JANUARY 2023

Sunday 1.1.23

I start the year as I like to, in my studio, working on  the second of the two pieces for Panter & Hall to exhibit on their stand at Art London.

Nathan rings to say Happy New Year and thank you for Christmas and tells us he’s off to Mexico tomorrow working on his latest project.

Monday 2.1.23

E mail from Robert Fripp saying thank you and looking forward to seeing us there soon.

Invitation to Martin’s birthday party in February.

Tuesday 3.1.23

R sends off parcel with the two books we’d got Isaac which he had forgotten and left by his bedside, a Tate book on photography ideas and another on Street Photography. He’s had a super-dooper camera for Christmas which is for his birthday as well. Photography os one of the four subjects he’s studying at a level. The parcel also contained two books we’d bought for Henrietta on recycling in design, plus a red denim jacket we’d bought her that we had changed for a slightly different size. We send them tracked next day delivery as with postal strikes we are still receiving beautiful Christmas cards from friends that were posted well before Christmas

Wednesday 4.1.23

Hear from Rob at the Chelsea Arts Club that Masa’s application for membership is progressings.

Thursday 5.1.23

E mail from Tiffany at Panter & Hall offering dates for my exhibition with them in the autumn; also enquiring about the paintings for the Art Fair.

Exciting parcel from Moscow which has been opened by customs there, sent by our dear friends Dr Margus Laidre the Estonian ambassador there and his lovely wife Tiina on the 9th December. When we open it  we find the most exquisite little porcelain shrine glazed in gold and blue. It is so beautiful and has travelled all that way safely.

Friday 6.1.23

Tiffany has kindly said we can go with the opening date being 3rd October for the show which will be perfect (it’s the day after Henrietta’s birthday).

A reply from Dr Margus to our ‘thank you’ e mail and by coincidence, our parcel to them had arrived an hour before. They travel back from Tallinn to the embassy in Moscow tomorrow were the temperature is -27 which he says is very very cold even for an Estonian and we think back to one of my exhibitions in Tallinn where there was still snow around in April and shiver.

Saturday 7.1.23

Trying to complete the composition on the painting of an interior over this weekend so that next week I can work on both it and the corrugated piece through next week, rounding them off and refining.

Sunday 8.1.23

Lovely e mail from Nathan in Mexico saying  that the work is going very well and he loves Mexico City. Later, in the evening receive a ‘phone call from Henrietta; they have all had a good week and her lecture yesterday seemed to go well, although she said she doesn’t really like doing them online.

Monday 9.1.23

I’m now into the last week of time to complete the paintings for Panter & Hall to show at the  Art London fair. Richard shows me that on their site at the top of their home page there’s a banner with slices of five paintings, the centre one being a section of my newspaper work Oneday which they will be showing there along with these two new pieces, so I can’t waste time.

Though I did write to Sir Henry Elwes saying how sorry we were to hear that he had lost his dear wife Caroline, a beautiful lady  who was busily employed at the time making Christmas presents on her sewing machine which seems very apt for someone who was a brilliant needlewoman and created an altar cloth for Westminster Abbey. She was also an amazing plantswoman who grew an enormous variety of snowdrops at Colesbourne and was a leading figure in the St john’s Ambulance Brigade who actually made her a Dame of the Order. She worked with and helped many other charitable organisations including from time to time the National Star College. She will be greatly missed by the community of Gloucestershire and further afield.

Tuesday 10.1.23

Gosh! A day of wonderful presents, on the doorstep a beautiful box with four exquisitely decorated chocolate cup cakes form Raffie, Lystra and Mikel Ludlow’s wonderful son. And a magnificent calendar with superb photographs of Raffie in different places such as the leaning tower of Pisa, in a castle, on the beach and with his great grandmas. Every one fascinating.

Also a parcel from  Carole in Japan who befriended my sister Gill and I when I gave a lecture there at the Morohashi Museum of Modern Art. There’s a beautiful knitted scarf or snood that she has made and a book  of inspirational stories written by a mountie.

Wednesday 11.1.23

Lovely invitation from Laurence to the christening of their two little granddaughters, Demelza and Romilly, at the church and afterwards.

John delivers four beautiful new frames, two of which are quite unusual.

Thursday 12.1.23

Nice letter from Alice at LINC saying thank you for the cheque for £4,055. She says it will make a big difference in their ability to support local blood cancer patients and that she and her partner Guy enjoyed coming to the Open Studio event. She also says we all wish Gill Rouse all the best in her retirement and that they are hoping to hold a proper thank you and farewell for her later in the year in recognition of the amazing contribution to the care and well-being of patients over the last 25 years. What a great legacy.

Friday 13.1.23

Head down for my final burst. Only three more working days to complete the two paintings.

Saturday 14.1.23

more of the same.

