above of my joy at painting in the sun when she came on one of the last tours. 

There will be more to come about all the work I managed and all the poignant moments of saying cheerio to the wonderful team at the Ness that has supported my painting and suggestions.  From starting troweling in 2011, until my age and  bad back had a disagreement and moving on to small finds assistance with Anne Mitchell; to helping at the Dig Shop with Annabel and Linda with my rendering of the Brodgar Butterfly mark used as the design onto the t-shirts and baseball caps; to winter work wrapping and packing of small finds; and finally in 2018 to the invitation for painting on site.  PHEW!  Yes, that is the painting included in the wonderful exhibition still on until the end of September in the Orkney Museum. 

Well, we all have to look ahead to the new year with new challenges and so you might be thinking of a 2025 calendar.  Before the Ness season began, I picked out both watercolour and oil painting versions of my view of the Standing Stones of Orkney. 

The photo above thanks to LJ who found me at the Ring of Brodgar.

Some of these were painted on my way to the Ness of Brodgar dig last summer or after the digging day had ended and I was on my way home.  Having my portable studio in the back of my car makes it easy to stop along the way.  Last summer, the weather was better and so a number of works have bright blue skies!

You can purchase my 2025 Calendar right now, here and online : https://jeannebouzarose.com/products/orkneys-standing-stones-calendar

We will all continue to know that geographically, the wonderful Ness of Brodgar excavation lies safely hidden between the two standing stone circles that I will continue to paint and you can enjoy a different artistic perspective every month in 2025 with my Oil and Water Mix! AND you can keep up with the research news from the Ness of Brodgar https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/2024-excavation-end/