april 2011 Friday 1.4.11 Spend day again working on the wingéd man ready to take up to the foundry at the beginning of next week. Saturday 2.4.11 Sit out in the garden to eat my breakfast and read the post. Beautiful handmade card from my beloved Henrietta and letter from Lady Arabella Kiszley saying how delighted they are that I have agreed to become Patron of Cheltenham Open Studios. I’m really impressed with the way they are moving to becoming a self funding membership association and also exhibit within Cheltenham at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham Festival as well as Cheltenham Art Gallery Museum alongside workshops and life drawing opportunities etc. They also took on providing work in Cheltenham and Gloucester hospitals when Arts in Trust lost their funding and have provided opportunities for local community projects within these spaces too. Am full of admiration for all they do and in this era of inevitable financial cuts I feel that they are going forward in a positive way. Of course most things probably functioned in this way before the emergence of art consultancies and similar organisations. Continue working on the winged man and the horse. Sunday 3.4.11 Two beautiful orchid sprays arrive from Henrietta, Kev and the boys. Lovely e mail from Nick who’d also sent one on Friday with a very attractive offer to his ‘creative chums’ to purchase an Artistic License to which we’d replied attaching a photo of me working on the large horse last weekend. His response is “...And what a beautiful horse that is – and it must have taken ages. You don’t want it animating do you? That’s amazing – ...” Whilst working in the studio hear Pick of the Week which repeats and extract of the Great Roberto from earlier in the week ( april 1st ) on electronic sound. Also hear for the second time profile on Adele who has in this era of recession and lower physical record sales, outsold Madonna and the Beatles I like to think that Nathan’s art direction of the extraordinary video with the installations, has helped. Nathan who is working on a short film this weekend, takes a break to go outside to ring me to wish me a happy mothers day. Still working intensely on the winged figure that stands on top of my small horse although the two together make a height of 33 inches. Richard’s constructed a unique form of support so that I am able to work fairly uninterrupted by external armatures and which will hopefully help him to travel in the back of a hired van up to the foundry in Fulham. Work on until .... Monday 4.4.11 .... 7 am when go to bed. I get back out at 11 am as I realise I hadn’t taken more photos then go back whilst R puts a couple more struts to stop the figure falling over and instead of calling me to help to lift it from my upper studio down to the van he does it on his own. Clay is remarkably heavy, likewise the structure. He phones about 4.30 to tell me he’s delivered to Philip at The Art Bronze Foundry who use lost wax and ceramic shell to cast the bronzes. Tuesday 5.4.11 As usual I’m running behind the schedule I’ve set myself. I had also promised to let Sharron at the Fosse Gallery have a painting for her Rams, Lambs, Tups and Ewes exhibition at a time when I didn’t seem to have quite as many imminent deadlines. The painting I’d started for her in January still needs more work so today is devoted to that. Wednesday 6.4.11 Over the past few days have been adding more to Remember Me and other works for Paris. Thursday 7.4.11 Spend day and evening finishing two paintings for Brian Sinfield Gallery as their exhibition opens on Saturday, which is when I imagine the catalogue will arrive. Friday 8.4.11 Very nice note from Nicholas Walt at Cornellisens saying that they were all enthralled with my postcard of the shoe painting and that its not often that they are more taken with the card than the are with the cheque accompanying it. They were wondering if the could buy some. Cornellisens have been supplying artists with materials since 1855 and when I started going there in the 70s the man who stretched canvases for Sickert was still working there. They were mentioned in Hugh Aldersey-Williams book Periodic Tales when he was talking about the elements that make up artists colours such as cadmium, chromium, titanium, lead, zinc, copper etc. that was serialised on Radio 4. Working for the Paris show. Saturday 9.4.11 I have been asked to write a short piece as a foreword to the guide for the Cheltenham Open Studios of which I have been asked to become Patron. The weather is glorious and I spend an hour or so planting violas and clearing dead wood. Sunday 10.4.11 Another glorious warm and sunny day. Reply to second year student at the university who has seen my painting Portrait of the Artist watching her two Children grow in the Museum and has chosen me for her assignment of finding an artist who might inspire primary school children. So select six paintings inspired by my children that are also overlaid with memories of my own childhood. Monday 11.4.11 Painting on the swimming pool for Paris. Richard painting on the scaffolding for Roger. The beautiful book on