December 2009 Tuesday 1.12.09 Working hard on the miniatures or small paintings; Richard puts them onto the web site as they are nearly finished. Wednesday 2.12.09 I reply to Dr Chirag Gandhi, the son in law of our wonderful friends and collectors in New York, the Doctors Subramanium. He is wanting to commission a painting. Twenty years ago I created a painting which included his wife Gita (now also a Doctor) and her sister Usha whilst the latter was studying at Christie's in London (later becoming Vice President of Christie's New York, Specialising in Glass ). Thursday 3.12.09 Still working on the small paintings and excited that several have already sold. R is feeling pleased with himself as he’s managed to finish engraving a woodblock of one of my images and he’s taken several prints, framing one of them, for the weekend open studio for the National Star College. Friday 4.12.09 A lovely e mail from Karl and Sharron Monday saying that they have been watching the small paintings as they have been posted onto the web site and have all week resisted the temptation but today they can resist no longer and would like to reserve The Angel the Tiger and the Elephant and just to add to the temptation could we please let them know the price of The Shepherd and The Race. And true to form by the end of the morning they have bought all three. Then a call from a man called Brian Marlow who has also been watching these small paintings; he doesn’t know of the National Star College but has been following my work for many years, first coming across it at London’s Portal Gallery. He enquires about the prices of two or three works and says he will ring back - he would like to buy ‘Dancing from room to room’ For me it’s as thrilling to sell these small works in aid of the National Star College as it is to sell a large piece through the galleries. I stop painting at 8.30 so that we can plan how to hang the paintings and lay up the table for the mince pies and mulled wine etc. But it’s still 3 am when we finish. Saturday 5.12.09 I’m really pleased that when I get up Richard has already put wires on the backs of the tiny paintings, hung them and made all the labels. As I go over to the studio I meet Mark and Viv Axtell Powell and on entering find that Myrtle, Rachel and Jan Arney are already there. The studio is soon very full. Dear Myrtle buys The Lighthouse. It was she, whilst head of art at the College, who brought a group of students to Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum where I had an exhibition, for an informal talk that I gave to students; as with Myrtle I still correspond with some of the students I met then. I’m thrilled as Sue Roberts buys Ceccotti’s Ice Cream for her sister, especially as I’d thought of it as a pair with their Punch & Judy. People comment on how nice it smells with Richard’s wine mulling on the stove and mince pies in the oven; he’s really excited as five of his wood engravings that he’s made from my All at Sea image have already sold. Dear Sheila and friends arrive from the other side of Oxford and so do Wallace and Judy. Sheila buys one of my newspaper reading prints. Kathryn Rudd, vice principal of the College comes to see the painting that she is purchasing and add to the fun. As does David Finch who took over from Myrtle as head of art but is now director of College development. Later Paul, vice chair of the College governors and his lovely wife Vivienne, come, and generously purchase Paradise Park. Also John Woolcot and his wife Alison. Sunday 6.12.09 Again its a lovely bright sunny day. I’m doing a little bit of work on a painting I started last night as all the small works had sold, when Mark and Julia Hurrell arrived, closely followed by Peter Horne (vice principal Star College) and his family. Peter Cottingham (College governor) and Beverley Hodson who buy The Lion the Angel and the Infants plus Debbie Hutton (College governor) and Gabriel. A surprise visit from Sallie and Gareth Thomas who travelled here from Bath having purchased two of the small paintings when they first went on the web site. Jenny Mead, David and Eleanor Read and his sister Helen and Steve; Heather and Adrian Rosser with her brother and partner; Caroline and Simon Knowles who have a very interesting conversation with Edward and Alyson Gillespie about the bench that one set of grandparents had at the racecourse; Edward asks me about the use of one of my paintings on a mini jigsaw puzzle produced by the Injured Jockeys Association and I say I haven’t seen one yet but tell him that Charles Slosberg a passionate race going Doctor friend had suggested it; Caroline says she had been given one for her birthday. Early evening Allen and Maggie McConaghie arrive and followed by Graham and Eileen Lockwood who make a very generous donation. It’s been another wonderful day with so many friends coming to support. Monday 7.12.09 Such an exciting morning. We’re up in time to make two £5,000 donations with some of the proceeds of the weekend’s sales through a marvellous scheme called the Christmas Challenge a charitable foundation that has £6.5m to match donations of up to £5,000 each to charities that have pre registered with them. But Anthony had warned us we would need to do it early and that there might be difficulty with the technology. The first one goes through OK but after submitting the second one we are told it did not succeed and to try again; and again; and again which ends up then