OCTOBER 2005
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R goes to another reclamation yard and manages to find old quarry tiles in black and red like the ones in the original part of the house.
Weather's wet so light not particularly good in the studio but there is enough to work without switching on the tubes that carry me through the night.
We're of to London to visit Henrietta and Kev to celebrate Henrietta's birthday. We were going to collect Nathan en route but he's come back with a cold from a very successful trip to Croatia - where he gave a paper at an arts symposium, he was also exhibiting. We have a lovely evening and fun watching H unwrap the presents and chatting about projects etc.
Surprised to see in the Christie's catalogue that arrives today that Tiger Child a smallish painting from 1987, is to be auctioned in their 20th Century British Art sale on 20th October. Rather pleased that the reproduction has a page to itself. The sale includes all sorts of people like Augustus John, Hockney, Sickert, Tonks, Moore, Sutherland, Piper etc.
Today's good light made it very conducive to work so greater progress made.
Tim delivered the first of the frames made up in the newly cut and turned timber, I'm very pleased with the shape it makes. This first one is for the Cantilever commission.
Loughran O'Conner, the artist from New Jersey and her husband Larry who is a poet, arrive about 1.20. I'm touched that they know the paintings so well; Larry quotes from the book things that I have said about the paintings that he has particularly related to and Loughran remembers both the images and words in great detail. We go on a tour round the studio and discuss works in process and politics. They are no more enamoured of Bush than I am of Blair, particularly with reference to Iraq. Over a long late lunch we chat about art and dealers; Loughran also teaches and asks me a lot of pertinent questions on behalf of her students. Before they go she shows me photographs of her own paintings; very beautiful one winged angel-like figures, often with personal autobiographical meanings.
Intense reworking of King Abdullah's head on the first of the two paintings. I started three days ago making numerous small changes but hopefully am getting somewhere as the quality of the paint is now very subtle built up with thousands of tiny brush strokes, layer over layer trying to capture both the likeness and the essence of the man.
Bonanza! Cheques from two dealers today, Brian Sinfield and Rob Whittle the latter had been in the post for a week which included a trip from Birmingham to Cardiff and then delivery to the wrong house; ironic as he phoned to say he "your cheque is in the post" and we laughed about the cliche. Phone call from Andy Curry re paintings for the art fair.
Today concentrated on the head of Prince Salman.
All this week have been listening with interest to the late night book at 12.30 (BBC Radio 4) which was a serialisation of a biography of Claris Cliffe the brilliant Art Deco ceramics designer of the 1920s and 30s. This working class girl became a moving force in design and is probably one of the most sought after for collectors. It made me recall when they mentioned Chetwyn, the house where she lived for the second half of her life, that I went to dinner there with Geoff whilst he was lecturing at North Staffs Polytechnic. The house was then owned by Flavia, the head of the art history department and her partner. The minstrels gallery that Claris had built was beautiful and the view over the grounds magnificent.
Terrible news of huge earthquake that has devastated Pakistan, India and Afghanistan with thousands buried under rubble, injured, dead or homeless; appeals for international aid. Another of the ferocious seasonal hurricanes has this time hit South America destroying two villages in its wake.
Today it's the bowed head of Crown Prince Sultan that I am painting. I met him when we were in Riyadh at a very beautiful restaurant full of exotic animals and a waterfall. Apart from his government posts he also manages the Saudi football team. Like Prince Salman (governor of Riyadh) he is full brother of the late King Fahd and half brother of King Abdullah.
Phone call from Robert Sandelson during the evening to say he has found a small painting that we had all been looking for. He asks if I've seen Toyah recently as he met her at a party given by the English Eccentrics designer Helen David at her home Guntan Hall which seems to be in Norfolk like Robert's home Narborough Hall.
R meets Rob Whittle half way to Birmingham to swap over a couple of paintings.
Still working on the head of Prince Sultan though do take a break to mow my studio grass in a little of today's Autumn sunshine.
Announcement from Discipline Global Mobile that the new KC boxed set of CDs is now out; volume 2 of the history of King Crimson.
R's built a gothic door for the set of the film that Nathan will be making at Pinewood shortly. Then send a photo to Nathan who approves so he can build the other two.
I continue on the two King Abdullah paintings adding spotlights to the upper section of the frame.
A strange day for Nick Park and Aardman who are celebrating the first weekend showing of their new film Curse of the Were-Rabbit, another wonderfully English eccentric adventure of Wallace and Grommit which topped American box office takings. On the same day the Aardman warehouse in Bristol (designed by Brunel) was gutted by fire destroying all the props and sets of the past thirty years, some of which Nathan helped with during a short work experience there whilst still at school. He stayed with our friends Joan and Arril Johnson. Arril, an animator (Oggie the Dinosaur) has also worked with Aardman and kindly arranged it.
