Sunday 1.6.08

My sister Gill brings my Mum who has been staying with them for the week, back. Over supper we talk about lots of things including her job as head of advisors and inspection for primary and secondary education in her region. She works very hard and seems to have endless meetings. Also about the visit they had yesterday for Henrietta, Kev, Isaac and Samuel yesterday.

Monday 2.6.08

Travel to London after breakfast for Varnishing Day lunch at the Royal Academy. I'd hummed and haahed about whether I could spare the time and decided that I ought. There's a huge Sir Anthony Caro sculpture in the courtyard, overwhelmingly vast in scale these metal structures are wonderful to walk through; it makes the courtyard seem very much smaller than it is. Sir Anthony had been kind enough to donate a drawing to the Starart exhibition. After processing through the lines of young people bearing trays of drinks, I make my way through the galleries to Anthony Green's room (X). We spot each other at the same moment when he says to Mary "it's PJ Crook!!". It's lovely to see them both looking so bright and well; I admire his amazing painting of the Old Hall at Stiffkey a Jacobean House in Norfolk ; a commission he tells me. The house has taken it's banker owner 10 years to restore to its former glory. The painting is magnificent and I'm sure its owners must be well pleased. I thank Mary for her contribution 'Baby', to the Starart exhibition which Richard purchased for me for Christmas. Mary's exhibiting what I imagine could be called a triptych, three glass cloths exquisitely stitched with scenarios from Good Housekeeping. I love the simplicity and humbleness of them hanging there. I bump into her again in Tracey Emin's gallery where she says there's nothing there that shocks her although Tracey has obviously set out to do so. There's a Damien Hirst photograph, self portrait with a smiling corpses head that he made as a student of seventeen in a mortuary ; a large rectangular piece facing in towards one corner, of a zebra copulating with a woman, which looking at the back I imagine has some mechanical motion; a Louise Bourgeois bronze painted white and steel (of one of her sweater, I think). When we move into the main gallery for the speeches we have been joined by Len McComb who she introduces to me to. I notice two large Michael Craig Martin's, one using the word Death and the other Lust both acrylic on aluminium (with the same violin motif overlaid as on the print 'Compendium' that he kindly donated to Starart) . I catch a glimpse of Anthony Whishaw and Ken Howard but don't get a chance to speak to them to thank them again for their generous donations to the Starart exhibition. I don't hang around for too long as I'm anxious to get back to start work again.

Tuesday 3.6.08

Working on The Storyteller to try and get it finished enough to have a transparency made.

Wednesday 4.6.08

R sends off images of seven of the paintings for my forthcoming exhibition in Paris to Jean-Marie at Galerie Alain Blondel.

Thursday 5.6.08

Whilst speaking to Sharron at the Fosse Gallery she tells me that my painting had sold at the RA Gala Evening within the first few minutes and says it was a wonderfully glamorous occasion with people like Lily Allen, models and Jarvis Cocker playing in the courtyard. It's going to be on the Culture Show next Thursday but since I spent all my time on Monday avoiding the television cameras I was quite pleased not to have been there.

Friday 6.6.08

We attend the garden party given by Henry (the Lord Lieutenant) and Caroline Elwes for the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire of which he is Prime Warden. The grounds and parkland at Colesbourne are magnificent and it has the most wonderful blue lake coloured by the clay that sits beneath it. As we walk up the steps to the terrace on which the marquee has been erected we are met by the most beautiful little boy with blond curls making his way down to see the tractor in just the same way that Isaac would. Henry tells us that he is his grandson; Caroline looks beautiful in a mustard yellow suit and is carrying an unusual square umbrella as Henry tells us it had been raining only ten minutes beforehand. There are a lot of people here many of whom I don't know but gradually we spot some familiar faces amongst the crowd like Greg Smith and Anita who has now left her job as editor of the Echo to set up Syvret media, who introduces us to a VP of GE who runs aerospace manufacturing in China and this country - he and his wife Elizabeth are very interesting people, she is a keen gardener but I think modest about her achievements. I have a short chat with Bishop Michael and ask if he's prepared for his week long walk - he said he'd decided his best option was to rest and he'd just come back from a few days in Malta. There's a wonderful display by the drummers of the Gloucestershire Cadets who played beautifully and looked like toy soldiers in their scarlet jackets and gold braid in the bright sunshine. We then bump into Patricia Broadfoot (vice chancellor of the University) who introduces us to Roger Head of Highnam Court who is wearing his Pied Piper badge; Highnam holds a Spring Festival for the benefit of the Pied Piper Appeal and Gloucester Cathedral.