with too many £5,000 donations being taken from my card (it does take the next couple of weeks to sort this out!!). The upshot was that we were able to double that £10,000 to make it £20,000 and some others doubled the purchase price of their paintings so that eventually the Open Studio will have made over £26,000. Whilst I’m doing a little more to some of the paintings purchased for the National Star College over the weekend, R arrives back from Cheltenham with a Waterstones carrier bag full of the Old Spot Cookbooks, produced by The Old Spot Trust to raise moneys towards Gloucestershire charities. It’s interesting to see how many great recipes there are by Gloucestershire people including Pam Ayers, Sir Anthony Bamford; Jack Russell; Sir Geoff Hurst; Sharron Davies; Jilly Cooper; Julian Lloyd Webber; Roddy Llewlyn; Willie Carson; Bishop Michael. So I feel honoured to be amongst their number. Tuesday 8.12.09 Call from Jenny Mead to see if I would have a small, big cat paintings left from the Open Studio - and of course there was one that I’d started on Saturday night (as all the small works had been sold) but had been unable to finish. She has managed to catch us just minutes before Richard was about to take it over to Brian Sinfield's!! Wednesday 9.12.09 Still working on the small paintings, finishing the little parts that perhaps didn’t notice over the weekend. In the evening we go to the Town Hall as guests of Allen McConaghie, head of Cleeve School, for their annual Christmas Concert. It is stunning; the evening is full of wonderful and breathtaking performances, it seems astounding to find such a wealth of talent in one school. Whilst chatting to Martin Horwood he said the extraordinary thing is that all the schools in Cheltenham hold amazing concerts - he of course being the MP, gets invited to them all. Thursday 10.12.09 Friday 11.12.09 I’m up very early as it’s the Bishop’s Breakfast meeting in Waterwells at police headquarters, at the invitation of Dr Tim Brain (chief constable), one of our members, who is retiring. We’re seated round a beautiful and very large oval conference table and there’s a good atmosphere, partly due to the generous breakfast spread of ‘full English’ and Tim’s talk. The discussion later is on a more serious note, cuts to funding in further education and employment of the young NEETs (not in education, employment or training). Patricia (vice chancellor) is concerned that there have been rumours about the University of Gloucestershire being taken over by the University of the West of England, which she says are totally without substance and could we all squash any that we hear. I feel very sympathetic to her position as the University is having to sell off a couple of their sites including the Pittville campus (the art school) where I and my two children were students. I feel particularly sad about this as I fear it will be very difficult for the University to absorb all these students, equipment and space into their other campuses. It is a tremendous struggle for further education institutions to maintain their high educational ideals in this current financial climate when it is even more essential to give our young the best opportunities (which benefit us all). We then go to hang three small paintings for Kathleen - home again to attend to the post and correspondence before returning to Gloucester in the evening for a wonderful concert entitled The Sprit of Christmas that The Citizen organise annually in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign at which I’ve been asked to read a rather witty poem by Jacqueline Ramm which includes the line “...it’s perfectly clear that the stuffed turkeys round here are not always confined to the table..” I’ve managed to buy a rather sweet Beany Bag soft toy turkey which I place on the lectern beside me and say that I hope the audience don’t mind that on this wonderful occasion I’ve brought a friend along with me, the idea being that I would give it to a child at the end of my reading. And we are most fortunate to be sitting next to the delightful Tucker family where both Joel (8) and his sister Hope (5) have a form of muscular dystrophy, so I’m able to present the toy turkey to them. It’s really nice to have the opportunity to speak to them and their lovely parents at the end of the concert. Sunday 13.12.09 During the afternoon Sue and Andy come to collect the two little paintings that they have purchased from the Open Studio for the National Star College, Punch and Judy for themselves and Ceccottti’s Ice Cream for her sister. They are a fascinating couple; although Sue graduated with a degree in graphic design she then went into the RAF (where she met her husband) and is now a squadron Leader in the reserves whilst he is a pilot for a private airline, having previously been so in the RAF and a major airline. They both seem to have had quite extraordinary lives he having spent part of his childhood living on a houseboat that his grandfather had bought and converted from a Naval vessel used during the war to hunt u boats. Sue’s mother and sister used to have a teddy bear shop in Stow for which her sister designed and made the teddy bears her parents also bred a racehorse that won several important races. Early evening we go to Rita’s where we hang her new acquisition and rehang the collection. Rita and I have a particularly nice long chat when Richard has to go back to get a different drill; we reminisce