APRIL 2009 Wednesday 1.4.09 We go to the music festival programme launch at the Chapel Spa in Cheltenham. As we enter we bump into the photographer from the Echo who asks if he can get a photograph and he happens to be clutching a programme with my ‘cello on its cover which he gives us for the photograph. It’s a nice occasion and we see a few people we already know like Bishop Michael and meet others for the first time. There are going to be some very exciting events and performances including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment & Harry Enfield in a Handel Celebration and Handel; Hendrix and the Coram Boy both on Saturday 4th July Thursday 2.4.09 Talk to 2nd year National Diploma and Foundation Art & Design students about the reality of life as a professional artist at Gloucestershire College. Such enthusiastic bright faced young people currently preparing for exams and interviews - they look so young! Richard and I realise that we must have looked equally so as students but we felt so much older! as of course they must do. Friday 3.4.09 Back in the studio working on all fronts Saturday 4.4.09 Henrietta, Kev, Isaac and Samuel arrive at about 11pm. We only see them briefly as they take the two sleeping infant up to bed - they are staying until Monday when they are continuing down to Devon for a weeks holiday. Sunday 5.4.09 Richard delivers his completed poster design to Bob Sims for Robert Fripp and Theo Travis’s performance at St Michael’s later in May. We’d had a three way e correspondence with Robert and Theo. We have a lovely day with the little boys including a very lively painting session with Isaac. Alphabet jigsaw and songs, planting sweet peas in pots with Richard; Isaac says “..and when I wake up they will have grown..” Monday 6.4.09 After we’ve taken the boys to have their feet measured and discovered the shoe shop in the village is closed, we take them to the park where Samuel wants to climb up the slide whilst Isaac is coming down, which takes quite a lot of negotiating. He used to be happy on the swings but now he’s on foot he wants to do everything that his big brother does. It amazes me how much energy they both have !! They are off at lunchtime so I return to the studio. Tuesday 7.4.09 In the afternoon my little old French dining table and chairs are delivered and a large decorative old French mirror. I’ve been contemplating changing the table in the dining room for some time as now we have a big kitchen and table (that we designed and John made) we don’t need such a large table in the dining room. This one’s small, neat and elegant so enables the room to be opened up. The mirror creates more light and the illusion of space. I love the ever changing pictures that mirrors provide and often use them in the paintings. I do find a need to surround myself with objects that are inspirational. Wednesday 8.4.09 We move the old chaise longue that has temporarily been parked in my upstairs studio down to the dining room and it looks good here, as if it’s found its rightful home, better than anywhere else in the house. R has embarked on repainting the woodwork and some of the bare old wooden doors Thursday 9.4.09 Nice e mail from Alan Freedman in New York sending me an image of my two prints in the exhibition at the National Jewish Sports Museum. I’m up late working on the paintings for Rob Whittle. Friday 10.4.09 Good Friday Rob and Sandra come to have a look at the paintings for the BADA Harrogate Art Fair; we sit and chat over coffee and hot cross buns before going up to my studio. They are very pleased with the two works (which of course aren’t finished yet!) that I have been preparing for them, so we arrange for some time towards the end of next week Saturday 11.4.09 Brian Sinfield rang to confirm dates for my exhibition which opens towards the end of October Sunday 12.4.09 Easter Sunday We walk down the Lane with my Mum to attend the Easter service, meeting Anne Ried and Margaret and Gemma Drake who are just returning from the Roman Catholic service at St Michael's it is wonderful that we all share the same Church. Gemma who did a study on my work as part of her art A level is now an Architect. An Easter e mail from dear Margus of the North wishing us a Happy Easter with a photograph he has taken of cherry blossom against a blue blue sky. On Thursday he listened to a conversation piece between Brian Eno and the American trumpet wizard Jon Hassell at the Queen Elizabeth Hall the latter talked amongst other things about the North and south of you i.e. that we all have two poles inside of us. A fascinating theory but I had to admit to my ignorance as I didn’t know of Jon Hassell ( will remedy this) and had not known of Brian Eno until Peter Gabriel told me about him many years ago. Although Richard did as Eno preceded him as a student at Winchester School of Art by a couple of years. Monday 13.4.09 Towards the end of last week I’d received the statement from the Bridgeman Art Library for the last quarter’s reproduction and copyright fees and I am surprised again to see that like the statement for the American usage there seems to be an increase in the use of my paintings for reproduction in this country and Europe. At about tea time Henrietta, Kev and the little boys arrive back from Devon, all looking quite sun tanned and I hear tales of them looking for crabs in the little rock pools on the beach and a visit to a Dinosaur park; they seem to have had a lovely time. My Mum arrives for the meal too and we exchange Easter eggs and gifts. Kev drives back to London as he has to work tomorrow. I do a couple of hours painting when they are asleep. Tuesday 14.4.09 Whilst Henrietta goes to the hairdressers the boys and I have great fun playing at the butlers sink in the kitchen. Isaac kneeling on the marble table and Samuel standing on a chair with me holding them on and baling out whilst R brings towels and newspapers for moping and soaking up the pool that has formed on the floor. We are all drenched and I have to find them a change of clothes; we also do face painting Isaac becomes a Blue nosed whale and then improvise with cardboard boxes. Again paint for an hour or so (when all is quiet ) until midnight. Wednesday 15.4.09 R drives Henrietta, Isaac and Samuel home to London after we’ve taken them to have their feet measured and bought new wellingtons for Isaac and shoes for Samuel and lunch with my Mum also. I work on the paintings for the art fair. Thursday 16.4.09 Quiet day in top studio. Friday 17.6.09 Working in the studio when receive call from Alain from Galerie Alain Blondel in Paris saying that