Saturday 7.6.08

Work in studio but early evening whist I am in the house I heard the gate go and there is Tom in his red wheelchair who has pushed himself round to see me with a drawing he's spent the day working on. He's really managing to use a pencil well. The drawing again is one influenced by the medication he on which seems to induce vivid pictorial dream imagery. He's wondering whether to colour the lips on this black and white drawing of a head; I tell him there are no rules to abide by, if his instincts tell him to do it what has he got to lose; that much of the creative process is intuitional or accidental and that one always learns more by experimentation. His movements and speech are a lot more controlled this evening. He's called a couple of time recently and seen Richard with cuttings from his garden for us. Richard often pushes him back but when I offer to do so he says he's calling in at another friend's on the way though when R appears he decides to take advantage of his offer to do so.

Sunday 8.6.08

We got up at 6.15 so that we could have washed, dressed and breakfasted and be at Tewkesbury Abbey for the service at 8.15. Henry Elwes, the Lord Lieutenant was there, also the Mayor and his Deputy. We are seated in the choir before Bishop Michael arrives with his band of pilgrims. The service feels quite intimate as at this time in the morning there are few parishioners. Towards the end the pilgrims are blessed and make their way out of the Abbey accompanied also by a few people like me who were only going part of the way. R's going to drive to Deerhurst and is surprised when he passes us to see me with a dog which I have temporary charge of as I'd been walking with its owner Val, an ex art student now studying theology in Oxford for the Ministry. The dog Jake had also been part of the congregation at the Abbey and was welcomed by name. It's a glorious sunny day and as we walk through the golden fields it's wonderful to watch this procession, flag bearer at the helm, snaking its way across the recently cut hay - it feels almost timeless. Talking as you walk certainly makes the distance seem less. As we near Deerhurst I see Richard walking towards us, a little behind the Bishop's wife Alison and their beautiful golden labrador. The two dogs, now off their leads, have a wonderful run down to the river's edge and back. We reach the ancient Saxon church of Deerhurst on time for the mass which starts at 10. We are touched and surprised that the Bishop's chaplain asks if either of us would like to read the first lesson; Richard volunteers with a smile. The Bishop now robed and performing the service for which the music has all been written especially by the wife of one of the pilgrims, most of whom seem to be studying for the ministry although the ages range up to mid 60's. The Bishop's sermon is about Saint Alphege who was a monk here in the 10th century when it was a thriving monastery, bigger than Tewkesbury or Gloucester; he eventually became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1005.

On leaving the little church the first person we see is Greg Smith (Principal of the new Gloucestershire College) who has joined us for the walk to Haw Bridge. he knows this church well as it is his home territory and during the walk he makes his way back down the column of walkers especially to show me his beautiful cottage home nestling between the trees; it looks to be the most perfect situation although sadly last summer it became flooded during the downpours that swelled the river to a much greater extent than it had ever before so that much of Gloucestershire adjacent to the river was under water, causing much damage to hundreds of homes. At Haw Bridge after the ploughman's lunch, we bid a farewell to the pilgrims (we'll join them again next Saturday) and to Greg who has met his wife and brother for a pre barbecue lunchtime drink. After dropping Val and her dog Jake off near Tewkesbury we return home and start work in the studio.

Monday 9.6.08

Glorious weather again. I work with french windows of my studio wide open. It is very hot and I think about the Bishop and his pilgrims hoping they will not get sunstroke walking in the intense heat.

Tuesday 10.6.08

I take a break early afternoon to mow my studio lawns. The gardens are full of roses from small miniatures to a Rambling Rector which is almost to the top of the house; rosa Filipes Kifsgate is not yet out but has a multitude of buds.