Sunday 15.1.23

Richard’s driven to Bristol in a big hired van to collect my Sumo wrestlers painting from the Royal West of England Academy. I’m amazed as he’s back by not long after 3pm which is incredible as his collection slot was at 2pm. The bright sunshine will have helped visibility and it turns out he was able to collect the paintings before the allotted slot and had the chance to use the RWA’s brand new state of the art lift which is on the outside of the building.

Working intensely now on the last day and through the night …

Monday 16.1.23

… until Richard comes in. He takes a new photograph as I’ve added and made changes. So he’s off at about 9am. having to take the van back and transfer the paintings into the car for his journey up to London. I put my head down to sleep at 10am and don’t arise until Richard calls on his return journey. He’s done really well getting to the Fair by 1pm, before Matthew or Pilar. He drops the corrugated La Chasse off and as he comes out to go back to the car, Henrietta rings to say that she has just arrived at Angel Islington so he walks down to meet her as she has come in especially to have lunch with him. It’s fascinating as whilst they are carrying Dîner à Temps some one calls out to Richard and it is Robert Sandelson who used to show my work in Cork Street so they have quite a long chat. He’s doing a show of Rachel Nicholson on his stand. When they get to the P&H stand Pilar is there and Matthew. They then chat to him en route to the cafe and stop to talk to Jess at the Portal Gallery stand. Henrietta says it’s a bit like a story of her life as dear Eric Lister one of the two partners who founded the Portal Gallery in Grafton Street invited both Henrietta and Nathan to do a painting for their Christmas exhibition on the theme of Portal Pig - Nathan was in the infants at the time and Henrietta still at primary school. I still have their two paintings up and more recently bought back mine so have the three pieces. Sadly both Eric and Lionel are no longer with us but Jess, who worked at the gallery at the time has maintained it as Eric left her his half. I was showing at this same fair twenty years ago when Henrietta had her first meeting with Geoff on Robert Sandelson’s stand, after Nathan had looked him up and had mentioned that I was showing there. They then went and had red pepper soup and bread at the Fair’s cafe followed by carrot cake. Henrietta’s got a train at 5 past 4 so Richard sets off then on his return journey ringing me just before Beaconsfield.

However I manage to make a very sketchily brushed in start on Masa’s large tiger painting as Richard had prepared the frame and canvas and put on the easel before he left this morning.  Also on a smaller one for John and Ali and two small roundels with wooden ‘teething ring’ frames as christening presents. So Richard’s pleased when he eventually gets back, to see that I have made starts on these.

Tuesday 17.1.23

Studio still looks quite sparse as the new paintings are still all in their infancy.

Wednesday 18.1.23

Have been so busy and preoccupied with finishing the two works for Panter & Hall that I only just found the time to write to my dear friends at the National Star College enclosing a cheque for £4,055. I sent LINC’s before Christmas as Dr Gill Rouse was retiring. Still have to do the Friends of the Wilson

E mail from Nathan in Mexico sending some beautiful photographs of art and museums etc. which are really exciting.

Thursday 19.1.23

E mail from someone who has started an art advisory service and dealership, enquiring about whether I have any available work.

Friday 20.1.23

All this week I have been working on two tiny paintings as christening gifts for Jackie and Laurence Llewelyn Bowen’s two little granddaughters.

Saturday 21.1.23

We set out at just before midday for Hartpury University through the foggy freezing weather. The journey is very picturesque as the narrow road passes between frost covered trees bordering flooded fields which turn into just a white expanse of fog. The University has quite a big layout so we pass the equine centre first, travelling onto the Sports Academy car park where we are directed to the Clubhouse. There we meet Patrick Brooke who is a friend and governor  at the University talking to Andy Collop, the new vice chancellor who greet us warmly., along with Edward the chair of governors, Phil Vickery rugby legend - Gloucester, England and The Lions, celebrity chef, restauranteur, involved with several charities including RDA and is on the board of Creed.  Chris Creed whose Foodservice company did events at the Racecourse. And lovely Lily Blueman who had organised it. Very nice to chat to Andy - I tell him that I had seen a photograph of him on his horse visiting the city farm charity (who he tells me they sponsor) in Gloucester on an internet news site. He says what a brilliant charity it is for inner city youngsters who often haven’t had the pleasure of seeing or experiencing farm animals likes pigs and sheep etc. The meal is very generous in proportions and neither Andy or myself are able to finish the chicken chasseur and then the most exquisite chocolate pyramid beautifully presented arrived for the sweet course.

Whether the rugby match would take place was in question as the rugby pitch in front of the clubhouse was deemed not playable but the referee was making a decision on the alternative all weather pitch and at a quarter past one we were told it was on! So at 2.30 we all trooped out into the freezing (-2) cold and fog. We stood on a hillock that ran along the boundary of one side outside the fence - though the ball did twice come over the high barrier. I was full of admiration for those hardy rugby players who all played with such energy and zest and it brought home to me what a physically violent game rugby is. As Andy said, the violence is on the terraces in football but in rugby it is on the field. At times the players disappeared up to the far end of the field in the fog and only their raised voices which sounded like a battle of old emanated across to us. It was nice chatting to Lily whilst we watched. She lives in Worcester and had a 14 year old son called Alfie. She says she is wearing some of his ski socks etc trying them out as he’s off on a school skiing trip in February at half term which is when Henrietta, Kev and the boys will also be going.

