Saturday 1.10.11

Letter from House of Commons, MP Richard Graham, saying thank you for helping with the Gloucester City railway station mural project. Also the Newsletter of the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum which has devoted the front cover to my essay on Horse Parade and a photograph of me with Nightmare (sponsored by the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum). Inside a picture of Lincoln Seligman’s The People’s Horse (which is still looking for a sponsor) and my Sea Horse (one of my two horses sponsored by the University of Gloucestershire). The Museums programme also enclosed, features Sea Horse too. It’s very exciting as Edward Gillespie of the Racecourse is offering free tickets to a day at the races for prospective bidders in the silent auction,  on the day on which it will conclude at the end of the Open meeting on 13th November. I  do hope it will go well as the beneficiaries will be the National Star College, the Pied Piper Appeal (for sick children in Gloucestershire) and of course the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery’s fund towards the new exciting architectural development which is now being built. 

In the afternoon we drive up to London for a celebration tomorrow of Henrietta’s birthday plus Nathan and Ruth’s engagement, his MTV award and their belated birthdays. During the evening while Henrietta and Kev are out, I put the finishing touches to the little painting for her birthday while Richard ices a myriad of cup cakes which we will build into a pyramid tomorrow.

Sunday 2.10.11

It’s still gloriously sunny for the celebrations. Nathan and Ruth arrive about 2 just before Kev gets back with the little boys who have been to a football party! We are in the garden exchanging news whilst Richard and Kev prepare the feast. Lots of giving presents and playing with the boys in their tree house. Nathan and Ruth head off to Stoke Newington about 9 and we leave about 11pm arriving home about at quarter to two.                                                                  

Monday 3.10.11

Back in the studio working on the Gandhi painting and the owls. R has sent for quotations from shippers to crate and transport the commission to New York, we are amazed how much they vary in price

Tuesday 4.10.11

R takes Nightwatch to be photographed at The Darkroom.

Call from Miranda at the Brian Sinfield Gallery re exhibition and press releases etc.

Message from Sophia re the horse reserve prices. 

Wednesday 5.10.11

Working towards my exhibition at Brian Sinfield Gallery.

Thursday 6.10.11

ditto

Friday 7.10.11

ditto

Saturday 8.10.11

Still adding small refining brushstrokes on the Gandhi commission. 

Sunday 9.10.11

ditto

Monday 10.10.11

ditto

Tuesday 11.10.11

Trystan Hawkins, director of the Royal West of England Academy phones in response to my recent letter suggesting a seminar there from ACS, the not for profit Artists’ Collecting Society founded by Viscountess Harriet Bridgeman at the request of artists and dealers, to counter the monopoly that DACS have. I’m delighted as he’s very enthusiastic and comments that he’s pleased I’m sending work in for the Autumn exhibition and also asks if I will paint a postcard for their auction on the 30th. 

Wednesday 12.10.11

Nice e mail from a couple called Lionel and Marion, who’ve just been to visit my exhibition in Middleton Cheney; they tell me they enjoyed  so much  that they are going back tomorrow - how kind of them to take the time to tell me.

Thursday 13.10.11

Shippers come early to collect the commission for the Doctors Gandhi in New York.

Did interview with Spencer Evans at BBC Radio Gloucetershire which they will put out on Saturday as its the last day of Horse Parade curated by Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum, so only two days left to see these stunning beasts in town before they are removed for their brush up prior to travelling to the Racecourse for the Big Event over the weekend of Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th November. Edward Gillespie MD of the Racecourse is offering free tickets on the Sunday to any serious bidders. 

R delivers works to the RWA

Friday 14.10.11

My exhibition at Michael Heseltine Gallery, Chenderit closed yesterday so R goes to collect it in a hired van. John Childs the gallery director, head of art and deputy head tells R its had a lot of response and that several of the surrounding schools have been to visit it.

Meanwhile I’m working on the exhibition that opens at Brian Sinfield’s gallery next month.

Saturday 15.10.11

Very large envelope in post today with an ER stamp from Buckingham Palace, containing beautiful Warrant of Appointment to the Order. It includes the beautiful words “..our trusty and well beloved PJ Crook ..” which I find rather touching as I’ve always loved Rudyard Kipling's preface to the Just So Stories where he calls the reader “oh best beloved”.