about each of the paintings and how and where she bought them, such as The Fishermen from my exhibition in Rye and prior to that Famille dans la boite, her first purchase, from my 1996 exhibition at Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, with which she used to walk from room to room of her apartment. Thursday 17.12.09 I am up early to be into the village for 8.30 to do a short interview with Radio Gloucestershire about Bishop Michael’s Christmas card. We can’t see the Radio car so Richard thinks I’ve got the wrong day but I say I’m going into Norths bakery and cafe and sure enough there is Mary talking to a group of senior breakfast eaters. I talk her through the various references to Gloucestershire over a reproduction of the painting and she says they would like to put it on their web site, so Richard sends the image and text to their web master. After this and a little Christmas shopping we go back home for breakfast and the post before setting out for Worcestershire for lunch at Janet and David’s by a rather circuitous route. On out first drive through the city I point out to Richard that we don’t usually see the cathedral but he assures me this is how he has been directed by the AA route finder. During our third circuit into the city I decide I ought to try and phone Joyce who will also be there as I don’t have Janet and David’s number on my Blackberry; there’s no reply but she phones back shortly when she hands the phone to David who talks us in. it’s a lovely occasion sitting in front of an enormous log fire, the wooden panels above which are decorated with boughs of spruce, chatting about old times and new. It’s good to see John, Janet’s brother there too as we haven't seen him for some time. In the evening we go to the Pump Rooms for Allen McConaghie’s retirement party where we also see Ann and John Read. We are touched to sit on Allen’s table and to meet his family including a beautiful baby, he and Maggie’s first grandson. Saturday 19.12.09 R comes back from the village with several copies of the Weekend Magazine as they have generously given a full page spread to the painting I have created for Bishop Michael and they have headlined it PJ’s Gloucestershire Nativity saying can you find the Gloucestershire references and giving a key to the painting. We deliver the small Tiger Dove and Angel painting to Jenny who was buying it with a donation to the National Star College for her husband John who was the Rector here for many years - a lovely man who encouraged me greatly when I was painting the Rood (large crucifixion painting) for St Michael and All Angels. In their retirement they have been strong members of the Tewkesbury U3A art and design group where they organise all the wonderful trips. Jenny works part time at the garden centre so whilst there we are also able also able to choose and buy our Christmas tree. Sunday 20.12.09 I’m working on Amer’s painting when I notice a note I’ve jotted down whilst listening to Front Row where they where discussing Martin Walker, whose wife Julia Watson, also a writer and journalist, commissioned me to create a newspaper painting which featured likenesses of both them and their children. It was a review of his new book, ‘The Dark Vinyard’ which has just been published by Quercus. Monday 21.12.09 The Great Roberto comes over to deliver us the most wonderful christmas present - a decanter full of damson vodka that he and Toyah have made using the damsons from their garden. It’s a beautiful deep red in colour and is as delicious to the taste as beautiful to the eye. We sit and chat over mince pies and tea for an hour or so - he sweetly says how he decided it is important to take time out to do this rather than as on some years when we don’t get to exchange presents until the summer; we are most touched. Tuesday 22.12.09 Richard puts up our Christmas tree which has been soaking in a bucket of water outside; it seems to be the perfect shape and size for our room. he’s already put the lights on and the angel on the top when we decorate it together just before the Taylors arrive with their six year old son Zac, a wonderful child who tells us all about their stay in Claridges. They’ve come to collect the print they bought from the open studio for the National Star College and present us with a most handsome bottle of Champagne! Wednesday 23.12.09 In between painting I’ve been putting a few more pieces onto the Christmas tree when I hear our gate go. I rush outside to see Edward Gillespie just returning to his car; on hearing me he comes back telling me he’s just put a bag behind one of the flower pots teasing me that he thought perhaps we were still asleep. The bag with its contents of ten miniature jigsaw puzzles is from Lady Oaksey; Edward tells me that Lord Oaksey founded the Injured Jockeys Fund having been a jockey and journalist himself; and that they make £1m a year from the sale of cards etc. which is quite astounding. I tell him what a lovely surprise it is and that I’ve already bought twelve to send to friends and collectors. I’m quite overwhelmed by the kindness as I hadn’t expected any return for allowing them to use one of my racing paintings on this puzzle. The idea had actually come from Dr Charles Slosberg - he and Emma are huge racing enthusiasts. By coincidence later today I receive an e mail from Jeremy who does the marketing at the IJF also thanking me and saying that they have gone really well, selling over 