Painting with Carol

I have some photos I would like to share with you. My dear friends Ted and Collin sent them to me this week. They bought an old school less than three years ago in a place called Brewster, about 20 minutes out of Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. I just love to go  to Victoria for my workshops - I not only run my workshops at their gallery, I also use their home as my base. I call it my R&R as no one looks after me like they do.

Can you imagine how hard the ground must have been, having had all those children running, skipping, jumping on it for all those years? It must have been like concrete. It just amazes me that anything would grow in it, however if you could only see it now, the gardens are just wonderful. Each time I visit they have done so much more to the gardens. The garden is open to the public and it is certainly worth a visit, especially in the spring when the variety of iris will take your breath away.

Ted and Collin have made the old school house itself in to a gallery-cum-coffee shop, but it is more than just a coffee shop -it is a meeting place for all the local sheep station owners who stop off and have a coffee or even a glass of wine on their way to wherever they going. I have seen them arrive on their tractors! It is wonderful to be there, so much fun and laughter. Every month Ted and Collin put on a breakfast for the locals and the coffee shop is full every time. I have just read what I have written and it reads as if I am running an ad for them, but it is such a pleasure to be there I just can’t help myself. If you are in the area or on the road to Adelaide, it is a good stop over for the best cup of coffee around just look out for the signs along the main road.

Wardlin Craft and Garden
344 Kayleys Lane
Brewster, Victoria
Ph (03)53440641