the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo arrives. Because its all in Japanese it takes some time before I locate the piece I had written - eventually spot a P with a J underneath it followed by Japanese script and realise that must be my piece. Also a letter from Yuko Enomoto who also encloses a gift a tenugui printed with the logo of Uogashi (fish market) created in the Edo period. In my thank you e mail I express our sadness, concern and admiration for the Japanese people dealing with the aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake; how courageous and full of gracious tenacity. I also explain that we haven’t heard back from the Morohashi Museum or Eiji and Meg. Tuesday 12.4.11 Rob and Sandra come to lunch and to select works for the Fair they are doing in London next month. They are always very entertaining and have many funny anecdotes and stories, so we spend most of the time laughing. After lunch we go over to the studio and after a few minutes Rob asks if the can have it to themselves for a while to plan and by the time we go back they have rehung, with the help of Richard’s tape measure, the back wall as the would like to do it at the Fair. This is something that they usually do in model form prior to the fair but as they are devoting the whole of the main wall to me the are actually able to try it out full scale in my studio. Then its back to work on the Paris show. So relieved as Yuko has contacted the Morohashi Museum of Modern Art which is open and undamaged. Also that Eiji (the Director) , Meg and their little girls are all OK. It is such a relief to know that they are safe since they are in the prefecture of Fukushima. Wednesday 13.4.11 E mail for Hugh, designer at DGM asking if we have images of two of the other works in a series I did for Robert Fripp as they are using Christian Children Singing Marching on the cover of the CD, DVD and Vinyl. Its proportions are perfect for this, but not for wrapping round it. So R sends images of the other two. Robert had sent us a copy of the CD cover by e mail a couple of weeks ago and it did look very beautiful. Thursday 14.4.11 I’m working in the studio on the swimming pool painting for Paris when the phone rings, it is from Rachel at the Royal Academy asking if I will give permission for BBC TV’s The Culture Show to film my little painting ‘The Infant’ as Alistair Sooke (who writes for the Telegraph and presented Romancing the Stone and Four Modern Masters and his recent series on sculpture) has selected it from the shortlisted paintings as one of four that he particularly likes and thinks should be hung. To start with I’m not sure I’ve done the right thing to have agreed but Richard feels that I have. But I am rather more reassured when Alex the programme researcher phones to see which of the days would be suitable for them coming to film me in the studio; he says its all very lovely and not like Big Brother etc. and that Alistair has chosen them because he feels that they are good. I sent something into the RA Summer Exhibition four years ago which was the first time I had done so since 1995, as it was the thirtieth anniversary of when I first started showing there; partly out of affection for people like Reggie Dent who was the first person I met there with arms outstretched he said “there she is!” as if he’d seen me yesterday. He’d been the Principal of Gloucestershire College of Art & Design and hadn’t seen me for several years until that point; he introduced me to Carel Weight, a lovely man who was head of painting at the Royal College. Sadly neither are around to greet me any more. Likewise Sir Hugh Casson the then President who would give me a wink and a smile. It was Valerie Thornton the distinguished etcher (sadly also no longer with us) who had suggested I ought to submit when we both showed in an exhibition in Six Artists in Truro. Now when I go to Varnishing Days I miss their presence but delight in seeing new faces like Grayson Perry in his pretty Bow Peep type dress and the exhibits of people as diverse as Jeff Koons, Anthony Gormley, Damien Hirst, Anthony Green and the little gems found in the small Western Room. Friday 15.4.11 Working on paintings for my Paris show. Saturday 16.4.11 Lunch with Mark Coote, Ben and their guests. Such a delicious meal Thai fish cake starter prepared by Ben, Chicken Tarragon main course cooked by Mark with a panna cotta by Ben, for dessert it was as beautiful to the eye as it was to the taste. During the sweet course Mark got me to talk about the small painting “The Flight” we had just delivered which they had bought from my open studio for the National Star. We then had a tour around their enchanting house and garden all exquisitely designed by Ben. Sunday 17.4.11 Working for Paris show. Monday 18.4.11 Anya the director of the Culture Show rings, asking if next Tuesday afternoon would be convenient for them to come and film me in the studio. Work through until the early hours. Tuesday 19.4.11 Work again through the night so that R .... Wednesday 20.4.11 ...... can take the paintings to the Darkroom to be photographed for the Paris exhibition. Call