500. Thursday 24.12.09 Christmas Eve Bob Sims calls to collect his painting, purchased again by a donation to the National Star College for Sylvia his wife, who knows she’s getting a watch for Christmas but not this little painting which joins their collection of small works. We talk about my painting Gloucestershire nativity painted for Bishop Michael’s card as I am thinking of offering it to St Michael and All Angels for their Lady Chapel altar. Early evening Henrietta, Kev, Isaac and Samuel arrive for Christmas. Henrietta enjoys two or three very small glasses of the damson vodka which Robert and Toyah had made, before realising quite how strong it is; it has such a good flavour that it’s easy to drink. Friday 25.12.09 Christmas Day Isaac and Samuel have been busy opening all the presents that Father Christmas has left them in their stockings and the playroom at the bottom of the stairs is strewn with presents and wrappings. They are both very excited. My sister Gill arrives mid morning bearing a wonderful basket full of goodies and presents before she goes round to collect my Mum who on return adds even more parcels to the piles under the tree. The present opening is great fun, most particularly when watching Isaac and Samuel opening theirs. At one stage I realise that they are both very quiet having gone into the end room, where I discover Isaac diligently colouring in a white soft toy dog with pens designed for the purpose from Tammy and Sandra. He particularly wanted the dog to be blue. Because he was using the pens so liberally he was also becoming rather blue himself whilst Samuel is colouring his little Spot the Dog in red(not designed for the purpose ) and also in the process becoming the same colour. It was wonderful to watch them both so absorbed. Henrietta sees Samuel drawing a chair up to our piano which seems to be a good signal to bring in our present, which is a Schoenhut who have been making toy pianos since 1872. Although a toy, thus the sound is made from chimes, the keys are the same scale as on a full size piano. This wonderful little instrument is probably a quarter size and comes with its own little stool. Both boys take turns to sit at it, Samuel (almost 2 years) doing a very good Jerry Lee Lewis. impersonation!! Saturday 26.12.09 Boxing Day Another enjoyable day. After the boys are asleep we play cards at which my 87 year old mum is very good and wins one of the first kitties! Sunday 27.12.09 After a morning of various activities with the boys including a spell in which they use the large new cardboard playhouse we got them as a kennel, isaac being Spot the Dog and Samuel, Little Spot and a session of painting, they depart for Kev’s parents. Gill having left taking my Mum with her for a week, earlier in the morning. Nathan and Ruth arrive at the railway station from London at 6.20 pm, both looking well and laden with presents. They have given me the most wonderful and enormous book published by Taschen - it’s fantastic and full of the most wonderful photographs and reproductions of posters of the Circus 1870 - 1950. It is absolutely stunning. Nathan’s rather pleased that Richard has cooked pulled and devilled turkey - an old recipe from the mid 1600s by Sir Kenelme Digby who was painted by van Dyke - which by coincidence Nathan had been telling Ruth about earlier that day. It’s Nathan’s turn to flambé a Christmas pudding as Kev had done on Christmas Day. After supper Nathan shows us some of the film projects that they have been working on recently on his laptop. Monday 28.12.09 R’s cooked a delicious pheasant casserole for supper (pheasant contains all the B vitamins). After the meal we play a general knowledge game - which Ruth says is good practice for pub quizzes - until nearly 3 am. Tuesday 29.12.09 This evening’s meal is Richard’s famous fish pie followed by fresh fruit salad and strawberry yogurt ice cream. Then several rounds of a game called Picture Picture (given to us by Professor Ken and Nancy Simmonds many years ago) again ‘til 3 am. Wednesday 30.12.09 After a late and leisurely breakfast Nathan and Ruth depart on the 3 o’clock afternoon train. I return to the studio. Thursday 31.12.09 As Henrietta, Kev and the boys have been moving into their new home yesterday and today, we didn’t have a New Years party as we thought we would be helping them. But as with the last couple of years we’ve managed to catch colds from them at Christmas so we see the New Year in in my studio with a glass of Robert and Toyah’s damson vodka. Out of my large circular window we can see a firework display not too far away. Actually I always find it rather comforting to be in the studio working, knowing that my family are all well. Henrietta had rung earlier in the day and Nathan rings after midnight from The Stag, one of his local pubs run by the friend of a friend; he’s there with Ruth and other friends who all sound suitably happy. R and I reminisce about the past year and count our blessings; he’s in the process of doing accounts for both VAT and Income Tax and comments that the year has not been very different considering the world recession although we do feel sad about those less fortunate or made redundant - let’s hope that 2010 will bring them better times; though it strikes me that good health is the most valuable of assets. The end of the first decade of this millennium during which we lost some loved ones and gained new ones. But it was ever thus. Happy New Year.