It's now thought that up to 40,000 people could have perished in the earthquake in Kashmir, half of whom were children. Many schools that were in their first lesson of the day collapsed, entombing their students; it's thought that a generation may have been wiped out.
How helpless the people from those areas must have felt when trying in vain to dig the students out with their bare hands as over the days the children's voices from within the ruins gradually stopped calling out. A French aid team managed to retrieve 40 young people from one school along with 60 bodies. One good thing that has come out of this terrible tragedy is the help that India has offered; the Indian army are working alongside Pakistani soldiers rebuilding bunkers to give shelter to some of the thousand upon thousands of people that the 'quake has rendered homeless. the Independent has an appeal form on it's front page for victims of the Asia quake with the headline "Why this is no time for compassion fatigue".
E mail from Alistair asking if I can go to London on Tuesday to meet MJ's architect Tarik, to discuss the mural project.
A day of mixed efforts in the studio; including a spell on the Pantomime - I noticed I'd not given a shadow of one of the figures and some finishing work to the Sweetshop. Then back to the Saudi canvases
There is a mention of King Abdullah on the news; he's given his first interview to an American television network since becoming King two months ago. He says that he hopes that women will be granted more freedom including the right to drive. He is of course in a very difficult situation as there are many pressures from the more conservative elements of Saudi Arabian society who could be against such moves.
Contemplating the new canvas for Cantilever, working out ideas in my mind's eye now that the canvas is primed and on it's easel ready to go. Toy with different compositional arrangements before returning to the two King Abdullahs.
R's in London taking a couple of paintings up for Andy Curry to show at the Art Fair and then collecting Nathan's sculpture moulds to take to a casting studio in Basildon.
It's a beautiful warm day and I find myself working in the garden for an hour before commencing in the studio. A day of varied endeavours.
My mum and I walk down through the village to the Tithe Barn where there is a Book Fair with local authors. But we have gone to see a photographic exhibition by Tom Cane who like the other exhibitors is donating sales money to the Tithe Barn's proposed new extension. Tom's photographs are brilliant, full of sensitive and beautiful observations - wildlife, insects, plants etc. They are all the more remarkable as Tom has Parkinson's Disease; his movements are often very erratic but today the medication seems to be more effective. A very intelligent and boyishly handsome young man with a mischievous sense of humour. He's been taking photographs for twenty five years, on his travels through North and South America, Africa, Malaya and Europe. He's in the process of building a huge computer based photographic library.
Back in the studio painting igaals, the circular band that twists to make a double ring around the top of the head over the ghoutra which in turn lays over the kufiyyah ( small white Islamic hat ) making an abstract rhythmic pattern over the surface of the canvas which is perhaps echoed in the basic composition which is also circular. Later, whilst talking to my Mum on the phone, I paint more colour and definition onto a jar of gob-stoppers in the Sweetshop.
Have started putting paint onto the new cafe painting. I'm moving figures around, trying to get the scale right in the fore middle and back grounds.
We set off to London late morning, arriving in Chelsea for my appointment about 3. Tariq is very nice. The plans he shows me for the new ALJ building are beautiful. We discuss the placing and size of the proposed mural project which we both agree wold probably fit into the central area that he is suggesting in either three or five sections. Interestingly his wife is also an artist and I am fascinated to see images of her work on his laptop when he dials up her website. He says they will come down and visit the studio when the project is in progress.
We then drive over to Cork Street to visit Robert who has just hung the Vasarely in Black and White exhibition which looks stunning on the warm grey walls of the gallery both upstairs and down. I'm fascinated when he tells us that two Frenchmen who have just been in are probably dealers; he says they are easy to recognise by the ease with which they move around the gallery. We then walk down to the Academy to see the Edvard Munch exhibition, a wonderful show full of angst and melancholy; they are most revealing and intimate paintings, almost too painful to look at.
Whole day on the background of the standing King Abdullah painting; evening divided between Café, Sweetshop and horses.
Unfortunately I missed the Radio Four programme Midweek on which Jackie Collins, who owns several of my paintings, was going to be talking about her latest book. But it seems that the programme (which hit the main news) turned out to be a battle zone with Joan Rivers having a shouting match with Darcus Howe who inferred that she had a problem with the word 'black' and she gave a furious retort about many of her friends being black etc etc and that he having left his wife and children was in no position to moralise. So we think poor Jackie Collins may have been eclipsed.
