DECEMBER 2023

Friday 1.12.23

Still working on the miniatures with great intensity as only a week to go now.

Saturday 2.12.23

Nice e mail from Lynda thanking me for the two bottles of champagne I sent towards the Persian lunch that she was cooking for thirty of the members of the Small Paintings Group. She said they would drink a toast to me as their newest member. We decided not to go as we’d both been suffering from a virus caught somewhere, sometime last week.

Sunday 3.12.23

Nathan flew back from New York today, drove over to the flat, had a sleep for an hour and a half, ironed his shirt and went next door to Henrietta’s where she had a got a little bottle of champagne and nibbles. He didn’t want anything more substantial to eat as a car would be coming shortly to collect him for the British Independent Film Awards ceremony. Jai (their younger half-sister) arrived five minutes before it did. She is his guest for the evening. Izzy and Isaac had been his guests at the premiere of The Kitchen for which tonight he receives the award for best Production Design. He’s had lots of good reviews in Times, Telegraph, Indie, Guardian and more. We’re thrilled for him; he works incredibly hard and it is so well deserved. One review said it was worthy of being an art installation or VR video game.

Monday 4.12.23

Sad e mail from dear Denys telling us he is currently in the Great Western Hospital with prostrate problems with a “… non designer bag and an operation to look forward to…” not how he had hoped to start the New Year. This one has been difficult for him since he lost dear David. It makes us feel very sad as Denys like David is such a dear kind and lovely humorous man.

Tuesday 5.12.23

Nice e mail from Paul, who is buying a larger painting from my studio. I’m still also working on the two paintings he commissioned during the summer

Wednesday 6.12.23

Richard manages to put six miniature paintings online so that people have a chance to buy those in advance. The first one to go is the Polar Bear, to a couple who usually come. It is he who is is ‘phoning but she calls out “Polar bears are John’s favourite animal” so I am really pleased. Then Sue and Andy confirm the Toyshop - she had missed a similar one last year just asVic is ‘phoning after sending an e mail to say that he and his grandson Indie have chosen The Snowman which they both like. Which is followed by an e mail saying her sister Jane would like The Snowman! So R sends her images of a couple of other and she goes for Decorating the Christmas Tree.

Lovely Lucy from a village near Solihull ‘phones to buy Sailing Round the Lighthouse. Then it’s back up to the studio finishing other tiny works off.

E mail from Masa saying that he has now had the results of his Zoom interview with the Chelsea Arts Club after I nominated him for membership and the committee have elected him! Hurrah!

Thursday 7.12.23

Still painting hard to complete these tiny paintings in time for Saturday’s Open Studio.

Friday 8.12.23

Richard goes to collect Henrietta from the station just before 8; she’s travelled down from London to help us on the first day again.

I’m still working on the Wombat for Ian and Maeve and the Cats’ Duet.

So pleased to hear that Professor Masa’s paintings have now arrived but a problem has arisen in that the cases were securely locked by special bolts that can only be undone with a “hex robe” or “torx”. So he now has that problem to solve.

Saturday 9.12.23

When I cross over the Lane to the studio it’s already full of people and Laurence is standing outside as I come through the house gate teasingly calling out “Come on”. Jackie’s inside carrying beautiful little Demelza and Albion their delightful grandson is standing with Laurence. Liz Giles takes a photo of us both for Linc (of which Laurence, Jackie and I are Patrons) and another for the Friends of the Wilson; Liz is treasurer of both. Wallace has given me a beautiful bunch of flowers he has already gone for the little triangular Ark and Judy the small round Christmas Carol.  Lovely Ian and Maeve have already nabbed the Wombat they commissioned as well as Bonfire Night with Guy Fawkes and dear Sue and Andy have said that their Mum is buying the Toyshop for Sue ad the Christmas Tree for Jane; they are such a kind and supportive family. Rowena and her Mum & Dad come  and I introduce them to Henrietta.

Henrietta gets a taxi to the station at about half past four, just after her friends Maria and Clinton have left, having discussed a possible commission - they are going to have dinner in Oxford.