December 2009

Tuesday 1.12.09

Working hard on the miniatures or small paintings; Richard puts them onto the web site as they are nearly finished.

Wednesday 2.12.09

I reply to Dr Chirag Gandhi, the son in law of our wonderful friends and collectors in New York, the Doctors Subramanium. He is wanting to commission a painting. Twenty years ago I created a painting which included his wife Gita (now also a Doctor) and her sister Usha whilst the latter was studying at Christie's in London (later becoming Vice President of Christie's New York, Specialising in Glass ).

Thursday 3.12.09

Still working on the small paintings and excited that several have already sold.

R is feeling pleased with himself as he’s managed to finish engraving a woodblock of one of my images and he’s taken several prints, framing one of them, for the weekend open studio for the National Star College.

Friday 4.12.09

A lovely e mail from Karl and Sharron Monday saying that they have been watching the small paintings as they have been posted onto the web site and have all week resisted the temptation but today they can resist no longer and would like to reserve The Angel the Tiger and the Elephant and just to add to the temptation could we please let them know the price of The Shepherd and The Race. And true to form by the end of the morning they have bought all three.

Then a call from a man called Brian Marlow who has also been watching these small paintings; he doesn’t know of the National Star College but has been following my work for many years, first coming across it at London’s Portal Gallery. He enquires about the prices of two or three works and says he will ring back - he would like to buy ‘Dancing from room to room’

For me it’s as thrilling to sell these small works in aid of the National Star College as it is to sell a large piece through the galleries.

I stop painting at 8.30 so that we can plan how to hang the paintings and lay up the table for the mince pies and mulled wine etc. But it’s still 3 am when we finish.

Saturday 5.12.09

I’m really pleased that when I get up Richard has already put wires on the backs of the tiny paintings, hung them and made all the labels. As I go over to the studio I meet Mark and Viv Axtell Powell and on entering find that Myrtle, Rachel and Jan Arney are already there. The studio is soon very full. Dear Myrtle buys The Lighthouse. It was she, whilst head of art at the College, who brought a group of students to Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum where I had an exhibition, for an informal talk that I gave to students; as with Myrtle I still correspond with some of the students I met then. I’m thrilled as Sue Roberts buys Ceccotti’s Ice Cream for her sister, especially as I’d thought of it as a pair with their Punch & Judy. People comment on how nice it smells with Richard’s wine mulling on the stove and mince pies in the oven; he’s really excited as five of his wood engravings that he’s made from my All at Sea image have already sold. Dear Sheila and friends arrive from the other side of Oxford and so do Wallace and Judy. Sheila buys one of my newspaper reading prints. Kathryn Rudd, vice principal of the College comes to see the painting that she is purchasing and add to the fun. As does David Finch who took over from Myrtle as head of art but is now director of College development.

Later Paul, vice chair of the College governors and his lovely wife Vivienne, come, and generously purchase Paradise Park. Also John Woolcot and his wife Alison.

Sunday 6.12.09

Again its a lovely bright sunny day. I’m doing a little bit of work on a painting I started last night as all the small works had sold, when Mark and Julia Hurrell arrived, closely followed by Peter Horne (vice principal Star College) and his family. Peter Cottingham (College governor) and Beverley Hodson who buy The Lion the Angel and the Infants plus Debbie Hutton (College governor) and Gabriel. A surprise visit from Sallie and Gareth Thomas who travelled here from Bath having purchased two of the small paintings when they first went on the web site. Jenny Mead, David and Eleanor Read and his sister Helen and Steve; Heather and Adrian Rosser with her brother and partner; Caroline and Simon Knowles who have a very interesting conversation with Edward and Alyson Gillespie about the bench that one set of grandparents had at the racecourse; Edward asks me about the use of one of my paintings on a mini jigsaw puzzle produced by the Injured Jockeys Association and I say I haven’t seen one yet but tell him that Charles Slosberg a passionate race going Doctor friend had suggested it; Caroline says she had been given one for her birthday. Early evening Allen and Maggie McConaghie arrive and followed by Graham and Eileen Lockwood who make a very generous donation. It’s been another wonderful day with so many friends coming to support.

Monday 7.12.09

Such an exciting morning. We’re up in time to make two £5,000 donations with some of the proceeds of the weekend’s sales through a marvellous scheme called the Christmas Challenge a charitable foundation that has £6.5m to match donations of up to £5,000 each to charities that have pre registered with them. But Anthony had warned us we would need to do it early and that there might be difficulty with the technology. The first one goes through OK but after submitting the second one we are told it did not succeed and to try again; and again; and again which ends up then with too many £5,000 donations being taken from my card (it does take the next couple of weeks to sort this out!!). The upshot was that we were able to double that £10,000 to make it £20,000 and some others doubled the purchase price of their paintings so that eventually the Open Studio will have made over £26,000.