the newspaper Le Monde Diplomatique would like to reproduce my 3D painting The Demonstrators - would I send permission to do so and a high resolution image scanned from the transparency. He asks what I’m working on and is excited to hear about the large commission. On Front Row this evening there was an interview with Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur as they are about to commence on a tour of their last performance together of Manon, a role that Agnes had always wanted to dance and which is why last year she postponed her retirement till this year (at 38). These two Estonian dancers are brilliant and English National Ballet will miss their beautiful principal dancer but Agnes is hoping to start a family. We felt very privileged to have been Margus’ guests at their celebration gala performance and dinner in January. Saturday 18.4.09 I was going to have these three paintings, that I’m working on for Rob Whittle photographed yesterday but as usual they are taking longer than I have estimated have postponed it until Monday. Sunday 19.4.09 Continue. Monday 20.4.09 There’s a small kilim covered sofa that I’ve put a bid on at Christie's 20th Century Interiors auction in London. I’ve missed 2 or 3 at other sales; there only ever seems to be one. They are usually a similar model to the antique chesterfield that we have in the hall which is of the right proportion and style so it strikes me that we ought to try and cover it with a kilim ourselves. So we drive over to JW Jennings in Tewkesbury who are one of the biggest oriental carpet and rug specialists in the country. They offer to let us bring home five to try out all woven in rich warm colours with patterns typical of the Persian Qashqai rug. He says he is doing this on the understanding that we will let him have a photograph of it for the shop when it is finished. Tuesday 21.4.09 R delivers the paintings to Rob who meets him halfway in a car park. I don’t manage to buy the small Chesterfield at auction the advance bid I left yesterday has been is exceeded by a further bid of fifty pounds -oh well it was rather too small and I’ve probably helped it fetch a better price and put more money into the economy by buying three kilims. Wednesday 22.4.09 A lovely light and atmosphere pervades my studio as I wallow in the bliss of working with such freedom with on such a large scale - I am uplifted. Thursday 23.4.09 R receives order for several prints of his London Business School painting. He is also making an excellent job of covering the old chesterfield with the three Persian qashqai kilims - he had to employ some careful cutting and I am sure his eperience stretching my canvases and covering the 3D works has stood him in good stead. Friday 24.4.09 Heather from the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum committee comes to lunch to discuss the ‘at home studio’ event we are holding here for the Friends later in the year. Then rush off to the National Star College to meet John Holroyd (Bishops Breakfast convenor)and Caroline from the Appeals Office, to make final arrangements for the forthcoming breakfast there. After this we deliver books to Maxine Relton in Horsley for her sale for the RWA and AGBI. We buy a very nice copy of ‘Illuminating The Renaissance - The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting In Europe’ and a few other art books. Finally we go to the Tithe Barn in Bishops Cleeve for Roger’s 60th birthday party. Saturday 25.4.09 Invitation from Theo and Vivienne Waddington to their exhibition ‘Father & Son - John B Yates and Jack B Yates’ in Cork Street which runs from 5 - 30 May. E mail from Pierre Marie at Galerie Alain Blondel enquiring to see if I have any paintings on Day at the Races theme. To dinner with Richard and Rose in the evening - a delicious salmon en croute served with the most delicate and tender asparagus I have tasted fresh from their garden, followed by rhubarb fool and blackberry crumble. Sunday 26.4.09 I’m working on the big commission when I receive a phone call from Eric Schashke to say that Rosalind, who we were going to visit yesterday but she was too unwell, has perked up and wondered if we would like to go over for a visit now. When we get there she’s looking very good sitting on the side of her bed, where Eric is also sits. We spend a very nice hour or two chatting about the collage of all the postcards of my work that she has assembled into a frame which will eventually go to Sarah their daughter with the Circus Circle painting that they own. She shows us a newspaper cutting from the Gloucestershire Echo with a photograph of her oncologist, Dr Sam Guglani, he’s only 37 and she has nominated him for the Pride of Gloucestershire Award. She says how even though he’d said there was no more treatment he could give, he would always come out of his office to greet her and have a chat when she was at the hospital to see the nurses. How in one consultation he’s ask her advice on icing a birthday cake for his young daughter. His caring obviously means so much to her. We look at the wedding photographs taken in Las Vegas of her their daughter Sarah who had been a great friend of my parents. Monday 27.4.09 Working on the big GC commission; the more I do the more enticing it becomes. Interspersed by quite a lot of e mail exchange with both the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum re their committee meeting next week and the National Star College re the Bishop’s Breakfast there on Friday. Tuesday 28.4.09 Again a lovely atmosphere fills my studio with the sunlight filtering through the semi opaque blinds lighting up the big painting; it feels wonderfully quiet and conducive to furthering the composition. Wednesday 29.4.09 ditto although in the evening some reworking on the Stack’s commission. I have also been studying the Christmas card designs by students of the NSC as I’ve been asked to judge them - also asked Richard and my Mum to look at them independently to get their reaction. Thursday 30.4.09 After spending the day on the GC commission we go up to the National Star College for an update on their appeal for the new development as the Learning and Skills Council do not have all the moneys they pledged for the many further education college developments they had agreed to. Also return the student Christmas card designs to the college. It had been difficult to select as they were all of a high standard and I could see that considerable time effort and imagination had been employed. I also chat to Helen about tomorrow’s Breakfast as she’s having a five minute slot to talk about the College.

