THE PAINTBOX Ladies
Another evening at Miss Beech’s mercy, Daisy thought. Instead of the promised ‘professional artist’ running the Paintbox Class, the council had roped in her old art teacher from school.
‘I wish she’d retire to her allotment,’ Daisy whispered to her friend Karla. ‘Remember how high my hopes were when we signed up? I thought, with a professional tutor, I’d improve my technique, experiment a bit.’
She scrutinised the painting of the bowl of fruit she’d been working on. ‘This is Miss Beech’s idea of art, not mine.’
‘We need some encouragement,’ Karla said, ‘not put-downs.’
Put-downs being Miss Beech’s speciality, Daisy thought.
The other students were already working on their canvases. Daisy glanced across at the newest member of the class. Julia had joined only a week ago and her painting looked nearly finished. She’d mastered the bloom on the grapes and the banana looked almost real.
Disheartened, Daisy mixed yellow with a bit of green, trying to get the colour