from Rob enquiring as to whether I’ve got anything else to replace the painting that he was going to be showing with the rest of my work at the Fair as one is no longer available. Call from Sophia at the Museum re the Horse; it sounds like it might be delivered next week. Thursday 21.4.11 Painting birds until going out to shop at garden centre and buy Easter gifts. Good Friday 22.4.11 It’s glorious weather and I spend a blissful day of contemplation and working in the garden. Henrietta, Kev and the sleeping boys arrive about 10 pm. Saturday 23.411 We are having fun playing with the boys when the doorbell rings and it’s Nathan and Ruth (who have also travelled down from London), which makes the boys even more excited. They look very well. It’s so warm again we fill the paddling pool. A lot of time too spent flying the wonderful glider that Nathan and Ruth have bought for Isaac. My Mum has also come and sits watching them frolicking in the water or playing with the cricket set. Richard drives over to Burford to collect the tiger painting to have back in the studio for when the television crew from BBC 2 come on Tuesday. Easter Sunday 24.4.11 The day of the Easter Egg Hunt; I have distributed small foil wrapped chocolate eggs around the garden and the boys have a carrier bag each in which to put their treasures. Isaac of course, being nearly two years older, tends to spot them first although Samuel is very generous in giving one to Isaac when he spots two. Its a lovely day, particularly as we have all the family here, including my dear Mum. Monday 25.4.11 Henrietta and Kev take my Mum out to lunch and shop for a freeview digi box - she has not been able to get television for the last few days as the signal has changed over to digital - which kev then fixes up for her. I get out the large cardboard boxes I’ve saved for the boys which they have great fun with as Isaac decided its a game of pet shops of which he seems to be both the owner and a blue macaw. He asks me to make his box into a bird cage within which he could be suspended from the ceiling so I have to explain why this is not possible. So he decides a bird bath would be appropriate although after Nathan and Ruth have filled the paddling pool for them again they change direction. So Nathan and Ruth take them to the park, taking the cricket set with them. The day culminates when we all have supper; Richard’s cooked a shepherds pie with a nut roast base. Nathan and Ruth leave to return to London just before 7 and Henrietta, Kev and the boys at about 8. We then start to organise for the next day .... Tuesday 26.4.11 .... when a film crew arrive from BBC2. at about 2 pm. The director, Anya, camera man, sound man and Roshin who is on work experience. Anya asks if they can wander round a bit first of all; once she’s decided what she wants to do the are very focussed and sensitive to the work and the space. They film me painting and talking about the work. And how I have the wood turned and made up for the frames that have become an integral part of the paintings. They also film me in the garden and house talking about my painting of Henrietta and Nathan and how Isaac and Samuel have now also become a great source of inspiration. Anya tells me that she too has a little boy who is one year old. They leave at about 5.30 and drive back to London Wednesday 27.4.11 Visit from a friend and client who frightens me when I come downstairs as he’s sitting in the kitchen wearing a Prince Philip mask as they are preparing for a Royal Wedding party to entertain their friends and neighbours on Friday cooking Coronation Chicken, Gleneagles pate etc. Thursday 28.4.11 working on the swimming pool painting Friday 29.4.11 Interested to see when watching highlights of the Royal Wedding on the News that it’s the Dean of Westminster who meets and greets the Queen and other royals - we had the pleasure of meeting him when Bishop Michael introduced us to him at the Buckingham Palace Garden Party last year; they had been at theological college together. The Wedding seems to have captured the interest of most of the world. Anya, the director of the Culture Show had said that there would be 8000 journalists covering it and certainly our dear friend Dr Margus Laidre who had been the Estonian Ambassador here until July (now advises his President on foreign affairs) had been asked by Estonian television to do a commentary. When we popped into Cheltenham in the afternoon it was on everybody’s lips and there were stalls serving foreign foods in the Promenade. I thought it was touching that Kate Middleton (now Duchess of Cambridge) had used Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen which will help keep that House alive after he sadly took his own life shortly after his mother died. The dress was very beautiful in its simplicity. Saturday 30.4.11 The public seem to feel a lot of warmth for Prince William and his bride. We all remember with sadness the images of he and his little brother walking so bravely behind their mothers casket. Everyone shares in the joy of his happiness. Finishing paintings off for Rob to take to the Fair tomorrow.

