Caroline’s lockdown artwork is anything but bog standard
AP A Paisley artist has come up with a nov novel way to mark the coronavirus loc lockdown – by pain painting on toilet pap paper.
Ca Caroline Gormley, who runs Made in Paisley on the H High Street with her part partner Sandy Guy, has bee been self- isolating for wee weeks as she is classed as in i the vulnerable cate category.
S She admits she’s been goi going stir crazy in her Pai Paisley flat, but came up wit with the idea of doing a sm small oil painting on a sh sheet of toilet paper as aw a way of marking this un unique time in history.
Caroline told the Pa Paisley Daily Express: “It was all to do with the gr greed of people and all th the madness that was go going on with the toilet ro roll.
“A lot of people a are writing diaries, I thought I’d do p paintings on toilet roll.
“They’re all c coronavirus related.
“I’ve done 15 so far and I’ve got another 185 to go.
“I haven’t written a list of ideas for paintings, it’s just whatever takes me at that time.
“I’m going to do one of Major Tom who raised all that money for the NHS.
“I’d like to do one of an older person and a young child as well because they’ve been affected by this.
“My first one was cigarettes because I smoke. Then I did a cockerel because everyone was running about mad buying chicken.
“I’ve enjoyed doing the portraits. I’ve done one of Boris Johnson and one of Donald Trump.”
Caroline has been tweeting her progress and is delighted the official Andrex Twitter account has liked her efforts.
She joked: “You never know, I might end up being presented with some toilet roll at the end of this.”
As well as being an established artist and running Made in Paisley, Caroline is also the vicepresident of Paisley Art Institute.
She’s keen to nurture young talent and particularly enjoys the children’s art classes she helps to run at the gallery.
Caroline said she hopes to exhibit the piece at the gallery when the lockdown is over.
“The idea is to roll it on to an inner cardboard tube so it becomes a toilet roll of artwork,” she explained.
“That’s what an artist does – they document moments in time.
“That’s what I try to do as an artist.”
She added: “I’ve got nothing else to do, I’m not allowed out.”
Caroline specialises in larger scale paintings, so she admits limiting herself to a small square at a time has been a challenge.
“I usually do large scale paintings, this is really challenging for me to be painting on toilet paper which I haven’t even primed,” she said, “It’s such a small scale.
“Mind you the hardest part of it is keeping the cat away when it’s hanging down.”
Caroline said she would welcome suggestions from people on what she should paint as part of the artwork. Anyone with ideas can email her at carolinegormley69@ icloud.com