MY AMAZING ARTWORK
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are thy in Swansea.
Reader Loy Evans, near Mumbles, has written in with a funny tale of seeing double after buying a brand new artificial Christmas tree back in 1975.
“My mam Ethel bought a fake tree from Aberdare Woolies in South Wales. When she got it home and opened the box, she was delighted to find they had packed two trees, and promptly gave one to her cousin who lived next door (who was equally delighted).
“Mam then kept the larger of the two, which she decorated. When my sister called round the next day, she commented on the tree’s unusual shape – rather blunt at the top and much wider than tall.
“My mother admitted that she’d thought it was a bit squat when decorating it, but then mentioned her good luck when opening the box and finding two trees in it!
“Yes – you’ve guessed it, my sister pointed out that the second smaller tree in the box was in fact the top half of the tree, and should have been slotted into the hole in which mam had stuck one of the spikes of the star.
“She was too embarrassed to ask her cousin for the little tree back, especially as it was now decorated and stuck in a pot, pride of place, in her front window.
“No one dared mention the odd shape of the Christmas tree that year, but it was a great source of hilarity over the following years as she continued to make sure she got her money’s worth from the purchase.
“Mam’s long gone, but my sister and I still giggle whenever we think about it at this time of year.”
Tell us your funny tinsel tales or just the warm memories of a bygone Christmas.
Email me at siobhan.mcnally@mirror.co.uk or write to Community Corner, PO Box 791, Winchester SO23 3RP.
If you’ve been following Sky Portrait Artist of the Year, you’ll know that civil servant Sally Ward is one of the three finalists competing at 8pm tonight on Sky Arts to take home the title of the seventh season.
In episode three, self-taught artist Sally’s four-hour oil painting of presenter Melanie Sykes earned her a place in the semi-finals where she painted Booker prize winner Bernardine Evaristo and went through to the final.
Sally’s work was described by host Dame Joan Bakewell and judge Tai Shan Schierenberg as “compelling” and tonight she gets a chance to bring Eddie Izzard to life on the canvas.
The 43-year-old, who lives in Kingston, says, “I used to paint a lot as a teenager then started working with watercolours seven years ago, before picking up oils in 2018 to paint portraits.
““The best part of doing this competition has been g getting feedback from the judges – it’s the first critical feedback I’ve had since school. Also I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other artists. I’ve made some firm friendships and appreciated t the supportive art community on Instagram.”
■ If you would like to see your artwork hung in our gallery, ll send a photo of yourself and your work, your age and address and tell us what inspires you.