april 2011

Friday 1.4.11

Spend day again working on the wingéd man ready to take up to the foundry at the beginning of next week.

Saturday 2.4.11

Sit out in the garden to eat my breakfast and read the post. Beautiful handmade card from my beloved Henrietta and letter from Lady Arabella Kiszley saying how delighted they are that I have agreed to become Patron of Cheltenham Open Studios. I’m really impressed with the way they are moving to becoming a self funding membership association and also exhibit within Cheltenham at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham Festival as well as Cheltenham Art Gallery Museum alongside workshops and life drawing opportunities etc. They also took on providing work in Cheltenham and Gloucester hospitals when Arts in Trust lost their funding and have provided opportunities for local community projects within these spaces too. Am full of admiration for all they do and in this era of inevitable financial cuts I feel that they are going forward in a positive way. Of course most things probably functioned in this way before the emergence of art consultancies and similar organisations.

Continue working on the winged man and the horse.

Sunday 3.4.11

Two beautiful orchid sprays arrive from Henrietta, Kev and the boys.

Lovely e mail from Nick who’d also sent one on Friday with a very attractive offer to his ‘creative chums’ to purchase an Artistic License to which we’d replied attaching a photo of me working on the large horse last weekend. His response is “...And what a beautiful horse that is – and it must have taken ages. You don’t want it animating do you? That’s amazing – ...”

Whilst working in the studio hear Pick of the Week which repeats and extract of the Great Roberto from earlier in the week ( april 1st ) on electronic sound. Also hear for the second time profile on Adele who has in this era of recession and lower physical record sales, outsold Madonna and the Beatles I like to think that Nathan’s art direction of the extraordinary video with the installations, has helped.

Nathan who is working on a short film this weekend, takes a break to go outside to ring me to wish me a happy mothers day.

Still working intensely on the winged figure that stands on top of my small horse although the two together make a height of 33 inches. Richard’s constructed a unique form of support so that I am able to work fairly uninterrupted by external armatures and which will hopefully help him to travel in the back of a hired van up to the foundry in Fulham. Work on until ....

Monday 4.4.11

.... 7 am when go to bed. I get back out at 11 am as I realise I hadn’t taken more photos then go back whilst R puts a couple more struts to stop the figure falling over and instead of calling me to help to lift it from my upper studio down to the van he does it on his own. Clay is remarkably heavy, likewise the structure. He phones about 4.30 to tell me he’s delivered to Philip at The Art Bronze Foundry who use lost wax and ceramic shell to cast the bronzes.

Tuesday 5.4.11

As usual I’m running behind the schedule I’ve set myself. I had also promised to let Sharron at the Fosse Gallery have a painting for her Rams, Lambs, Tups and Ewes exhibition at a time when I didn’t seem to have quite as many imminent deadlines. The painting I’d started for her in January still needs more work so today is devoted to that.

Wednesday 6.4.11

Over the past few days have been adding more to Remember Me and other works for Paris.

Thursday 7.4.11

Spend day and evening finishing two paintings for Brian Sinfield Gallery as their exhibition opens on Saturday, which is when I imagine the catalogue will arrive.

Friday 8.4.11

Very nice note from Nicholas Walt at Cornellisens saying that they were all enthralled with my postcard of the shoe painting and that its not often that they are more taken with the card than the are with the cheque accompanying it. They were wondering if the could buy some. Cornellisens have been supplying artists with materials since 1855 and when I started going there in the 70s the man who stretched canvases for Sickert was still working there. They were mentioned in Hugh Aldersey-Williams book Periodic Tales when he was talking about the elements that make up artists colours such as cadmium, chromium, titanium, lead, zinc, copper etc. that was serialised on Radio 4.

Working for the Paris show.

Saturday 9.4.11

I have been asked to write a short piece as a foreword to the guide for the Cheltenham Open Studios of which I have been asked to become Patron.

The weather is glorious and I spend an hour or so planting violas and clearing dead wood.

Sunday 10.4.11

Another glorious warm and sunny day. Reply to second year student at the university who has seen my painting Portrait of the Artist watching her two Children grow in the Museum and has chosen me for her assignment of finding an artist who might inspire primary school children. So select six paintings inspired by my children that are also overlaid with memories of my own childhood.

Monday 11.4.11

Painting on the swimming pool for Paris.

Richard painting on the scaffolding for Roger.