Whilst I’m doing a little more to some of the paintings purchased for the National Star College over the weekend, R arrives back from Cheltenham with a Waterstones carrier bag full of the Old Spot Cookbooks, produced by The Old Spot Trust to raise moneys towards Gloucestershire charities. It’s interesting to see how many great recipes there are by Gloucestershire people including Pam Ayers, Sir Anthony Bamford; Jack Russell; Sir Geoff Hurst; Sharron Davies; Jilly Cooper; Julian Lloyd Webber; Roddy Llewlyn; Willie Carson; Bishop Michael. So I feel honoured to be amongst their number.

Tuesday 8.12.09

Call from Jenny Mead to see if I would have a small, big cat paintings left from the Open Studio - and of course there was one that I’d started on Saturday night (as all the small works had been sold) but had been unable to finish. She has managed to catch us just minutes before Richard was about to take it over to Brian Sinfield's!!

Wednesday 9.12.09

Still working on the small paintings, finishing the little parts that perhaps didn’t notice over the weekend.

In the evening we go to the Town Hall as guests of Allen McConaghie, head of Cleeve School, for their annual Christmas Concert. It is stunning; the evening is full of wonderful and breathtaking performances, it seems astounding to find such a wealth of talent in one school. Whilst chatting to Martin Horwood he said the extraordinary thing is that all the schools in Cheltenham hold amazing concerts - he of course being the MP, gets invited to them all.

Thursday 10.12.09

Friday 11.12.09

I’m up very early as it’s the Bishop’s Breakfast meeting in Waterwells at police headquarters, at the invitation of Dr Tim Brain (chief constable), one of our members, who is retiring. We’re seated round a beautiful and very large oval conference table and there’s a good atmosphere, partly due to the generous breakfast spread of ‘full English’ and Tim’s talk. The discussion later is on a more serious note, cuts to funding in further education and employment of the young NEETs (not in education, employment or training). Patricia (vice chancellor) is concerned that there have been rumours about the University of Gloucestershire being taken over by the University of the West of England, which she says are totally without substance and could we all squash any that we hear. I feel very sympathetic to her position as the University is having to sell off a couple of their sites including the Pittville campus (the art school) where I and my two children were students. I feel particularly sad about this as I fear it will be very difficult for the University to absorb all these students, equipment and space into their other campuses. It is a tremendous struggle for further education institutions to maintain their high educational ideals in this current financial climate when it is even more essential to give our young the best opportunities (which benefit us all).

We then go to hang three small paintings for Kathleen - home again to attend to the post and correspondence before returning to Gloucester in the evening for a wonderful concert entitled The Sprit of Christmas that The Citizen organise annually in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign at which I’ve been asked to read a rather witty poem by Jacqueline Ramm which includes the line “...it’s perfectly clear that the stuffed turkeys round here are not always confined to the table..” I’ve managed to buy a rather sweet Beany Bag soft toy turkey which I place on the lectern beside me and say that I hope the audience don’t mind that on this wonderful occasion I’ve brought a friend along with me, the idea being that I would give it to a child at the end of my reading. And we are most fortunate to be sitting next to the delightful Tucker family where both Joel (8) and his sister Hope (5) have a form of muscular dystrophy, so I’m able to present the toy turkey to them. It’s really nice to have the opportunity to speak to them and their lovely parents at the end of the concert.

Sunday 13.12.09

During the afternoon Sue and Andy come to collect the two little paintings that they have purchased from the Open Studio for the National Star College, Punch and Judy for themselves and Ceccottti’s Ice Cream for her sister. They are a fascinating couple; although Sue graduated with a degree in graphic design she then went into the RAF (where she met her husband) and is now a squadron Leader in the reserves whilst he is a pilot for a private airline, having previously been so in the RAF and a major airline. They both seem to have had quite extraordinary lives he having spent part of his childhood living on a houseboat that his grandfather had bought and converted from a Naval vessel used during the war to hunt u boats. Sue’s mother and sister used to have a teddy bear shop in Stow for which her sister designed and made the teddy bears her parents also bred a racehorse that won several important races.

Early evening we go to Rita’s where we hang her new acquisition and rehang the collection. Rita and I have a particularly nice long chat when Richard has to go back to get a different drill; we reminisce about each of the paintings and how and where she bought them, such as The Fishermen from my exhibition in Rye and prior to that Famille dans la boite, her first purchase, from my 1996 exhibition at Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, with which she used to walk from room to room of her apartment.