Wednesday 11.6.08

Letter from Faye Little, exhibition and outreach officer from Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum, thanking me for opening a new children's gallery area and both of us for giving the time and taking along the hats and memories I used in the painting.

Thursday 12.6.08

This week I'm trying to bring nearer to completion some of the works I started earlier in the year. I often take advantage of energy and ideas putting them down in rapid succession then placing them to one side to look at and work further into after a period of time has elapsed. Although it's not always easy to rekindle the relationship but it does enable one to see them afresh.

Friday 13.6.08

ditto

Tom called with another bunch of pineapple tree blooms and white peonies. Richard had just gone off to the post so I stand outside chatting to him; he then decides to go and as R's not here I offer to push him back. being at the foot of Cleeve Hill we're on a bit on an incline so it does take all my strength and I realise how difficult it must be for him to manipulate it with his arms. When I get him home he asks if I'd like to go and look at his back garden which is wonderful in its jungular exoticness - how he manoeuvres around the terrain sometimes balancing on top of a small wall, also seems to be a great feat of achievement.

Saturday 14.6.08

have decided to join the Bishop's group of pilgrims in between Farmcote and Severnhampton. When we've parked by the Farmcote Herb farm we walk past the tiny church of St Faith's with it's grass all freshly mown, there's a notice saying that the Bishop and his party of pilgrims will be here for prayers at about 3.30pm. We set out walking towards the direction from which they are coming. It's glorious again and we take great delight in the field of sheep and suckling lambs through which we pass although I'm not quite sure if the feeling is reciprocated as some of them look rather warily at us. We've come quite a long way and I stop to listen as the noise of the sheep and their friends further back in the fields near the church sounds almost like cheering and as it is now about 3.15 I wonder if the Bishop and his party could have taken some other route and that the cheers are for them. We've crossed the road to Lynes Barn farm and walked up to the next set of fields through which their route should bring them but now it's past 3.30 and I have a slight feeling of panic in case we could have missed them. We walk up and down a few times and ask a couple of other walkers if they have seen a large party of walkers carrying a flag but they haven't so we decide to turn back to Farmcote and St Faith's, this time ( 3.45 pm ) taking the road. And of course when we are three quarters of the way back Richard spots them in the distance progressing along the route we had earlier taken. But as we are high above them it is not possible to join the group until we are almost at St Faith's. After prayers and a brief pointing out of the particularly interesting historical features of this tiny church, I walk on with the pilgrims to Hales Church whilst Richard buys some pots of herbs from the herb farm and then drives down to Hales. This time I'm chatting to Julia who like most of the other pilgrims seems to be an ordinand. When we arrive at Hales Church in the bright sunshine we are greeted with a most picturesque scene, a crowd of people and a donkey at the gate, bunting blowing in the breeze, it looks like a painting. People greeting the pilgrims as they make their way into the church. I don't at first recognise the man who sits in the same pew as me with a big smile but later realise he's the vicar of Winchcombe who we'd met and chatted to at the luncheon party after Ronald and Lynn's wedding last year. Richard is surprised that we'd got there before him. After the service tea and cakes are served in the garden before we cross the road to visit the ancient remains of Hales Abbey which was destroyed in the 1530s at the Dissolution of the monasteries. Eddie our builder has said that many of the stones from Hales were then used in local dry stone walling; he gave us a piece that he thinks is from Hales that he'd found amongst old stone that he'd been building with which I have incorporated into a pillar in my studio garden. We then walk on to Winchcombe with its vicar and the donkey leading the way. A couple of delightful little girls have joined us with their Mum, the older one keeps losing her clogs and ends up walking barefoot. I chat to Tony who had been to the service at Gloucester Cathedral for the National Star College's 40th Anniversary and he tells me that he'd previously walked the Great Wall of China on one of the NSC treks and had raised sponsorship from all his work colleagues. When we reach Winchcombe there are glasses of wine for the pilgrims and their party and a great feeling of elation amongst them for having achieved the 101 miles which included 34 services each in a different church.