Sunday 10.12.23

When I enter the studio today there are already two ladies sitting down and one looking round at the paintings. One of the seated ladies was Alice, fundraiser for LINC, the other introduces herself as the artist Antonia Black, who also shows with the Bria Sinfield Gallery, born in Perth, Western Australia though I detect n trace of an Australian accent. She studied art at the National School of Art in Sydney before coming over to the Slade where she studied for five years. She has done paintings reproduced by the National Trust and tells me that Beckford Silk Mills reproduce a range of her paintings as scarves. She looks like one of her beautiful paintings herself, her silver hair tied back in a ponytail, the outfit she wears is so exquisitely colourful - corduroy knickerbockers in deep maroon, a bright yellow ochre cardigan, each layer in a different colour and she’s as bright and confident an artist as ever I’ve met. She is truly amazing. But a note of sadness and a quaver inh her voice as she tells me she lost her husband who she had nursed for two years, during the Spring. It was her second marriage. I think they married in ’91 and they adopted a baby from Vietnam who is in January taking the family on a holiday to Cambodia - she had her own travel agency in Sydney.

The other woman looking at the paintings is Lynette who os the chair of the Society of Arts, Corinium. We met when we were both judging the Christmas card competition they held organised by Viv Styles att the National Star College. I introduce her to the others saying she had studied art art history at UEA with Philip Mould and she tells wonderful stories of when she was in Venice for a study term at the time of Carnivale and being in a jazz club that was raided but the person she was with happened to be a policeman so se was OK. Viv and Paul came yesterday. It must be a day for artists as my friend from student days, Jane, who did her degree at the University of Reading, comes in with her friend Matthew, a young artist from whom she bought a painting shortly after he ad graduated. They ave always exchanged Christmas cards but he looked her up recently when he was in Naunton and they share a lot of concerns about the environment. I think his paintings are about ecology. Interestingly his parents were a year or perhaps two above me at art school and they went on to look after Hales Abbey, where he grew up. I can see that he too is fascinated by Antonia when she comes to join our conversation.

Trev and Jill came all the way from Essex. Trev is a bass player who was also an engineer and Jill was the head of a special school; they are a delightful couple and now own several of my paintings to which they very kindly add The Cats’ Duet. Caroline and Simon arrive bright and full of enthusiasm; they recently went on a safari observing animals in Africa. We tell each other how well he painting they bought from my London exhibition, Ark, has reproduced as their Christmas card (and ours). Caroline buys the Robin miniature  they had already donated £750 to the three charities in lieu of a reproduction fee. Linda Slimmings comes in to collect the Tea with the Ship’s Cat miniature and tells me she is giving it to her daughter for Christmas. Linda’s husband used to be my doctor and I’m pleased when she greets Alyson, Edward’s wife (they have just arrived) saying saying that Peter had been her doctor too.  Alyson tells me she is going to the ballet with her two daughters next week to see The Nutcracker in London.

Monday 11.12.23

R drives to Alcester to meet Nick who has bought a painting as a Christmas present for his wife ad this is a good spot for the transfer.

Tuesday 12.12.23

We go up to the Star College were we meet Ian and Maeve and Catrin, who is going to take us to the physiotherapy to see the new Inoprowalk machine being demonstrated by Tristan, a student who has cerebral palsay. He looks wonderfully happy and smiles as his legs are gently manipulated in a sort of cycling movement. It creates a feeling of well being and stability; his arms which often flap about sit calmly at his sides and they explain how four half hour sessions per week on this machine, improve his health, heart and lung function and even counteract constipation. This machine has been hired from the manufacturers with only a 2% discount which later, over our tea and mince pies in the Star Bistro, Ian questions ad I back him up.  Tristan is going to be demonstrating a machine in use at a conferencing showcase in January where he may also speak using his electronic voice, another wonderful innovation that has helped students communicate with the rest of he world. The staff are all so dedicated and hard working and the students so full of warmth and determination to use al their potential.

Hear again from Professor Masa that they have had someone in who had been able to open the crate with my three painting in:

First of all, Keiko and I brought "The Club" to my mother's flat. She was moved so much. Because the person who is pouring the beer looks like my father in his late 40s, she said.

Thanks to you, I have been able to give filial piety to my mother. I was able to return my father, who had passed away, to my mother again. Nothing could make our family happier.

Wednesday 13.12.23

E-mail from LLB re the miniature they bought at the weekend and announcing that their daughter Hermione delivered Eleanora Jacqueline yesterday!!!!!

Richard drives up to London to collect the newspaper painting from the London studio. He has a rather adventurous return having to call Green Flag as he had a slow puncture - they blow it up to the maximum and say that should get him home but six miles down the road there is a strange flapping noise then a pop and the tyre shredded itself. So he calls again and gets the same two Green Flag men who decide to put the Land Rover on the back of their lorry and Richard inside and drive them the ninety or so miles home.

Nice e mail from Nick thanking us for our birthday greeting on the previous evening.