APRIL 2009

Wednesday 1.4.09

We go to the music festival programme launch at the Chapel Spa in Cheltenham. As we enter we bump into the photographer from the Echo who asks if he can get a photograph and he happens to be clutching a programme with my ‘cello on its cover which he gives us for the photograph. It’s a nice occasion and we see a few people we already know like Bishop Michael and meet others for the first time. There are going to be some very exciting events and performances including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment & Harry Enfield in a Handel Celebration and Handel; Hendrix and the Coram Boy both on Saturday 4th July

Thursday 2.4.09

Talk to 2nd year National Diploma and Foundation Art & Design students about the reality of life as a professional artist at Gloucestershire College. Such enthusiastic bright faced young people currently preparing for exams and interviews - they look so young! Richard and I realise that we must have looked equally so as students but we felt so much older! as of course they must do.

Friday 3.4.09

Back in the studio working on all fronts

Saturday 4.4.09

Henrietta, Kev, Isaac and Samuel arrive at about 11pm. We only see them briefly as they take the two sleeping infant up to bed - they are staying until Monday when they are continuing down to Devon for a weeks holiday.

Sunday 5.4.09

Richard delivers his completed poster design to Bob Sims for Robert Fripp and Theo Travis’s performance at St Michael’s later in May. We’d had a three way e correspondence with Robert and Theo.

We have a lovely day with the little boys including a very lively painting session with Isaac. Alphabet jigsaw and songs, planting sweet peas in pots with Richard; Isaac says “..and when I wake up they will have grown..”

Monday 6.4.09

After we’ve taken the boys to have their feet measured and discovered the shoe shop in the village is closed, we take them to the park where Samuel wants to climb up the slide whilst Isaac is coming down, which takes quite a lot of negotiating. He used to be happy on the swings but now he’s on foot he wants to do everything that his big brother does. It amazes me how much energy they both have !! They are off at lunchtime so I return to the studio.

Tuesday 7.4.09

In the afternoon my little old French dining table and chairs are delivered and a large decorative old French mirror. I’ve been contemplating changing the table in the dining room for some time as now we have a big kitchen and table (that we designed and John made) we don’t need such a large table in the dining room. This one’s small, neat and elegant so enables the room to be opened up. The mirror creates more light and the illusion of space. I love the ever changing pictures that mirrors provide and often use them in the paintings. I do find a need to surround myself with objects that are inspirational.