Thursday 17.12.09

I am up early to be into the village for 8.30 to do a short interview with Radio Gloucestershire about Bishop Michael’s Christmas card. We can’t see the Radio car so Richard thinks I’ve got the wrong day but I say I’m going into Norths bakery and cafe and sure enough there is Mary talking to a group of senior breakfast eaters. I talk her through the various references to Gloucestershire over a reproduction of the painting and she says they would like to put it on their web site, so Richard sends the image and text to their web master.

After this and a little Christmas shopping we go back home for breakfast and the post before setting out for Worcestershire for lunch at Janet and David’s by a rather circuitous route. On out first drive through the city I point out to Richard that we don’t usually see the cathedral but he assures me this is how he has been directed by the AA route finder. During our third circuit into the city I decide I ought to try and phone Joyce who will also be there as I don’t have Janet and David’s number on my Blackberry; there’s no reply but she phones back shortly when she hands the phone to David who talks us in. it’s a lovely occasion sitting in front of an enormous log fire, the wooden panels above which are decorated with boughs of spruce, chatting about old times and new. It’s good to see John, Janet’s brother there too as we haven't seen him for some time.

In the evening we go to the Pump Rooms for Allen McConaghie’s retirement party where we also see Ann and John Read. We are touched to sit on Allen’s table and to meet his family including a beautiful baby, he and Maggie’s first grandson.

Saturday 19.12.09

R comes back from the village with several copies of the Weekend Magazine as they have generously given a full page spread to the painting I have created for Bishop Michael and they have headlined it PJ’s Gloucestershire Nativity saying can you find the Gloucestershire references and giving a key to the painting.

We deliver the small Tiger Dove and Angel painting to Jenny who was buying it with a donation to the National Star College for her husband John who was the Rector here for many years - a lovely man who encouraged me greatly when I was painting the Rood (large crucifixion painting) for St Michael and All Angels. In their retirement they have been strong members of the Tewkesbury U3A art and design group where they organise all the wonderful trips. Jenny works part time at the garden centre so whilst there we are also able also able to choose and buy our Christmas tree.

Sunday 20.12.09

I’m working on Amer’s painting when I notice a note I’ve jotted down whilst listening to Front Row where they where discussing Martin Walker, whose wife Julia Watson, also a writer and journalist, commissioned me to create a newspaper painting which featured likenesses of both them and their children. It was a review of his new book, ‘The Dark Vinyard’ which has just been published by Quercus.

Monday 21.12.09

The Great Roberto comes over to deliver us the most wonderful christmas present - a decanter full of damson vodka that he and Toyah have made using the damsons from their garden. It’s a beautiful deep red in colour and is as delicious to the taste as beautiful to the eye. We sit and chat over mince pies and tea for an hour or so - he sweetly says how he decided it is important to take time out to do this rather than as on some years when we don’t get to exchange presents until the summer; we are most touched.

Tuesday 22.12.09

Richard puts up our Christmas tree which has been soaking in a bucket of water outside; it seems to be the perfect shape and size for our room. he’s already put the lights on and the angel on the top when we decorate it together just before the Taylors arrive with their six year old son Zac, a wonderful child who tells us all about their stay in Claridges. They’ve come to collect the print they bought from the open studio for the National Star College and present us with a most handsome bottle of Champagne!

Wednesday 23.12.09

In between painting I’ve been putting a few more pieces onto the Christmas tree when I hear our gate go. I rush outside to see Edward Gillespie just returning to his car; on hearing me he comes back telling me he’s just put a bag behind one of the flower pots teasing me that he thought perhaps we were still asleep. The bag with its contents of ten miniature jigsaw puzzles is from Lady Oaksey; Edward tells me that Lord Oaksey founded the Injured Jockeys Fund having been a jockey and journalist himself; and that they make £1m a year from the sale of cards etc. which is quite astounding. I tell him what a lovely surprise it is and that I’ve already bought twelve to send to friends and collectors. I’m quite overwhelmed by the kindness as I hadn’t expected any return for allowing them to use one of my racing paintings on this puzzle. The idea had actually come from Dr Charles Slosberg - he and Emma are huge racing enthusiasts. By coincidence later today I receive an e mail from Jeremy who does the marketing at the IJF also thanking me and saying that they have gone really well, selling over 500.