Thursday 14.12.23

Decide to get a courier to take the newspaper painting over to Stratford, a wonderfully prompt service as we ‘phone about 2.30pm and they are here within half an hour and the painting has been delivered by 4pm Mark rings to say how efficient they have been and he’s already got the painting hanging in the window.

Friday 15.12.23

Henrietta sends photographs of the beautiful  Christmas wreathes which she and her friends have been making - one of which is now hanging on their front door. Which is rather neat as Richard has brought in the Christmas tree which has been waiting in the workshop, its trunk in a bucket of water, since the beginning of December.Its time has come and once he has put the lights on I add the exquisite decorations that Henrietta sent in the Liberty bag she had bought them in, so they are all rather special. Then gradually we add the others, gathered as gifts from friends or souvenirs from places we have visited. R collects some ivy for me to place round some of the upper branches from which I hang the two lovely little wooden painted birds that dear Margus and Tiina have sent this year. along with others I have accumulated for many years, some now looking a little moth eaten but all the more charming for it. Each little item brings back memories of time or pace from whom it was received.

Saturday 16.12.23

Mike comes to collect his Angel, Tiger and Dove wood engraved print that he is buying for his partner Harriet for Christmas

Sunday 17.12.23

My sister Gill arrives at lunchtime on her Christmas visit bearing two large urns that she has planted full of tulip bulbs so that we can watch them grow and flower in the springtime. She also has numerous other presents for lll the family including some especially large and heavy ones for Samuel. We enjoy lunch of the fish pie that Richard has mad specially and chatter until it grows dusk when she off home to Blunham in Bedfordshire where they will spend Christmas as their dog Duke is now rather elderly and arthritic but they will have Ian’s daughter Leah and her husband Richard and their little boy Asher come for Christmas lunch and to stay overnight.

Monday 18.12.23

Lovely e mail from the Great Roberto inviting to lunch early in the New Year.

Tuesday 19.12.23

Sue and Andy come for a soup and bread and cheese supper and to collect their two miniatures always fascinating to talk to; added to which their son and daughter in law are also expecting their second child on the 22nd.

Wednesday 20.12.23

Finishing off a tiny painting for John, the lovely man who has made all the small triangular, rectangular and square frames for me.

Thursday 21.12.23

Liz Giles and her husband Richard come to collect the little miniature, Two Cats Tickling Trout which I painted especially with her in mind. She had first wanted to buy the little Owl and Pussycat They put to sea … which had actually been bought by ColinWalls We are still talking when the doorbell rings and it is Lloyd who have come to collect the hamper that he and Sue had won in the raffle. Sue and Andy had done us the honour of pulling the winning ticket out of the hat on Tuesday.

Friday 22.12.23

Still ordering Christmas presents as usual, particularly books as that is what Nathan always requests.

Saturday 23.12.23

Jane comes at about 2 o’clock bearing Christmas gifts. We sit and chat over a cup of tea and are still doing so when Richard arrives back with copious bags of shopping from Arnold for the fresh fruit and vegetables and Waitrose for things that hadn’t arrived in our order form them yesterday. Jane is entertaining her old school friend Ellie and her brother Robin for Christmas as she has done for many years. She shows me a photograph of her two Christmas trees that grow in pots in her garden and which she puts together each year as one with several sets of coloured lights. It looks both beautiful and unusual. She sets out at dusk in the hope of getting home to Naunton before it’s fully dark.

In the night Richard cleans and polishes all the downstairs floors; he loves the final coat when they all become shiny as it has a similar magic to varnishing a painting.

Sunday 24.12.23 Christmas Eve

Nathan arrives at about 6pm with Bea, is beautiful boxer dog. Henrietta, Kev and the boys only minutes afterwards. It’s such a joy to see them all and always surprised to see how tall and beautiful the boys are. After dinner I bring in the box with Nancy’s presents to them as it has become a Christmas Eve tradition I put them all in a little wicker trunk. I’m delighted when Isaac offers a cracker for me to pull with him and inside it is a wooden jigsaw puzzle by Wentworth that is in the shape of a Christmas gnome that he immediately starts to do. They each also have a fantastic ball game - each player wears a different coloured hand band and the bal gives instructions of who to throw it o next and after a while you have to work it out yourself to crack the code sequence. Bea loves being part of this game too, standing in the middle and turning like a spinning wheel to each player who catches the ball in the hope that she can catch it in between. Nancy is amazing, they each have so many presents, Isaac’s wrapped in red for Arsenal and Samuel’s in blue for Chelsea. Beautiful chocolate oranges with her hand knitted reindeer heads complete with antlers and bags containing varieties of chocolate bars and Santas.