Wednesday 8.4.09

We move the old chaise longue that has temporarily been parked in my upstairs studio down to the dining room and it looks good here, as if it’s found its rightful home, better than anywhere else in the house. R has embarked on repainting the woodwork and some of the bare old wooden doors

Thursday 9.4.09

Nice e mail from Alan Freedman in New York sending me an image of my two prints in the exhibition at the National Jewish Sports Museum.

I’m up late working on the paintings for Rob Whittle.

Friday 10.4.09 Good Friday

Rob and Sandra come to have a look at the paintings for the BADA Harrogate Art Fair; we sit and chat over coffee and hot cross buns before going up to my studio. They are very pleased with the two works (which of course aren’t finished yet!) that I have been preparing for them, so we arrange for some time towards the end of next week

Saturday 11.4.09

Brian Sinfield rang to confirm dates for my exhibition which opens towards the end of October

Sunday 12.4.09 Easter Sunday

We walk down the Lane with my Mum to attend the Easter service, meeting Anne Ried and Margaret and Gemma Drake who are just returning from the Roman Catholic service at St Michael's it is wonderful that we all share the same Church. Gemma who did a study on my work as part of her art A level is now an Architect. An Easter e mail from dear Margus of the North wishing us a Happy Easter with a photograph he has taken of cherry blossom against a blue blue sky. On Thursday he listened to a conversation piece between Brian Eno and the American trumpet wizard Jon Hassell at the Queen Elizabeth Hall the latter talked amongst other things about the North and south of you i.e. that we all have two poles inside of us. A fascinating theory but I had to admit to my ignorance as I didn’t know of Jon Hassell ( will remedy this) and had not known of Brian Eno until Peter Gabriel told me about him many years ago. Although Richard did as Eno preceded him as a student at Winchester School of Art by a couple of years.

Monday 13.4.09

Towards the end of last week I’d received the statement from the Bridgeman Art Library for the last quarter’s reproduction and copyright fees and I am surprised again to see that like the statement for the American usage there seems to be an increase in the use of my paintings for reproduction in this country and Europe.

At about tea time Henrietta, Kev and the little boys arrive back from Devon, all looking quite sun tanned and I hear tales of them looking for crabs in the little rock pools on the beach and a visit to a Dinosaur park; they seem to have had a lovely time. My Mum arrives for the meal too and we exchange Easter eggs and gifts. Kev drives back to London as he has to work tomorrow. I do a couple of hours painting when they are asleep.

Tuesday 14.4.09

Whilst Henrietta goes to the hairdressers the boys and I have great fun playing at the butlers sink in the kitchen. Isaac kneeling on the marble table and Samuel standing on a chair with me holding them on and baling out whilst R brings towels and newspapers for moping and soaking up the pool that has formed on the floor. We are all drenched and I have to find them a change of clothes; we also do face painting Isaac becomes a Blue nosed whale and then improvise with cardboard boxes. Again paint for an hour or so (when all is quiet ) until midnight.

Wednesday 15.4.09

R drives Henrietta, Isaac and Samuel home to London after we’ve taken them to have their feet measured and bought new wellingtons for Isaac and shoes for Samuel and lunch with my Mum also. I work on the paintings for the art fair.

Thursday 16.4.09

Quiet day in top studio.

Friday 17.6.09

Working in the studio when receive call from Alain from Galerie Alain Blondel in Paris saying that the newspaper Le Monde Diplomatique would like to reproduce my 3D painting The Demonstrators - would I send permission to do so and a high resolution image scanned from the transparency. He asks what I’m working on and is excited to hear about the large commission.

On Front Row this evening there was an interview with Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur as they are about to commence on a tour of their last performance together of Manon, a role that Agnes had always wanted to dance and which is why last year she postponed her retirement till this year (at 38). These two Estonian dancers are brilliant and English National Ballet will miss their beautiful principal dancer but Agnes is hoping to start a family. We felt very privileged to have been Margus’ guests at their celebration gala performance and dinner in January.

Saturday 18.4.09

I was going to have these three paintings, that I’m working on for Rob Whittle photographed yesterday but as usual they are taking longer than I have estimated have postponed it until Monday.

Sunday 19.4.09

Continue.