R goes to meet Wallace in Stow to return Doubla and Automobile, the two paintings he loaned to the exhibition at Middleton Cheney.

Sunday 16.10.11

Went shopping  to see if I could find anything that captured my imagination enough to wear on Thursday to Windsor Castle.

Stay up late to finish Night Owl enough to be photographed for the catalogue.

Monday 17.10.11

Horses arrive back for their wash and brush up after the Fine form exhibition

Whilst working receive phone call from Mike, the picture editor for Gloucestershire Media, asking if their photographer can come and take a photograph of me with the two University sponsored horses in my studio as they are doing a piece about the end of Horse Parade and the forthcoming silent auction on 12th and 13th November. And like a flash he’s here within twenty minutes.

Stayed up late working on Just The Ticket, Tim’rous Beastie, the Birthday Party and Joys of Motherhood to be photographed for the BS exhibition catalogue.

Tuesday 18.10.11

Work until 3am on Evensong and also start to pack a few things for travelling up to Windsor tomorrow.

Thursday 19.10.11

... Richard takes Evensong to the photographers at 7.30.

Phone call from Miranda re exhibition at just about the same time as Sue from Tewkesbury Printers arrives to collect the scans and layout for the catalogue.

My Mum arrives and we leave for Windsor at about 5pm. a, arriving at the hotel 7.30 ish. We check in, take my Mum to her room, then set off for Windsor and Eton Riverside Station to meet Henrietta who get in about 8.30. Its lovely when we spot her walking over the bridge smiling and looking  beautiful. We decide on the route back to find the correct entrance for the Long Walk to Windsor Castle for the morning; it seems quite miraculous that with the little touch screen on her phone she’s able to guide s to exactly the right place which had no gate or sign. 

Then back to the hotel where we have supper in the lounge and Henrietta gives me a beautiful certificate made for me by Isaac ‘for painting’ and a sparkly picture from Samuel of a crowned head. My lovely Henrietta  has given me an exquisite limited edition bottle of Stella McCartney perfume as something small to wear tomorrow.

Friday 20.10.11

We all meet in the lobby area in the morning at 9.30. Again Henrietta has written a touching card from them all which I pop in my handbag. 

Its a beautiful sunny day even though there’s a nip in the air, so its a lovely drive up the Long Walk to Windsor Castle. Because my Mum is 89, we’re able to drive through the Castle to Engine Court where we are met by a very nice woman who takes us up in a lift at the top of which we have to separate me into a room with other recipients and Richard, Henrietta and my Mum to the Waterloo Chamber. I meet some very interesting people, particularly a group of women one receiving her award for services to rugby! another has set up a charity for mentoring in schools, a sweet woman in purple who has worked for the Samaritans for over thirty years and Teresa Dawes a teacher of English and Drama who tells me she was nominated by some of her ex students; was also the Union representative and is an examiner. We’re very pleased as when we are called for the line up we are next to each other so are able to continue our conversation.  We pass through the throne room where we are surrounded by full length royal portraits including one of the Queen at the time of her coronation and a couple of Queen Victoria by Winterhalter. It’s interesting holding a conversation whilst being awe struck by the surroundings, including an ivory throne which had been a gift to Queen Victoria (before the bans) from a Maharaja, sitting on a curtained dais with a small carved footstool to rest her feet, as one imagines in fairy stories. As we near the entrance we are all running the protocol through our minds, figures bobbing in little practice curtsies, lovely woman in front of me who says her feet are hurting and she’s longing to sit down and wonders if I’m a medical doctor. Suddenly after wishing Teresa luck, I’m on. First stop standing next to the equerry in air force uniform who says I’m about the same height as his wife; he asks if I can see my family there I tell him I don’t like to turn and look but he encourages me to do so. I then hear my surname and its time to walk forward and then turn towards the Princess Royal - small curtsy three steps forward and another. She has a bright smile  and I feel we a wearing a similar colour bright red lipstick. She fixes the medal to the clip that has already been attached to my lapel in preparation. She’s very sweet and asks what I paint and I reply it is always figurative - about people - the human condition - and she asks how long I have been painting to which I reply that my Mother tells me I started as a baby with  making marks on the wall  with any materials that came to hand. We shake hands and I walk onto the opposite doorway where  am met by another equerry who passes me onto another person who guides me to the man who removes my medal and puts it in a box, all of whom warmly offer their congratulations. They are very good at making you feel special. As does the Gentleman Usher who returns me to the Waterloo Chamber where I am shortly after joined by Teresa Dawes. We turn briefly to look at the musicians in the Minstrels’ Gallery - its a lovely selection of music and they are playing a minuet by Boccerini which I always love. This chamber is reputed to be the most beautiful room in Europe and we are again surrounded by portraits including George III, George IV and William IV, two Popes and the Duke of Wellington by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Although this programme must be highly organised it feel quite tranquil, mainly due to the music as well as entertaining and relaxing, the music also masks the conversations that the Princess Royal has with each recipient making it all the more intimate. The timing is immaculate as the musician end  exactly at the same moment as the Princess Royal who then processes out with the Lord Chamberlain, her equerries and a group of traditionally uniformed Yeomen of the Guard and two Gurka officers.