Sunday 15.6.08

Up early to go over to Winchcombe Church for the Mass that completes Bishop Michael's pilgrimage. His homily is very interesting as it covers a lot of the history of the Gloucestershire Saxon churches and the saints to whom they are dedicated ; in Winchcombe it's Kenhelm, the King of Mercia when Winchcombe had its own charter before the formation of the Norman shires. We meet Christine and Peter whom we'd also met a t Ronald and Lynn's wedding and I think they were the hosts for the Bishop's stay last night. The church is very hospitable offering coffee and hot croissants for breakfast. On our way back to the car we meet Pauline who used to help teach art at the Star College and is a bell ringer at Winchcombe church; I enquire about her paintings. We drive home, giving Julia (one of the pilgrim ordinands) a lift to Southam; she's studying at Gloucestershire University.

Back to the studio to commence work.

Monday 16.6.08

Spend whole day working in the studio.

Richard and I have been to-ing and fro-ing between the studio and the workshop carrying one of my deep framed paintings for which he is carving some little figures.

Nice e mail from Anita with her new website address now she has given up being editor of the Gloucestershire Echo to form her own company Syvret Media which will specialise in helping companies or people either get into the news or to avoid it when times are bad. It's a very good site, easy to navigate and very simple in format; the first person on the page with testimonials is Greg Smith principal of the new Gloucestershire College.

Tuesday 17.6.08

Statement arrives from the Bridgeman Art Library for reproduction fees over the past quarter. I'm always fascinated to see titles coming up, sometimes for the first time, of paintings made more recently or other that were made some years ago and have been reproduced time and time again. Almost as many from the Bridgeman's New York office as here and world-wide through Getty Images.

Dentist for check up and then spend afternoon in studio until about 4.30 when we set out for London to attend the ACS artists party given by Harriet Bridgeman at the Chelsea Arts Club. It's ridiculous really that I am a member but almost the only times I tend to go are at others' invitations. The first people we see are Mary and Cath from the Portal Gallery; we discuss the gallery (which we used to show with) and the sad loss of Beryl Cook. Then Harriet comes up; she's such a warm and generous person and tells Richard he ought to be jealous as they love me at the Bridgeman and ACS and of course the feeling is mutual. I also speak to Jessica about the meeting with Government officials from the Intellectual Property Rights Agency we have at the end of the month to discuss derogation of artists resale rights. I then spot Celia Washington who also spots me; I've known her for many years. She has recently set up a charity to create an Arts Centre in Khatmandu which she had recently written to me about. I remind her that as a Patron of the National Star College I'm trying to to raise money for their new Creative Arts Centre but say I will try to do something as she was very good in supporting me by donating a work to the first Star Art exhibition and auction I organised. I then spot Ken Howard and thank him for his generous donation of the little painting to the Starart exhibition - he gives me some generous advice about charity exhibitions and a big hug. I see other artists like Maggie Hambling who has recently signed up with ACS and Mick Rooney who I met years ago when we were both lunch guests of Carel Weight (who opened the first Starart exhibition) at the other Arts Club. We do well as we get home by 11.30 and I had managed to write most of the notes on the invitation to the CAPA Summer Showcase (at NSC), an evening of creative and performing arts at the National Star College in July.

Wednesday 18.6.08

In this morning's post a nice letter from Ann Lonsdale the President of New Hall, Cambridge, the women's college, telling me about the change of address for the New Hall Women's Art Collection (the second biggest collection of women's art in the world after Washington). The College is to have a new name of Murray Edwards College as after many years they have at last got an endowment of £30m from an alumni, past graduate Ros Smith and her husband Steve Edwards who sold their interest in their software company and decided that the area of education was where they wanted to help. The College was founded in 1954 by Dame Rosemary Murray who had only two donations of six figure sums (both from Foundations), most being raised in small amounts. People bought bricks, schoolgirls sold cakes, retired teachers donated insurance premiums. It is of particular interest because of course we still need to raise another £3m for the National Star College's new development. Ann Lonsdale purchased the little drawing I donated to the exhibition to raise money for the maintenance of the New Hall collection (of which Radio Pram is a part ) two years ago.

