DECEMBER 2005
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Call from John Childs at the Michael Heseltine Gallery, a public exhibition space near Banbury, to ask if I would consider having an exhibition there either Autumn 2006 or Spring 2007 he thinks that the students in the Art and Design Department (it's attached to Chenderit School) would be particularily relate to my work and could do some intersting projects based on it . The Gallery was opened in 2003 by Michael Heseltine with an inaugural exhibition of Anthony Green. I remember hearing a review on Radio 4's Front Row at the time. It sounds to be an interesting space so I say I would be interested in putting on a show there, though I'll probably have to beg steal and borrow to fill it.
CD arrives from Tristram, the sculpture student who made the photography award for the Star College , showing the casting process. by coincidence an e mail from Sue Bizani who says she has had really good reports from Gloscat, the college where Andy Milne (who was awarded the prize) has started his new photography course. They say they couldn't have been sent a better student than Andy. It's wonderful to hear that he's enjoying the course.
R's gone to Leominster to look at some old reclaimed tiles to match the original ones in the existing house. He's rather pleased to spot some mid nineteenth century tiles by Godwin which we think will also have. Godwin was the precursor of the Arts & Crafts Movement, influencing William Morris in particular.
I'm still working on the King Abdullah paintings.
R goes up to London to collect Nathan and the wood for the horses head he's going to carve for me.
Discussions with Nathan about the shape, size and position of the horse head he's about to start carving for me. It's nice to see him in the workshop chiselling away at the big block of jelutong.
Time shared between studio and Nathan and Rebecca
ditto
Day spent on last intensive bash on the two King Abdullah canvases. Stop for a supper with R, Nathan and Rebecca before Richard drives them back to London. and I'm still working on the paintings when he returns.
We oversleep so are later than we had intended setting out for London with the two King Abdullahs packed safely in the back. We're held up by a huge amount of racecourse traffic then a patch of fog on the road to Oxford. I have a sinking feeling inside as I feel it is unlikely we will get there in time for the appointment but don't mention it to Richard as I don't want him to worry or drive fast. But the fog diminishes, the sun comes out as we're nearing London and Richard says we will be in perfect time. Alistair's at the door which is opened for Richard to carry in the paintings. He then ushers me up to the beautiful salon. MJ enters shortly after and we discuss the possible mural project. Then go down to look at the paintings which have now been unwrapped. He's pleased with the two King Abdullah paintings; they are taking them back with them today. Out to meet Richard who is just a few yards down the road to show me where he has parked the car.
Then it's off to Tate Modern to see the Douanier Rousseau exhibition, Jungle in Paris. They are beautiful paintings; an innocent vision overlaid with an innate sense of design. Observations of plant life that he had seen in the Jardin du Plantes in Paris. Appolinaire said that they were inspired by Rousseau's time doing military service in Mexico. The animals are wonderful, creatures of his own making (although again he did look at the stuffed animal in the Jardin du Plantes) - not sentimental and often attacking and eating it's prey. Tigers and lions that come to life against these exquisite backdrops of jungular vegetation in muted greens ; the colours are much better than in reproductions. The women have interesting proportions - large hands and tiny waists. Some of the works are enormous, especially when one considers the small scale of his studio. Although collected by Picasso, Appolinaire and the Duchess mother of Robert Delauny, his work received mixed reactions and was often underestimated and ridiculed by academia. But these marvellous works remain in the mind's eye, So distinctive and more memorable than many others painting at the same time.
We then travel over to visit Henrietta for a soup bread and cheese supper. It's 2.30am when we arrive home.
A Cafe day today - all the parts I hadn't finished because the camera lens wouldn't see them when we had the transparency made, particularly the two sides continuing the bigger picture. R's stretching and priming another canvas to replace the horizontal start I made to the King Abdullah paintings before starting a second one as portrait rather than landscape.
A new optimistic beginning today. Start to brush in the composition for the old buildings in Jeddah, though forget how dry, thirsty and mean the canvas is when newly primed. As light relief, when talking to my Mum on the telephone, I also start a small square painting with the Day at the Races exhibition in mind.
What started as a small daily trickle through the letter box has now turned into a deluge of Christmas cards each day. It's wonderful to hear from friends who we often haven't seen all year particularly as I didn't have an exhibition in 2005 due to the commissions. It reminds me that I too ought to be writing cards - but as yet the printer hasn't delivered them to us. But hey presto, after a call from Richard, Mike arrives with them in the evening which of course distracts me from the painting. Most of the evening spent writing though do have another burst at the easel around midnight.
By lunch time have sketched in with paint some of the old buildings in Jeddah across most of the canvas and later in the day I begin to overlap the lower section with walking figures in throbes and abayas. this is the part I enjoy most as it allows for greater freedom and spontaneity in the composing of shape and colour. a short break for the writing of more cards. Later in the evening I receive the most delightful and encouraging e mail from a Saudi lawyer who had seen the paintings in MJ's office "They were distractingly beautiful and moving, I could not carry out my presentation and deliver it as planned...." it made my day to read that my work had made someone "feel alive today." and touched that he had been so moved by them that he took the time and trouble to write so encouragingly across cultures.
Call from Brian Sinfiield saying that our link to his website isn't working and as he's just had a new one with moving parts constructed. he says he's disappointed as the search engines don't seem to like picking up moving images.
Jeddah painting.
Went to see Tom's exhibition with my Mum. We bought five more photographs (the proceeds are again going to the Parkinsons charity) and I commissioned him to do one especially for me.
Call from Sally enquiring about the "The Party" painting. off to supper with dear friend Joyce in her beautiful little house, exquisitely designed and altered by her to maximise space and light. After the delicious meal over which we chat we look at some of the paintings and drawings she has been doing recently. she says she feels she's been out of practice but the amazing thing is the observation and sensitivity of touch is still as good as when she was a student with me.
Lunch with Martin and Reiko in Winchcombe at Juries, the Japanese tea room and restaurant. We haven't seen them for over a year so there's much to discuss Reiko has a beautiful smile. Then Christmas shopping in Cheltenham.
Back in the studio working into the new Jeddah street scene Have now filled the bottom section with walking figures. Sally and Gareth come to visit the studio in the afternoon to look at "The Party". A really nice couple they had bought a small work in 1990 so it's nice to meet them after so many years.
Builders plumber, joiner and electrician all at work in the new kitchen which seems to be full of laughter, carol singing and political discussion.
More painting...more shopping...
More painting...more shopping...