I then see Richard waving from a few rows ahead of me with my Mum and Henrietta and like magic when we reach the door of the Waterloo Chamber there is our lovely guide again who takes us through the throng to the official photographer who enquires whether I am a fashion designer! poses first me then Richard and I then as a family. The next group is that with ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris of the Old Grey Whistle Test; slightly more unusual music rather like John Peel played. Then she takes us on  personal tour of the State Rooms which are all exeedingly beautiful and more breathtaking paintings, mainly portraits of royals although there’s Breughal’s Slaughter of the innocents which she points out had been so painful when it depicted the children that they were repainted as animals and  in some you can still see traces of a child’s leg  etc showing through and fascinating of course because as with much of Breughal’s work it is  snowscape! There are superb works by Rubens, Titian, fabulous self portraits by Rembrandt and the famous triple portrait of Charles I by van Dyke. What is also amazing is that they were often collected not long after they had been painted. The latter rooms still contained their exquisitely painted ceilings unlike some of those that had been ornately plastered and gilded during the restoration, much of it undertaken by the architect Wyattville for George IV who had a portrait of him in the middle of the wall in his bedchamber. We also see the silver clad hoof of Ronald the Earl of Cardigan’s horse who led the Charge of the Light Brigade and at that time if a horse was injured or slain, the hoof had to be taken off  and presented in order to reclaim another mount. There  too was the famous and  most extraordinary musical clock for which Handle had composed the mucic specially; it also contained  within a glass casket the bible that General Gordan had used at Mafeking open at the passage - “I lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help”.  And in another glass cabinet a piece of lead shot that killed Admiral Nelson; the amazing thing about it is that as the shot passed through Nelson’s body it took with it some of the gold braid from his uniform which fused to the lead. The surgeon who removed it eventually passed it onto Queen Victoria.

We  thank our guide and escort and compliment her on her immaculate knwledge. Back out into the glorious sunshine  a few more photographs then to the car so Richard can drop us at the bridge from where we walk over to Eton whilst he parks. As we enter the restaurant we are greeted by my sister Gill who has driven from Bedfordshire to join us. It’s lovely to see her. We are directed to a table that overlooks the River and the Castle. In the meantime Richard has had a call from Nathan and Ruth who he waits to meet after they have parked. Its very exciting as Nathan has brought his moonman MTV Award with him, a rather fabulous creation that looks a bit like a Jeff Koons sculpture, it is made of solid zinc plated with nickel silver on a painted brass stand. It’s such a lovely ocassion all being together for this meal. Towards tea time we walk back over the bridge and Gill leaves to return home; we head to the tea shop where we have arranged to meet Kev and the little boys Isaac and Samuel after ther day at Lego Land! They rush in full of energy and immediately begin to draw on the blackboard table top with the fat coloured chalks the tea room had supplied. Welsh Rarebit, scones, Jam & cream; carrot and fruit cake seem to be the order of the evening with pots of tea and milk for the boys. We are a very lively gathering with sometimes two of our party under the table but its great fun and we all pose for a few lamp lit photographs  outside as its now dark before we leave to go our seperate ways, arriving home after dropping m Mum off at her house about 8.30. 

Friday 21.10.11

Working on The Joker. 

