APRIL 2006
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Call from Rose to tell me that there's spread in the Weekend magazine featuring photographs of guests at the Private View at the Museum three weeks ago.
I'm working in the studio on the Jeddah Fish Market when the telephone rings; it's the laid back voice of the American dealer Norman Henry. I'd been oblivious of the time so ask him if he's had a good lunch; he tells me he's only just arrived and is disembarking from the train in Plymouth. Asks can I take you to dinner and is there a hotel nearby? I say he must have dinner here and I come up with the De La Bere Hotel. It's 15th century and used to be the home of the de la Bere family who were the lords of the manor of Bishop's Cleeve. He thinks he'll be catching the 5.15 from Plymouth and that the train gets in here just after 8 but he might be able to catch an earlier one - which he does, arriving about 7.15. he's already booked into the hotel. Looking wonderfully flamboyant in his red gingham Ralph Lauren shirt. It's great to see him again (his last visit was some years ago). We recall the time that Richard had driven a large painting (I had just finished) to the gallery in London and Norman spotted him through the gallery window and came out to the car and on seeing the painting through the rear window, before Richard had opened up, said "I'll have that." After dinner we look in the studio and discuss future projects. A very interesting man, his great aunt was the artist Mary Cassett.
Whole day spent on the Jeddah Fish Market. I go on until 7.30 which makes us a bit later than we'd originally hoped to set out at for London. It' a quarter to eleven by the time we arrive at the little house but R sets the easel up straight so I get another hour or so painting.
Monday 3.4.06
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Henrietta Isaac and Nathan come over to the rented studio for supper they all comment on the circular painting
Travel back late.
In the evening visit Joyce's (who is there also) sister Sue and her husband Brian, to discuss the commission and see the place they have in mind to hang it. A beautiful house with well designed interiors and black and white checked floor rather like those that I often use in my paintings.
Call from Norman Henry, who's back in New Jersey; I'd missed a call from him on Monday when we were in London. he's wanting our full address as he's going to send a cheque for a deposit on the corrugated horse work that he's seen in the catalogue. The irony is that today's post is late and when I open an envelope addressed from Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum, it contains a postcard (with a reproduction of a Stanley Spencer in their collection) from Helen, one of the joint directors at the Museum, telling me that they have bought "The Smell of the Horse, the Roar of the Crowd for their collection (but are happy to loan it for the next venue. I'm really touched and delighted that it's going to live at the Museum. But what law of averages or chance is it that two people should want the same painting on the same day -luckily I know Norman is also interested in other works.
Henrietta, Kev and Isaac arrive at about 11.30 pm.
Cheque arrives from Karl Monday as the deposit on the three new commissions. H,K and Isaac arrive late evening.
Lovely morning. My Mum comes round to see Isaac again; take some beautiful photographs of them together. Then Henrietta and I walk with her pushing the pram down to the Club where she is preparing their monthly Sunday tea.
H, K and Isaac leave about 2.30 .
Call from the Museum to say that Melton Mowbray Museum have requested to have the exhibition 'A Day at the Races' in September so we discuss which borrowed works might not be available for it.
It's after midnight when I remember that I have not replied to Margus, the Estonian Ambassador who so kindly invited us to Westminster Abbey a performance of Arvo Paart's Passio which I'm sure would be wonderful but sadly will not able to make it, as apart form the commissions I'm working very hard to complete 'Paradise' enough to be reproduced on the invitation card for Paradise, Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained which opens at Gloucester Museum on 5th May.
Wonderful surprise to receive in today's post a copy of Martin Bailey's catalogue for the forthcoming Vincent van Gogh exhibition at Compton Verney and the National Gallery of Scotland. t's a brilliant survey of the British collectors of van Gogh's work, beautifully written and presented, combining Martin's expertise on Vincent and his skills as an investigative journalist. It's an excellent read as can be opened ay any page for revelations on the relationship between artist and collectors. It's so generous of Martin to present us with this.
Also in today's post tickets for the performance at Westminster Abbey from Margus of the North, which makes me feel very guilty for not having let him know sooner that we would be unable to attend. I frequently wonder how many marvellous opportunities we've missed in my need to work; it's all consuming. I sometimes wish I had two lives running side by side.
