APRIL 2007
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It's a beautiful sunny day again and after I have spent the morning working on the early stages of a newspaper painting for Toronto, I go out and cut my studio grass with my push along mower. It's such a joy to use, no fuel, electric power or carbon output here. So it's healthier in every way.
During the afternoon I make another new start to add to the two small beginnings of yesterday. I'm sure the coming of spring brings with it not only new life but renewed energy; the lighter evenings bringing a longer day help too. All our fruit trees are beginning to burst into bud.
Continue on the new starts during the day then in the evening I begin to paint the sky on Madge and Eamonn's commission.
Dave Harries from BBC Radio Gloucestershire rings saying the first part of the interview will be broadcast on the Matt Peacock show at about 10 past 2. I'm not sure how much he has edited but it does feel seamless. This first part is about being a student and starting out.
The President of Iran makes an announcement today to say that as a celebration of the Prophet's birthday he is going to release the fifteen Navy hostages held for two weeks, as a gift to the British people to celebrate Easter.
The second part of the interview on Radio Gloucestershire covers how I went about building my career.
The dealers Rob and Sandra Whittle come for lunch on their way back from Devon and to collect a painting to show at the two art fairs they are doing this month.
R goes over to the studio to record the third part of the radio interview which is a tour of the studio.
It's Good Friday and I work on an angel in my studio before going out to plant more violas and pansies in my urns and pots. The garden's full of nesting birds and the fruit trees are just coming into blossom but it seems sad on this holy day that so many more Iraqi civilians have been reported to have lost their lives over the past couple of months (about 1667 ) and more military personnel die every day. For a President and Prime Minister who both profess to be Christians and use religious rhetoric as President Bush does to justify this senseless war, seems to be the biggest sin that they could continue to commit.
Spend day making preparation for the arrival of Henrietta, Kev and Isaac who are coming to stay on their return from a few days at the seaside in Devon. It is a wonderful surprise to see Isaac walking across the floor towards me; he smiles and points at things of interest. After they have gone to bed I draw faces on eggs in readinessto cook for tomorrow's brunch.
This is the first time Isaac will have had boiled egg and although he eats it Arabian style with his fingers, he seems to enjoy it, eating half of mine and half of his. I then make a largish water-colour of the clown faced egg in his egg cup as a card for him to keep as a reminder. We sit in the afternoon sunshine, in the garden and eat Richard's simnel cake.
Nathan arrives by train from London to join us. He too is surprised at how independent Isaac has become and plays lots of entertaining games with him.
Kev goes back to his design practice in the morning and Nathan also returns to London in the evening to put the final touches to his book on short film making.
Alex from Arts & Business rings to ask if I will travel up to London to judge a national student art competition for Lloyds TSB early im May. It was felt that I would be particularly appropriate as they used one of my paintings for their last campaign.
Miranda rings to say that the client she has been talking to has confirmed she would like to commission a newspaper work and asks which shape I think would be most appropriate. After brunch Richard drives Henrietta and Isaac home. It feels very quiet without Isaac trundling around the corridors pushing the the blue car with the trolly like handle that my mother had given him, she has also gone back to her house so I return to my studio and start a new painting.
Continue the new painting a Hat shop inspired by the large construction started several years ago but still in it's infancy that R has recently unearthed in my old studio at the house.
Continue with the Hat Shop during the day then transfer to Lee's commission in the evening.
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Work on several canvases during the day. In the evening we deliver The Second Kiss to Rita who has prepared a selection of nibbles and wine for us to enjoy whist Richard is hanging the painting. Rita's wonderfully decisive and has an idea of where he wants to place it; with a little help from her friend Jenny and I, she directs Richard as to position and height. It's now plated to a wall that slopes down from the roof . Richard points out that it suits the painting particularly well , bringing into focus the audience who sit mainly on the lower facet of the steeply angled frame as they watch the film on the screen. Jenny's husband, Graham, joins us and we come home with a box of newly laid eggs from their chickens.