The beautiful book on the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo arrives. Because its all in Japanese it takes some time before I locate the piece I had written - eventually spot a P with a J underneath it followed by Japanese script and realise that must be my piece. Also a letter from Yuko Enomoto who also encloses a gift a tenugui printed with the logo of Uogashi (fish market) created in the Edo period. In my thank you e mail I express our sadness, concern and admiration for the Japanese people dealing with the aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake; how courageous and full of gracious tenacity. I also explain that we haven’t heard back from the Morohashi Museum or Eiji and Meg.

Tuesday 12.4.11

Rob and Sandra come to lunch and to select works for the Fair they are doing in London next month. They are always very entertaining and have many funny anecdotes and stories, so we spend most of the time laughing. After lunch we go over to the studio and after a few minutes Rob asks if the can have it to themselves for a while to plan and by the time we go back they have rehung, with the help of Richard’s tape measure, the back wall as the would like to do it at the Fair. This is something that they usually do in model form prior to the fair but as they are devoting the whole of the main wall to me the are actually able to try it out full scale in my studio.

Then its back to work on the Paris show.

So relieved as Yuko has contacted the Morohashi Museum of Modern Art which is open and undamaged. Also that Eiji (the Director) , Meg and their little girls are all OK. It is such a relief to know that they are safe since they are in the prefecture of Fukushima.

Wednesday 13.4.11

E mail for Hugh, designer at DGM asking if we have images of two of the other works in a series I did for Robert Fripp as they are using Christian Children Singing Marching on the cover of the CD, DVD and Vinyl. Its proportions are perfect for this, but not for wrapping round it. So R sends images of the other two. Robert had sent us a copy of the CD cover by e mail a couple of weeks ago and it did look very beautiful.

Thursday 14.4.11

I’m working in the studio on the swimming pool painting for Paris when the phone rings, it is from Rachel at the Royal Academy asking if I will give permission for BBC TV’s The Culture Show to film my little painting ‘The Infant’ as Alistair Sooke (who writes for the Telegraph and presented Romancing the Stone and Four Modern Masters and his recent series on sculpture) has selected it from the shortlisted paintings as one of four that he particularly likes and thinks should be hung. To start with I’m not sure I’ve done the right thing to have agreed but Richard feels that I have. But I am rather more reassured when Alex the programme researcher phones to see which of the days would be suitable for them coming to film me in the studio; he says its all very lovely and not like Big Brother etc. and that Alistair has chosen them because he feels that they are good. I sent something into the RA Summer Exhibition four years ago which was the first time I had done so since 1995, as it was the thirtieth anniversary of when I first started showing there; partly out of affection for people like Reggie Dent who was the first person I met there with arms outstretched he said “there she is!” as if he’d seen me yesterday. He’d been the Principal of Gloucestershire College of Art & Design and hadn’t seen me for several years until that point; he introduced me to Carel Weight, a lovely man who was head of painting at the Royal College. Sadly neither are around to greet me any more. Likewise Sir Hugh Casson the then President who would give me a wink and a smile. It was Valerie Thornton the distinguished etcher (sadly also no longer with us) who had suggested I ought to submit when we both showed in an exhibition in Six Artists in Truro. Now when I go to Varnishing Days I miss their presence but delight in seeing new faces like Grayson Perry in his pretty Bow Peep type dress and the exhibits of people as diverse as Jeff Koons, Anthony Gormley, Damien Hirst, Anthony Green and the little gems found in the small Western Room.

Friday 15.4.11

Working on paintings for my Paris show.

Saturday 16.4.11

Lunch with Mark Coote, Ben and their guests. Such a delicious meal Thai fish cake starter prepared by Ben, Chicken Tarragon main course cooked by Mark with a panna cotta by Ben, for dessert it was as beautiful to the eye as it was to the taste. During the sweet course Mark got me to talk about the small painting “The Flight” we had just delivered which they had bought from my open studio for the National Star. We then had a tour around their enchanting house and garden all exquisitely designed by Ben.

Sunday 17.4.11

Working for Paris show.

Monday 18.4.11

Anya the director of the Culture Show rings, asking if next Tuesday afternoon would be convenient for them to come and film me in the studio.

Work through until the early hours.

Tuesday 19.4.11

Work again through the night so that R ....

Wednesday 20.4.11

...... can take the paintings to the Darkroom to be photographed for the Paris exhibition.

