A week in my favourite city always passes by so fast, never more so than when the festival is on, and the whole city hums with life.
I was there for several events: On Monday there was a masterclass at the National Gallery of Scotland, followed by storytellings.
For the latter I sat in front of Mars and Venus by Veronese and told the tale of Cupid and Psyche, complete with upside down illustrations. Great fun in an unbeatable setting.
My event at the book festival was slightly more elaborate. Intended as a launch for “Katie & the Starry Night”, I was introduced by my dear friend Linda McClelland, head of Education at the National gallery in Edinburgh and who had hosted the gallery events.
She played along with the idea wonderfully, which was to inform the audience that I was unable to appear and that they would have to find another speaker. At which point “Van Gogh” stepped out from his portrait…
The children did some lovely art, while “Vincent” skillfully sidestepped a few leading questions about that ear incident, before returning to his picture…
Thanks to the book festival for playing along, Hachette for sterling support and especially Linda, who also arranged for me to visit the National Gallery exhibition, “From Van Gogh to Kandinsky”; an unmissable array of symbolist painters, dazzlingly diverse, full of unusual themes, unknown artists and a few old favourites. Quite the best exhibition I have seen for years.
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