Monday 20.4.09

There’s a small kilim covered sofa that I’ve put a bid on at Christie's 20th Century Interiors auction in London. I’ve missed 2 or 3 at other sales; there only ever seems to be one. They are usually a similar model to the antique chesterfield that we have in the hall which is of the right proportion and style so it strikes me that we ought to try and cover it with a kilim ourselves. So we drive over to JW Jennings in Tewkesbury who are one of the biggest oriental carpet and rug specialists in the country. They offer to let us bring home five to try out all woven in rich warm colours with patterns typical of the Persian Qashqai rug. He says he is doing this on the understanding that we will let him have a photograph of it for the shop when it is finished.

Tuesday 21.4.09

R delivers the paintings to Rob who meets him halfway in a car park. I don’t manage to buy the small Chesterfield at auction the advance bid I left yesterday has been is exceeded by a further bid of fifty pounds -oh well it was rather too small and I’ve probably helped it fetch a better price and put more money into the economy by buying three kilims.

Wednesday 22.4.09

A lovely light and atmosphere pervades my studio as I wallow in the bliss of working with such freedom with on such a large scale - I am uplifted.

Thursday 23.4.09

R receives order for several prints of his London Business School painting. He is also making an excellent job of covering the old chesterfield with the three Persian qashqai kilims - he had to employ some careful cutting and I am sure his eperience stretching my canvases and covering the 3D works has stood him in good stead.

Friday 24.4.09

Heather from the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum committee comes to lunch to discuss the ‘at home studio’ event we are holding here for the Friends later in the year. Then rush off to the National Star College to meet John Holroyd (Bishops Breakfast convenor)and Caroline from the Appeals Office, to make final arrangements for the forthcoming breakfast there. After this we deliver books to Maxine Relton in Horsley for her sale for the RWA and AGBI. We buy a very nice copy of ‘Illuminating The Renaissance - The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting In Europe’ and a few other art books. Finally we go to the Tithe Barn in Bishops Cleeve for Roger’s 60th birthday party.

Saturday 25.4.09

Invitation from Theo and Vivienne Waddington to their exhibition ‘Father & Son - John B Yates and Jack B Yates’ in Cork Street which runs from 5 - 30 May.

E mail from Pierre Marie at Galerie Alain Blondel enquiring to see if I have any paintings on Day at the Races theme.

To dinner with Richard and Rose in the evening - a delicious salmon en croute served with the most delicate and tender asparagus I have tasted fresh from their garden, followed by rhubarb fool and blackberry crumble.

Sunday 26.4.09

I’m working on the big commission when I receive a phone call from Eric Schashke to say that Rosalind, who we were going to visit yesterday but she was too unwell, has perked up and wondered if we would like to go over for a visit now. When we get there she’s looking very good sitting on the side of her bed, where Eric is also sits. We spend a very nice hour or two chatting about the collage of all the postcards of my work that she has assembled into a frame which will eventually go to Sarah their daughter with the Circus Circle painting that they own. She shows us a newspaper cutting from the Gloucestershire Echo with a photograph of her oncologist, Dr Sam Guglani, he’s only 37 and she has nominated him for the Pride of Gloucestershire Award. She says how even though he’d said there was no more treatment he could give, he would always come out of his office to greet her and have a chat when she was at the hospital to see the nurses. How in one consultation he’s ask her advice on icing a birthday cake for his young daughter. His caring obviously means so much to her. We look at the wedding photographs taken in Las Vegas of her their daughter Sarah who had been a great friend of my parents.

Monday 27.4.09

Working on the big GC commission; the more I do the more enticing it becomes. Interspersed by quite a lot of e mail exchange with both the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum re their committee meeting next week and the National Star College re the Bishop’s Breakfast there on Friday.

Tuesday 28.4.09

Again a lovely atmosphere fills my studio with the sunlight filtering through the semi opaque blinds lighting up the big painting; it feels wonderfully quiet and conducive to furthering the composition.

Wednesday 29.4.09

ditto although in the evening some reworking on the Stack’s commission.

I have also been studying the Christmas card designs by students of the NSC as I’ve been asked to judge them - also asked Richard and my Mum to look at them independently to get their reaction.

Thursday 30.4.09

After spending the day on the GC commission we go up to the National Star College for an update on their appeal for the new development as the Learning and Skills Council do not have all the moneys they pledged for the many further education college developments they had agreed to. Also return the student Christmas card designs to the college. It had been difficult to select as they were all of a high standard and I could see that considerable time effort and imagination had been employed. I also chat to Helen about tomorrow’s Breakfast as she’s having a five minute slot to talk about the College.