Call from Rob enquiring as to whether I’ve got anything else to replace the painting that he was going to be showing with the rest of my work at the Fair as one is no longer available.

Call from Sophia at the Museum re the Horse; it sounds like it might be delivered next week.

Thursday 21.4.11

Painting birds until going out to shop at garden centre and buy Easter gifts.

Good Friday 22.4.11

It’s glorious weather and I spend a blissful day of contemplation and working in the garden. Henrietta, Kev and the sleeping boys arrive about 10 pm.

Saturday 23.411

We are having fun playing with the boys when the doorbell rings and it’s Nathan and Ruth (who have also travelled down from London), which makes the boys even more excited. They look very well. It’s so warm again we fill the paddling pool. A lot of time too spent flying the wonderful glider that Nathan and Ruth have bought for Isaac. My Mum has also come and sits watching them frolicking in the water or playing with the cricket set.

Richard drives over to Burford to collect the tiger painting to have back in the studio for when the television crew from BBC 2 come on Tuesday.

Easter Sunday 24.4.11

The day of the Easter Egg Hunt; I have distributed small foil wrapped chocolate eggs around the garden and the boys have a carrier bag each in which to put their treasures. Isaac of course, being nearly two years older, tends to spot them first although Samuel is very generous in giving one to Isaac when he spots two. Its a lovely day, particularly as we have all the family here, including my dear Mum.

Monday 25.4.11

Henrietta and Kev take my Mum out to lunch and shop for a freeview digi box - she has not been able to get television for the last few days as the signal has changed over to digital - which kev then fixes up for her.

I get out the large cardboard boxes I’ve saved for the boys which they have great fun with as Isaac decided its a game of pet shops of which he seems to be both the owner and a blue macaw. He asks me to make his box into a bird cage within which he could be suspended from the ceiling so I have to explain why this is not possible. So he decides a bird bath would be appropriate although after Nathan and Ruth have filled the paddling pool for them again they change direction. So Nathan and Ruth take them to the park, taking the cricket set with them. The day culminates when we all have supper; Richard’s cooked a shepherds pie with a nut roast base. Nathan and Ruth leave to return to London just before 7 and Henrietta, Kev and the boys at about 8.

We then start to organise for the next day ....

Tuesday 26.4.11

.... when a film crew arrive from BBC2. at about 2 pm. The director, Anya, camera man, sound man and Roshin who is on work experience. Anya asks if they can wander round a bit first of all; once she’s decided what she wants to do the are very focussed and sensitive to the work and the space. They film me painting and talking about the work. And how I have the wood turned and made up for the frames that have become an integral part of the paintings. They also film me in the garden and house talking about my painting of Henrietta and Nathan and how Isaac and Samuel have now also become a great source of inspiration. Anya tells me that she too has a little boy who is one year old. They leave at about 5.30 and drive back to London

Wednesday 27.4.11

Visit from a friend and client who frightens me when I come downstairs as he’s sitting in the kitchen wearing a Prince Philip mask as they are preparing for a Royal Wedding party to entertain their friends and neighbours on Friday cooking Coronation Chicken, Gleneagles pate etc.

Thursday 28.4.11

working on the swimming pool painting

Friday 29.4.11

Interested to see when watching highlights of the Royal Wedding on the News that it’s the Dean of Westminster who meets and greets the Queen and other royals - we had the pleasure of meeting him when Bishop Michael introduced us to him at the Buckingham Palace Garden Party last year; they had been at theological college together. The Wedding seems to have captured the interest of most of the world. Anya, the director of the Culture Show had said that there would be 8000 journalists covering it and certainly our dear friend Dr Margus Laidre who had been the Estonian Ambassador here until July (now advises his President on foreign affairs) had been asked by Estonian television to do a commentary. When we popped into Cheltenham in the afternoon it was on everybody’s lips and there were stalls serving foreign foods in the Promenade. I thought it was touching that Kate Middleton (now Duchess of Cambridge) had used Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen which will help keep that House alive after he sadly took his own life shortly after his mother died. The dress was very beautiful in its simplicity.

Saturday 30.4.11

The public seem to feel a lot of warmth for Prince William and his bride. We all remember with sadness the images of he and his little brother walking so bravely behind their mothers casket. Everyone shares in the joy of his happiness.

Finishing paintings off for Rob to take to the Fair tomorrow.