I must apologise to all my readers for the dirth of entries over the last month. Life has been so hectic and exciting that although I have dictated the diary most days I still haven't had time to read and edit. But am going to gradually work backwards as well as forward from here.

February 2006

Thursday 16.2.06

Lots happening with communications from many directions. E mail from Sophia re. invitation cards, information boards and labels for the exhibition; also asking if I would be the speaker on International Women's Day on 8 March. A phone call from Nick at the Bridgeman Art Library saying that advertising agency CCHM Ping are using my painting Latin American as the face of Lloyds TSB's financial business consultancy (Follow the leader - the art of our advisors). It's going to be on their posters and even the back of a van that will drive round London. It's wonderful how as reproductions the paintings have a separate life.

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Thursday 23.2.06

Painting and press interviews today which sadly means we can't get up to London to attend the reception for Estonian Independence Day which we had been invited to by the Ambassador.

Friday 24.2.06

Whole day spent writing notes to go in with the catalogues which arrived from the printers this morning and look very good. Anna phones from the Museum to say that Central Television are going to come to the gallery to film just before the opening.

Sunday 26.2.06

Working on the Jeddah street scene. In the evening call from John Hudson of the Western Daily Press to see if we can do a telephone interview in the morning; but as afternoons are probably best for me we decide to do it now. he's done his research well and is obviously knowledgeable on the subject. It's probably works best when interviews are on the spot and spontaneous.

Monday 27.2.06

Visit from Richard's cousin Pam and her husband Rex. They are on their way back to Denby Dale after spending time in Devon and other areas. It's chaos as Eddy is laying out the tiles on the new kitchen floor so that we can show him the pattern we are wanting. thus all the furniture had to come back out. Still working on the Arabian houses with their decorative hanging box like windows. Interestingly you can see the architectural influence of these merchants houses on the houses of the merchants they traded with in Venice.

Tuesday 28.2.06

E mail from my friend the Estonian Ambassador letting me know that on page five of the Financial Times there is a reproduction of Latin American. It's part of Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance 'Art of the advisor' advertising campaign. Also in today's Western Daily Press there's a big article by John Hudson, editor of Life Time the review section with a photograph of me in the studio on the cover followed by another two on the next page. It's excitingly written and correct.

A call from Robert Sandelson who has someone in the gallery who owns one of my paintings and wants to know more. Robert's showing him the catalogue for A Day at the Races and asking me if any of the works are for sale.