We have a discussion about Father Christmas and Samuel says his Nanna (Kev’s Mum) told him that he didn’t exist. I said he exists if you believe in him and that surely Father Christmas is the spirit ofChristmas which is why everyone in this house still finds a big Christmas stocking or sack in their bedroom each Christmas morning however old or young they are, as well as the ritual exchanging of presents from under the tree on Christmas Day.

Before we go to bed Richard puts the turkey into the bottom oven of the Aga for its long slow roasting.

Monday 25.12.23 Christmas Day

All’s busy in the kitchen when I come down and help with preparing the parsnips (for the nips) and potatoes. Kev has taken the boys to play football, which is always good for them. Nathan and Bea are in and out as he’s stying in my studio over the Lane but Nathan helps with the vegetables and makes the brandy butter too.

Shortly after the boys are back I top up the fire with logs and we start the mammoth present exchange which includes those from Gill and Ian who have responded to Samuel’s request for a set of strong-man-type lifting weights on a bar. Though Kev’s parcel from us takes the ticket for being the largest. Henrietta’s very pleased with her dress nd the Lulu Guinness bag and is very surprised when she opens her large flat parcel on a hanger that it is a red dress. Isaac and Samuel both put on their Jean Michel Basquiet T shirts that I bought from Uniqlio and Richard opes the tiny painting that I had given him along with a book of letters to The Times and I get from him a new pink Lamy fountain pen and an Oliver Sacks trilogy containing The Awakenings. They are all surprised by the crackers that I almost forget to put out, as they are some I filled myself.

We seem to be sitting at our Christmas feast for an hour or two and as usual Nathan flambeés the Christmas pudding which has again been lovingly made by Henrietta, along with a beautiful chocolate Christmas log.

The boys play chess and Samuel then takes on Richard and Nathan, narrowly beating both. Then we play cards (whist) with a kitty of £1 each per round. The boys both do very well.

It has been a lovely day with a lot of chat and banter.

Tuesday 26.12.23 Boxing Day

Kev drives Isaac to Oxford to catch the bus as he’s going to stay with his girlfriend Izzy ad her family back in London tonight whilst doing a course.

Henrietta and Nathan walk Bea on the hill and arrive back about the same time Kev returns from Oxford.

After dinner Nathan decides to drive bak to Ramsgate as he has a lot of work to do before the New Year and the signal isn’t very good in my studio. We play cards again and Samuel cleans up; he’s got two or three £5 notes ad a stash of coins which as he only started with a £2 coin from the Christmas pudding was a considerable achievement.

Wednesday 27.12.23

After a brunch a Richard’s gravadlax, avocado and scrambled eggs Henrietta Kev and Samuel depart for Andover to celebrate with Kev’s parents, his sister and her family so we’re back to just us.

In the evening I suggest we watch the film Frieda which we haven’t seen, based on the life of Freida Kahlo; it’s good though I feel they had made Frieda a  little too pretty - her eyebrows have been tidied a little and no moustache and wasn’t totally convinced by the role of Diego Rivera. But if you didn’t know too much about them it was probably a good introduction with some interesting sets. Not quite enough of the paintings and murals for me.

Thursday 28.12.23

I recently heard a review of an exhibition at the BFI on the Powell & Pressburger film The Red Shoes which I haven’t ever seen so decide I ought to devote an evening to watching that. It is wonderfully of its time so feels very theatrical in both the acting and the painted sets. I’ve always loved Hans Christian Anderson and this story in particular lends itself beautifully to being interpreted in such a way. I love the opening scene where all the students rush into the theatre and pound up the stairs to get their seats in the balcony. Time enhances a film like this rather than detracting.

Friday 29.12.23

Back in the studio working on one of the two Australian commissions. It always takes a bit of time to get back into the swing of it.

Saturday 30.12.23

Making progress working up the lighter hues on one of the two commissions, which are both painted on dark grounds and so it’s the lighter and brighter tones that I have to gradually intensify.

Sunday 31.12.23

Richard comments when he changes the water in my water pot that he can tell which colours I have been using and describes the water as golden rather than the more usual murky dark sludge, a culmination of burnt umber, burnt sienna, ivory black and ultramarine etc.

Paint in the studio until about 11.45when I go down to join Richard in te itchen where he has laid out wine, cheeses and grapes. Not long afr we’ve drunk a toast, Henrietta calls; she’s wearing the red dress w bought her for Christmas. They Sue and Steve there; both boys are out separately at different friends’ parties. Nathan also rings about fifteen minutes later, they’ve been to the pub.

Happy New Year.