Stay up finishing the two little circular paintings, their frames made out of wooden teething rings by Richard especially for the purpose. It always takes much longer than I think to finish these tiny works.

Sunday 22.1.23

On the way to Cirencester I inscribe the back of the little paintings to Demelza and Romilly, Jackie and Laurence’s two little granddaughters. Demelza whose Mum is their daughter Cecile and Dan who I think is a bit over a year old and Romilly whose parents are Hermione, their second daughter and Drew. We arrive at the beautiful church of St John the Baptist in the centre of Cirencester and are warmly greeted by Jackie. It’s such a delightful service; the vicar gears the whole of it to all the children that are here, making it fun - in fact the most fun I have known a church event to be. He has the children marching up and down singing and little Albion, Demelza’s five year old brother playing his guitar. Later when he invites us all to surround the font after Lady B has poured in a large copper jug of holy water (Lord B had given one of the readings) and he has baptised the children, he proceeds to whip the water up with his hand going round in a circle so that we are all splashed or doused with it.  The two infants are enchanting and very well behaved although Demelza does show a little discomfort at the water being spread across her forehead.

We then all do the five minute walk to the Mansion House, Cirencester Park, the home of the Bathursts. It has the most beautiful and very tall (33 feet) semi circular yew hedge around its courtyard just inside the outer wall which gives good screening and I would think noise protection from the town; as well as all its ecological and health giving properties. The annual trimmings go to pharmaceutical companies for anti cancer drugs. Inside this magnificent house there is a roaring fire which is very welcoming and Jackie and her helpers have laid out a most sumptuous tea. Lots of delicious sandwiches and gorgeous cakes. We chat to Denys enquiring about David who we had been hoping to see but alas he is not well and we miss him. He then introduces us to Laurence’s sister who is a doctor, lung consultant and his brother who is in the City. It’s a glorious event and after giving the little presents to Jackie to give them we say goodbye to little Romilly and her parents Hermione and Drew and Demelza and her Mum Cecile and Dan and make our way back to Cheltenham.

Monday 23.1.23

good feeling in the studio today that I’ve got a clearer run on three commissions, two of which I made tentative beginnings on this time last week.

Tuesday 24.1.23

Nice little e mail from Andy, vice chancellor of Hartpury University.

Wednesday 25.1.23

Richard calls out through the bathroom door that there’s a present for me on the bed which turns out to be one of the rather splendid puzzles just published by Pomegranate of Portland, Oregon reproducing my newspaper painting Tuesday.

Call from Ro, chair of the committed of trustees of The Friends of The Wilson in response to my e mail asking if she would like me to send a cheque for moneys I have raised for The Friends.

Thursday 26.1.23

Send off cheque for £8,785 to the Friends of The Wilson, being their share of the proceeds this year and that which I held over for them last year from the charity Open Studio.

Make a start on the commission for Dr Matt. This is going to be rather more complex than the other two which are both intuitive but here I’m having to use some medical equipment reference. He was inspired to commission it after seeing an image of my painting The Nightwatch created during lockdown for my last exhibition at Trinity House.

Friday 27.1.23

‘Phone call from a nice man called Terry who has sadly lost his wife Fleur who had bought one of my tiny paintings from an exhibition I’d had at Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum in 1996. He’s wanting it to go to a good home so I say I will buy it back; he’s bringing it across next week.

Saturday 28.1.23

Almost the end of the fiscal year so pay my tax bill while it’s on my mind.

I’m working on the commission for Dr Matt.

Sunday 29.1.23

Richard is half way across the Racecourse when he gets a puncture to the front tyre of his e bike so has to turn round and walk the mile or two home.

‘Phone call from Nathan early evening saying thank you, as he stayed in the London studio on Thursday and Friday nights. Then shortly afterwards a ‘phone call from Henrietta; she had sent me photographs on Friday of her and Nathan walking Bea in Greenwich Park. She said they had a lovely long walk and catch-up. The boys have had a good week at school and Samuel played football for the school’s A team and they won. He and Isaac both had a good week at school.

Monday 30.1.23

Working on a new piece today using one of the exciting frames that John had made for me last year.

When R tries to get his other e bike mobile discovers that the new battery - purchased in September and not really used, is flat. He’s temporary depressed, though laster that night he calls out, very pleased with himself, that he’s discovered there is a switch on the side he didn’t know about and it was on Off. As soon as he turned it on everything came to life as the battery was indeed fully charged!

Tuesday 31.1.23

E-news letter from the University saying amongst other things that Stephen the Vice Chancellor will retire at the end of next term in July. He has steered and navigated the University with great expertise to achieve expansion and great success, gaining its many awards. He’s also a dear friend