Lee rings from New York she and Jim will be in London briefly on route to Paris on Thursday of next week - are we likely to be there? We also discuss sending a photograph of her commission
Spread the efforts around the many easels in my studio today.
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Call from a collector in Germany who remembered that I had a painting of a veterinarians office! At first I think she mean The Bureau. She wants the painting to give as a gift to the vet who has saved their old dog's life It suddenly comes to me that she means the Vets Waiting Room. But both these works sold during my last exhibition with Brian Sinfield. I tell her I will look and see if I have anything appropriate.
During the afternoon we go to a meeting of the new Gardens Gallery (which I am booking for the charity Star Art exhibition in October) committee. It's a beautiful old building in Montpelier Gardens. The whole complex has received heritage funding and is being restored and rejuvenated. I feel most touched and honoured that the group have asked me to open the gallery when the Mayor opens the gardens in June. They have all worked so hard to get the building restored as a community art gallery for local groups, societies and individuals - all those who would perhaps not have the opportunity of exhibiting properly. I am most impressed by the professional way in which they conduct their meeting, and their amazing achievement.
I start another new canvas, a shoe shop - two dimensional this time. Then in the evening some work on a painting of my friend Jane but I'm not happy with my first rendering so R cuts a new piece of wood and primes it for me.
Tackle the newly primed board; perhaps because it is earlier in the day it flows out with greater ease. There's enough there for us to take it with us to the concert in Sydenham for R to show Roy whilst I sit with Jane, family and friends for an early evening drink in their garden. She's looking well. It's the first time we have seen her since they have returned from South Africa and Maxine's wedding. Shortly afterwards we walk down the lane to the little church where Jane and Roy were married about fifteen years ago. Tonight's concert entitled An Evening of Love, is for Jane the money raised going to the oncology unit at the Oxford Hospital, where she received her treatment. It has been organised by a Doctor friend in the village with the help of friends and relations who all seem to be professional opera singers (from Covent Garden) or musicians. Food and flowers on the theme were supplied by the ladies of the village
Commissions and other works.
Whilst Richard is looking at today's papers in the shop ( searching for an article I want on small children and television watching) he spots a reproduction of part of De Standaard, a newspaper painting from the 90s.
Another phone call from Germany in response to the faxed image that R sent early this morning of a tiny Vets Waiting Room in progress.
Also a very nice e mail from a poet and writer (past graduate of New Hall) who was not able to buy the tiny painted postcard that I had donated to the charity auction for the maintenance of the New Hall Cambridge collection, that culminated on Friday.
E mail from publisher in Ottawa who wants to use one of last years paintings in a French book .
Unfortunately commitments don't allow me to meet up with Lee in London or to attend Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum's Achievement report evening.
Jane and David are back from Australia having sold their small holding in Tasmania. They still haven't decided on another property but are contemplating one on the waterfront in Sydney; meanwhile all their possessions are in storage in different parts of the country.
Earlier in the day I realised that I hadn't restored the beautiful old photograph on glass of Jane's great grandmother. They had discovered it last year in one of her mother's outhouses. Miraculously it had remained intact but there were some areas where the photographic emulsion had deteriorated and fallen off so I carefully repainted those small areas with oil paint.
Meet Jane and Roy for lunch at The Lamb in Burford. On our return mow the grass,then work on the new lion and lamb..
We drive to the Old Manor House in Bedfordshire to visit Gill and Howell. He looks remarkably well for someone who underwent open heart surgery in February. After lunch he and Richard walked at a very brisk pace along the river whilst Gill, the dog, my Mum and I did it at a rather slower speed!
Back by 9.15, enough time to do a little more on Lee's commission and the new Vet's Waiting Room before writing this.
Monday 1.5.07
After taking it to the photographers, R sends the little Vet's Waiting Room to Germany. I'm still working on Lee's painting as I need to get a photograph of it to New York for when she's back from France briefly on Friday before going to value a huge collection in another part of the USA.
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