Working in the studio on Al'Dyrriah which I had never properly finished. Phone call from Nathan who wants us to send his birth certificate as he's had his passport stolen in Paris. He's still frantically busy and on Monday will be working on a TV commercial for the Sunday Times with Peter O'Toole; he certainly has some exciting assignments and has worked on several music videos recently including going on tour with Gossip and recently turned down the opportunity to work on one for Coldplay as he was busy working on a video for a Brazilian experimental group.

Thursday 19.6.08

My Doctor rings to say that she has now got the results of my recent x-ray at the hospital. There is just a little residue at the bottom of one lung but as they haven't requested a further x-ray she sees it as good news.

Friday 20.6.08

Sue and Brian Stack come in the afternoon with more reference material for their commission. It's good to see them and catch up. Then in the evening it's over to Gloucester for Bishop Michael and his wife Allison's garden party.. The first person we spot is John, the Chaplain at the National Star College; we compliment him on how well he had orchestrated the 40th anniversary service. He and we especially enjoyed the students' participation in the singing of the spirituals from the slave trading days. I then see Lisa Noakes, the Mayor of Gloucester when the Paradise Lost exhibition was on at Gloucester City Museum. She bought a small painting Band of Angels. Then before Christmas one of the prints I had donated to the Star College which seemed to be rather disastrous at the time as her print arrived by carrier with broken glass (which we then replaced with another framed print). It's now turning out to be a happy ending as she'd like to put the first one into the mayor's charity auction so we've said we'll get a new glass put on it. the two charities to benefit this year will be The Willow Trust which works with disabled people giving them the opportunity to travel in and man boats along the River Severn. The other is Headway which I believe is for people who have severe brain injuries She introduces us to the Sheriff (in his gold chain), an office that dates back to Medieval times and also to the leader of Gloucester City Council. Amongst the other guests we chat to are Ian Mean, editor of the Citizen, (who auctioned A Good Read for Starart) Hedley the Archdeacon and his wife, Panjit Dhanda the MP. and Edward and Alyson. All in such a beautiful garden with the Cathedral as it's back drop.

Saturday 21.6.08

From Friends of Museum

Tom and needlepoint

Sunday 22.6.08

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Monday 23.6.08

In the evening we go to the new Gloucestershire College for their Arts and Media end of year show.

Tuesday 24.6.08

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Wednesday 25.6.08

I spend the day preparing for the visit of Henrietta, Isaac and Samuel who Richard has gone to London to collect; Kev will be coming on Friday. It's wonderful to see them all looking well and golden after their holiday in Nice. Isaac can now say several words in French. Samuel is loooking particularly beautiful with his blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Isaac immediately goes to his toy box and rushes around the house on his little blue nee-naa care that my Mum had bought for him at great speed.

Thursday 26.6.08

We take Isaac and Samuel to the newly refurbished Montpellier Gardens and to visit the Gardens Gallery where the teaching staff from the art department at the Star College are having an exhibition. It's a lovely show and I buy three pieces of jewellery by Gail de Jong and her collegue .......... Henrietta met us in the childrens play area after her two and a half hours of independence spent shopping, a rare luxury for her these days.

Friday 27.6.08

Isaac is asleep in my studio in the new yellow push chair we had bought, after we'd taken him for a walk, so I get an hour or two painting. We then tke him to Pittville Park whilst Henrietta, Kev (who's just arrived) and Samuel go to Gloucester. He get very excited when he sees the animals, first the chipmunks and parakeets then the larger aviary with the peacock and peahens, chinese bantams with their large feathered feet and beautiful white doves.Then we see the enormous lop eared rabbits and their smaller black and white relations - also guinea pigs in the next enclosure. Isaac's very excited by all of these but then runs as fast as his lege will carry himdown to a playground area with the blue wooden train that he'd spotted yesterday out of the car window on our journey home. It's a static train but the engine driver's position is the place where most of the small children head for. He loves clambering around it and then moves on to the rocking animals, the aeroplane and the slide. After this we to and fro between the peacocks and the playground. Isaac is reluctant to leave even when it rain and as he points out, the other children have all gone.