Had sudden inspiration last week to add a semi circular top to the tall Paradise Lost painting to give it more of the Paradise Regained; it also creates a more interesting shape. So Richard gets John to cut one of my beautiful French circular frames in half and fix it to the back of the painting's frame. R's already cut the board and covered it in canvas so by the evening I'm able to start a skyscape on this upper section.
Working flat out to try and complete three works for the Paradise, Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained invitation card.
It seems appropriate to be working on The Ascent today, Good Friday, and over the Easter. It's always humbling. I look at the large triptych altarpiece that I started one year ago and realise that I haven't yet moved it much further on. Two or three weeks ago I painted in a sky scape, filling the upper three panels and have ben struggling since to find a colour to enclose the bottom panel (predella) to contrast with the sky that overlaps the frame at the top. So far I've mixed three or four different hues, none of which is yet compatible.
Work on all three paintings to be reproduced on the invitation for Paradise, Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained. I had the idea that they might be nice overlaying the skyscape of the altarpiece. R has managed to put it together after a lot of learning new bits of Quark XPress and has found rather an interesting font called Bordeaux which feels quite ethereal when placed across the sky. He's assembling a mock up for us to show to Henrietta, Kev and Nathan tomorrow
Up to London, taking my Mum, collecting Nathan and Rebecca in Stoke Newington. R soon has the meal on the table, having prepared it all at home in advance. My Mum had been very industrious and made a rhubarb with our first picking of the year. Things as usual now revolve around little Isaac's feeding; we take it in turns to cuddle, bounce and soothe him. Nathan and he seem to have a special rapport though I have to say that my Mum has not lost her loving touch and is still able to rock him to sleep in her arms or pushing him to and fro in the pram - she also planted their window boxes with pansies she'd brought. I'd made two Easter paintings for Isaac last night and en route.
Work really hard starting early (for me) and listen to the whole of Milton's Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained,( the BBC's recording of their serialised version ) which takes me up to 5.30 am when in fact I only manage to finish the circular Paradise painting The Garden.
R goes to the Darkroom at 7.30 to have the transparency made. he then drives it and the disc with the layout to the printers in Swindon. Meanwhile I work on The Ascent right through until ....
....3.30 am. Then a further two hours on the Angel and Tiger, a version of Paradise Regained. R takes them into the Darkroom to be photographed, waking me on his return. Once I'm showered and dressed we're off to Swindon again for me to check the colour proof of The Garden and card layout. They are really good as they scan the two new transparencies whilst we go into High worth for a bite of lunch and to buy some cakes. When we get back Lee, their graphic designer has scanned the two further images but it takes some time for us to get the colour correct; they've come out too blue and cold. It's very difficult getting him to put in enough of the golden or yellow hue that is actually in the paintings. I think they find it quite difficult working from a 4 x 5 inch transparency but hopefully at last they've got it. Then we travel n to London and arrive in time to go for a walk with henrietta and Isaac (in his papoose).
Travelled back from London in the evening, having spent the day with Henrietta and Isaac who had his first vaccination.
Back at work in the studio after sending out the invitations for the Gloucester City Museum Exhibition, which is now only a couple of weeks away.
R drives to Pershore in the hired van to collect the paintings that belong to the Great R and Toyah then delivers them to the Museum
Bob and Sylvia visit the studio. They had been interested in buying the Angel and Tiger Paradise Regained but since this has gone to the the Great Roberto I've said that they can come and see the other small paintings that I am working on. I'm also wanting their reaction to the altar piece; I'm pleased as they are very in tune with what I am trying to convey and think that it's right for me to exhibit it in Gloucester at this stage as a work in progress. Bob suggests that he write a piece for both the parish newsletter and the church magazine to tell people that it will be there. After they leave I recommence work on it as decide that rather than looking like a figure sketched in, in terracotta paint, St John on the right hand panel might be perceived as corpse like. By 3 am I've under painted in colour and more detail with book and pencil in hand. Working fast I also add more trees,sheep and small figures to landscape. Thus by the time I call it a day it has moved on considerably