Saturday 22.10.11

Set off for the tenth anniversary and grand opening of the University’s new campus. We’re half way there when discover we haven’t brought our tickets so by the time we arrive Martin Horwood (Liberal Democrt MP for Cheltenham) says Oh PJ ‘You’ve just missed my speech’ which I’m really sad about as he’s always such a good speaker. Stephen Marston the Vice Chancellor says ‘how sweet of you to come’ and when I apologise for having been late he, like Martin, says ‘we’d have let you in without tickets’ with a smile. Then we’re greeted by Ben Calvert dean of arts & humanities who takes us on a tour around these exciting, beautiful and sophisticated facilites of this splendid new media department. Wonderful  news room type studio,  film studios,  recording studios,  music studios with fantastic super duper mixing desk- its fabulous and both staff and students look very excited by it all. One feels that this will be a place of innovation and new ideas. As we walk over for lunch Martin says he’d meant to invite us to a tea they did when Nick Clegg visited recently and shows me on his phone a text from someone who hadn’t been able to make it which he read out to him saying how pleased Nick was with the response. I explain that however elevated we become everyone needs encouragement. Its a very picturesque buffet lunch with bowls of red apples centre of the table. Stephen encourages us to enjoy it as he says they will be back to bread and water on Monday. Nice chat to Edward Gillespie and to Michael Ratcliffe of the Chamber of Commerce who founded wonderful charity “I.T. Schools Africa”  they recondition redundant computers to send to schools in Africa and also train  her majesties prisioners and other groups to carry out the work. Chat to a couple of the students before driving to the new Hardwick campus. Am really pleased as Stephen also mentions the painted horse auction in his speech as dos the Mayor before they cut the red ribbon. I have to say how after having felt some trepidation about losing Pittvile campus, immensley impressed I am with these fabulous new painting and photographic studios. Large, high, light and airy. I turn to Ben and Nick and say ‘You’ve done it against all the odds you’ve have managed  to achieve this beautiful new campus and move in on time for the students’ return after the summer vacation. Their lovely University photographer manages to orgnise both Stephen and I to pose in front of a vibrantly coloured   wooden brick instalation. Stephen asks if we’re going to the chapel service and I apologise as need to go on to Little Buckland Galery in Broadway for the opening of an exhibition of work by artists and crafts people from Cheltenam Open Studios organsed by Lady Arabela Kiszley. Its a glorious sunny day as we drive there. Nicky and Arabella a very surprised to see us as I said I didn’t think we could make it but as Patron of Cheltenham Open Studios I  wanted to try and am delighted to have done so. Its a lovely gallery in its rural setting, a large outbuilding of the farmhouse. These eye catching works are nicely hung, beautifully displayed and very accessable price wise. 

Sunday 23.10.11

Continue working on The Joker so that it can be photographed tomorrow.

Monday 24.10.11

More to Coming Home  and Urban Grapevine for the catalogue.

Tuesday 25.10.11

Completing the small cityscape, “Liberty”

Wednesday 26.10.11

Ditto

Thursday 27.10.11

Ditto. Then in early hours paint a tiny post card size piece (another owl) in aid of RWA had thought  the event was to take place on the 30th but suddenly discover that it is.........

Friday 28.10.11

today! so R drives it to Bristol whilst I commence on another painting started some time ago

“Homage to Mr Lear”

Saturday 29.10.11

Ditto

Sunday 30.10.11

ditto

Nice e mail from artist Holly Brodie wo says she just wanted to let me know that she’s really chuffed with the postcard piece ‘Nightwatch’ that she bought at the RWA on Friday night and adds ‘I love it”.

Monday 31.10.11

Phone call from Rick Rumrell who’s in London for legal meetings; won’t have time to come here but wonders if we are likely to be in town. Sadly we’re unable to do so as have to get the works finished (the catalogue is due to arrive on Wednesday) but its always great to hear from him. Still battling with Homage to Mr Lear.

Its Halloween, so once its dark the trick or treaters call in their goulish masks and pointed black hats. I’m very pleased as I can see parents lingering outside the gates. Luckily Richard has bought multi packs of Smarties to give out in tubes after we had seen the beautiful pictures Kev had sent of Isaac and Samuel’s carved pumpkins, so they will be doing the rounds in Blackheath with their little friends as werewolves!! which is what Isaac had wanted me to paint on Nightmare, the Friends of  Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum’s horse!!