Was pleased to learn that my painting Tiger Child from 1987 sold for over twice it's upper estimate at Christie's Modern British auction in London, especially as it's quite a small work (18 x 22 inches). It was in the top ten highest prices and most of the others were much larger works by deceased artists including dear friend Carel Weight. We were going to try to buy it back but as it went for more than we could afford. Richard dropped out when it reached the higher estimate but there were still at least two live telephone bidders and the commission bid left with the auctioneer who twice commented, saying "that's a great picture' and "I'm just enjoying it"
Richard did come away with a small Scottie Wilson, the Glaswegian primitive born 1890 who featured in Eric Lister's book "Portal Painters". Christie's catalogue says he died in 1972 but Eric gave him another couple of years (1974).
R then went to collect Nathan's sculpted cloud and lightening bolt from the casting studio. I spent the day working in my studio.
More framing timber arrived today, having been recut to replace some that wasn't quite right in the last batch of machined and turned Italian poplar. Tim will be using it to make more frames next week.
Phone call from Nigel who we haven't heard from for some time, with a plea for help. He's at his mother and stepfather's to stay for the weekend but has forgotten to bring the battery charger for his electric wheelchair. he wonders if we can help him. Richard drove to Worcester to collect it from Nigel's bungalow and delivered to them after the two hour round trip.
Light not good in the studio today so have to resort to the fluorescent strips by late afternoon.
I've been delaying putting the myriad spotlights at the top of the standing King Abdullah at the Janaderiah opera painting. They were all set against the blue black sky of night, illuminating the vast amphitheatre. I had an attempt a week or so ago but today think I've managed to work out an arrangement that read as lights but also fits onto the frame and composition lifting that sections. Gradually Working over the whole surface of the canvas strengthening and refining.
'Phone call from Wallace; we haven't spoken for some time. He's wanting to commission a jazz orientated work. I explain that I'd love to do it but at the moment I'm still working my way through a list of commissions but if he's happy to wait, I can say yes. He'd just been to see an Anthony Green exhibition in Stow I tell him that we know Anthony and his wife Mary Cousins Walker (his artist muse) and what nice people they are. Wallace had also recently read a notice for a Vincent van Gogh exhibition that is going to be curated by Martin Bailey at Compton Verney next year. He curated one at the Barbican a few years ago as well as having written several books, particularly on the early years where he has discovered new material about Vincent's life in England. By coincidence Martin had also written a book on Anthony Green's work some time ago.
Big bash on the two King Abdullah paintings.
Up to London for meetings today and tomorrow and shopping for specific props. Dinner with Henrietta and Kev.
We go to look at a property to see if it would be suitable as a London studio. It's a very nice little house and on the top floor, two full length windows, a lovely light space but we do notice dampness on the back wall and it is in need of a lot of renovation - a wonderful project but i would need something more ready to go for working in. So we probably won't stay up for the auction tomorrow. Discuss with Henrietta who would be keeping an eye on it for me when I'm working in this studio and she agrees. we then go shopping.
On our route home we make a detour to visit Pinewood Shepperton studios as nathan and four of his team are still at work there. It's impressive to see them still at it at 11pm. We stay and help assemble some of the trees on the set; later we stitch the smaller branches to the larger for assembly onto the trunks tomorrow. Leave at 1.30am when Max says to Nathan that the minibus will be calling for you in 4 and a half hours in Stoke Newington - they still all need to get back there, a journey of about an hour and a half) for a short sleep before setting out to recommence tomorrow. It has been wonderful to watch them all painting the huge floor of the studio with legs encased in plastic bags and working with roles on broom handles. They looked like a painting as they turned the floor from green to dark grey, to co-ordinate with the long grey drapes that Nathan had just hung using an enormous scaffolding tower.
R's gone back to help on the set.
I receive an e mail from Alistair; their response on receiving images of the two King Abdullah paintings was "excellent!" Only a couple of monor changes, a hat in one of them looks a little fez-like so I'm softening it to look more like a prayer cap and tightening King Abdullah's grip on the sword.
R's driven to Shepperton again to help with the massive dismantling. I'm working on the cafe and the two King Abdullahs.
We drive to Sydenham in Oxfordshire for a luncheon party given by Jane, dear friend from student days. It's lovely to see her and Sheila, another dear friend. We reminisce over the mischief we used to get up to then and adventures shared by our children. Lots of other familiar faces who I got to know through them bring back further memories of different times.
Add colour to the structure of the cafe painting. It had been mainly painted in terracotta hues until now.
R goes up to London for a couple of days in hired van to help Nathan return all the film equipment, camera, drapes, costumes, wigs, tank traps, stage weights and props.
Meanwhile I'm working on the cafe canvas in the day and painting the
edges of the King Abdullahs in the evening, the parts that are normally
obscured by the frame. The two are worked on together until near completion
when I take the canvas out, to continue the painting over and around the
thin white naked gessoed strip incase the wood and canvas move with time.