Thursday 24.12.09 Christmas Eve

Bob Sims calls to collect his painting, purchased again by a donation to the National Star College for Sylvia his wife, who knows she’s getting a watch for Christmas but not this little painting which joins their collection of small works. We talk about my painting Gloucestershire nativity painted for Bishop Michael’s card as I am thinking of offering it to St Michael and All Angels for their Lady Chapel altar.

Early evening Henrietta, Kev, Isaac and Samuel arrive for Christmas. Henrietta enjoys two or three very small glasses of the damson vodka which Robert and Toyah had made, before realising quite how strong it is; it has such a good flavour that it’s easy to drink.

Friday 25.12.09 Christmas Day

Isaac and Samuel have been busy opening all the presents that Father Christmas has left them in their stockings and the playroom at the bottom of the stairs is strewn with presents and wrappings. They are both very excited. My sister Gill arrives mid morning bearing a wonderful basket full of goodies and presents before she goes round to collect my Mum who on return adds even more parcels to the piles under the tree. The present opening is great fun, most particularly when watching Isaac and Samuel opening theirs. At one stage I realise that they are both very quiet having gone into the end room, where I discover Isaac diligently colouring in a white soft toy dog with pens designed for the purpose from Tammy and Sandra. He particularly wanted the dog to be blue. Because he was using the pens so liberally he was also becoming rather blue himself whilst Samuel is colouring his little Spot the Dog in red(not designed for the purpose ) and also in the process becoming the same colour. It was wonderful to watch them both so absorbed. Henrietta sees Samuel drawing a chair up to our piano which seems to be a good signal to bring in our present, which is a Schoenhut who have been making toy pianos since 1872. Although a toy, thus the sound is made from chimes, the keys are the same scale as on a full size piano. This wonderful little instrument is probably a quarter size and comes with its own little stool. Both boys take turns to sit at it, Samuel (almost 2 years) doing a very good Jerry Lee Lewis. impersonation!!

Saturday 26.12.09 Boxing Day

Another enjoyable day. After the boys are asleep we play cards at which my 87 year old mum is very good and wins one of the first kitties!

Sunday 27.12.09

After a morning of various activities with the boys including a spell in which they use the large new cardboard playhouse we got them as a kennel, isaac being Spot the Dog and Samuel, Little Spot and a session of painting, they depart for Kev’s parents. Gill having left taking my Mum with her for a week, earlier in the morning. Nathan and Ruth arrive at the railway station from London at 6.20 pm, both looking well and laden with presents. They have given me the most wonderful and enormous book published by Taschen - it’s fantastic and full of the most wonderful photographs and reproductions of posters of the Circus 1870 - 1950. It is absolutely stunning. Nathan’s rather pleased that Richard has cooked pulled and devilled turkey - an old recipe from the mid 1600s by Sir Kenelme Digby who was painted by van Dyke - which by coincidence Nathan had been telling Ruth about earlier that day. It’s Nathan’s turn to flambé a Christmas pudding as Kev had done on Christmas Day. After supper Nathan shows us some of the film projects that they have been working on recently on his laptop.

Monday 28.12.09

R’s cooked a delicious pheasant casserole for supper (pheasant contains all the B vitamins). After the meal we play a general knowledge game - which Ruth says is good practice for pub quizzes - until nearly 3 am.

Tuesday 29.12.09

This evening’s meal is Richard’s famous fish pie followed by fresh fruit salad and strawberry yogurt ice cream. Then several rounds of a game called Picture Picture (given to us by Professor Ken and Nancy Simmonds many years ago) again ‘til 3 am.

Wednesday 30.12.09

After a late and leisurely breakfast Nathan and Ruth depart on the 3 o’clock afternoon train. I return to the studio.

Thursday 31.12.09

As Henrietta, Kev and the boys have been moving into their new home yesterday and today, we didn’t have a New Years party as we thought we would be helping them. But as with the last couple of years we’ve managed to catch colds from them at Christmas so we see the New Year in in my studio with a glass of Robert and Toyah’s damson vodka. Out of my large circular window we can see a firework display not too far away. Actually I always find it rather comforting to be in the studio working, knowing that my family are all well. Henrietta had rung earlier in the day and Nathan rings after midnight from The Stag, one of his local pubs run by the friend of a friend; he’s there with Ruth and other friends who all sound suitably happy. R and I reminisce about the past year and count our blessings; he’s in the process of doing accounts for both VAT and Income Tax and comments that the year has not been very different considering the world recession although we do feel sad about those less fortunate or made redundant - let’s hope that 2010 will bring them better times; though it strikes me that good health is the most valuable of assets.

The end of the first decade of this millennium during which we lost some loved ones and gained new ones. But it was ever thus. Happy New Year.