Saturday 28.6.08

It's my birthday and I am delighted when the little voice of Isaac says 'happy birthday'; I've taken great delight over the past three mornings to find a little boy and a baby in my bathroom. The sheer joy and the magic of the water as Isaac plays games. I often blow bubbles for his to capture in his wet hands and delight in hearing him repeat words like enormous after I have used it to describe a very large bubble. It has entered into his vocabularly and came out in the same context the next morning. We sit in the garden for breakfast and I start to open birthday cards and presents. A particularly nice card and book from Margus, the book on the work of an estonian artist Epp Maria Kokamagi, a photographer and filmaker Johannes Arro and poet Viivi Luik.

In the afternoon we go back to Pittville Parkbut add feeding the ducks on the lake to todays itinerary and Isaac is even more reluctant to leave - he loves feeding the mother moorhen and her babies. So it's rather later than intended when we get home for the birthday tea and Samuel has already gone to bed. Isaac helps Richard and Kev decorate the birthday cake which is one that R had made earlier. He loves to sing 'happy brthday' and blow out the candles.

Sunday 29.6.08

We take Isaac and my Mum to Giffords Circus but Isaac decides that it's too big and scary for him so my Mum is the only one to see the performance from the inside although we do manage to see a bit of it through the flap in the tent. All the circus people are very nice and the man who is in charge of the hawks and the tent master offers to take Isaac to see his birds and the horses but isaac is too nervous. he also offers to introduce him to the bear at the end of the show but the scale of the animals makes him unsure. We also met Toti Gifford, Nell's husband and sponsor who tells us that Gerald Balding isn't with them as ringmaster anymore as life on the road isn't good for his arthritis. But Toti says he's now painting and has been inspired by me!! It is quite interesting seeing the circus from the outside.

Henrietta, Kev, Isaac and Samuel leave at about 7.30.

A phoone call from Professor Ken about 8.30. He and Nancy are back from New Zealand but are off to their house in Cape Cod next week. They had sent me a most wonderful box of presents which included a beautiful blanket for Samuel that Nancy had made, a frog for Isaac but I suspect that the zebra which was labeled for me was also to share and the little bear in the rabbit suit. honey spoons with bees and daffodils on their handles. It's so lovely to speak to both Ken and Nancy as it is some time since we have seen them - over three years.

Monday 30.6.08

Invitation from Margus to be his guests at the concert by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir at the Pump Rooms, as part of the Cheltenham Music Festival which is being sponsored by the Embassy.

Richard says he thinks that I should go to the circus again today to see it properly as inspiration for one of the Paris paintings that I started on the theme last year. I um and ah as I'm really due to be in London for a meeting with people from the Intellectual Property Office to discuss derogation of posthumous artists resale rights. But as the circus leaves Cheltenham after this 4-6pm performance I decide to send an e mail to the IPO explaining my thoughts on the subject which are that the ARR should be continued for the 70 years after the artists death to be paid into their estate as it is often the family of the deceased artist that keep their reputation alive as in the obvious case of Vincent van Gogh. It's only a very small percentage (4%) which is tiny by comparison with the amounts that the auction house, the government in the form of vat and the dealers, reap on a piece that was originated by and artist and often sold for a very small amount in the first place.

Giffords Circus is quite magical. It is not surprising that Jeremy Clarkson in The Sunday Times said "..it blew Darcy Bussell into the hedgerow and the Rolling Stones into the middle of last week.." Adam Ant says "..pure dedication, skill and practice delivered with grace, humour and celebration inspires me to make music, dress up all dandified and fetch it off.." The costumes and poetry of the acts are quite stunning in a timeless way. I fell in love with the big brown bear. The slack rope walker who played the violin superbly whilst balancing on one foot and the beautiful girl acrobatwho was probably no more than 14 but was as graceful as a blade of grass blowing in the wind as she was tossed spiraling into the air from the feet of a man who was probably her father. The Eastheopian jugglers were incredible, at one time juggliing ten knoives between them past Tweedy the clown. The Hungarian Csiko with his beautiful bay horse, who had made his own costume harness and whip. This beautiful bay even laid on the ground to the verses from Ophelia's mad scene in Hamlet. And Nell Gifford, founder and director of the show on her exquisite horse Red