OCTOBER 2024

Tuesday 1.10.24

Today we hear from Hilary that she and Hans would like the Bear in the Library

Wednesday 2.10.24

Ellie comes in her van to collect the paintings

Thursday 3.10.24

Richard collects the giclée print from The Darkroom and I paint round the edges. It is for the window so that I don’t lose one of the paintings to that. So it is more like a poster than a print. Finish the sides on Coming Home.

Friday 4.10.24

As I enter the gallery I can see it is packed with people, so may dear friends like Janet and David who are talking to Lyn Amos from Winchcombe and Maureen and Gordon then Mark (who is now the High Sherif) and Julia Hurrell wanting to discuss me giving a talk to the Arts & Heritage people of the Hon Co. Dear Denys whose lovely partner David we lost over a year ago now - it’s such a joy to see him as he has since been in hospital. Very nice man John and his son Stafford who I Had met for the first time at my last London show. and the wonderful Congdon family Tim, Dorianne, Venetia and Ben with their two sons, Percy 6 and Manfred 4; such delightful little boys - Percy and I have a very interesting conversation aboutVenice. Ellie introduces me to Genevive who has acquired the Angel and Tiger; she tells me that her mother commissioned me to paint a little triptych for her many years ago. Wallace and Martin are chatting to George Ferguson who like Martin has come up from Bristol where he was once the Mayor and has also been president of of the Royal Institute of British Architects and is currently chair of the trustees of the RWA. It’s great to see Jane who wasn’t sure if she would come due to the pain in her knee which was replaced in the summer but her friend Matthew kindly brought her. Also see Anne Reid to have a quick chat who has come on her own as John already had a commitment. Anne Davies who I haven’t seen for several years. Harriet and Kim from Artshape take a selfie with me for the Artshape post as I have the honour of being their patron. It’s wonderfully full and busy. Ellie and her family are brilliant at filling up the wine glasses and serving the beautiful petite fours that her mother had made especially. Lovely Sue and Andy and Caroline and Simon are amongst the guests who come back to the house afterwards and my dear sister Gill who unlocked and serves them wine until we arrive.

Saturday 5.10.24

‘Phone call from Henrietta to say they are just past Oxford but by the time we get to the gallery they are already there as is April, Beverley’s cousin with her little dog Tintin who Tom, Beverley’s son commissioned me to paint a miniature painting of for April’s birthday. She’s with her husband Richard who particularly likes the Poet & Bear.

It’s so good to see Henrietta, Kev and Nathan and so kind of them to come all the way down from London and Ramsgate. They like the gallery and Ellie, who greeted them with “This must be Bea!”Nathan’s beautiful boxer dog. We walk down to the Museum to see my painting Portrait of the Artist watching her two Children grow and Kev takes photographs of them in front of it. Interestingly someone they have met in the Paragon Gallery had commented that they must be the two children in that Painting. Henrietta and I then go further upstairs to see the Into Abstraction exhibition whilst Nathan, Kev and Richard (who has been looking after Bea) go downstairs where I had promised to buy them tea but the cafe is closed. So we walk back up to Montpelier again - we sit outside a cafe that is just a bit further down from the gallery where we have cake and bakewell tart, and chatter. I had promised them cake particularly as it was Henrietta’s birthday on Wednesday.

They hadn’t wanted Richard to have to cook so I suggest we order an Indian feast from the Saffron Lounge which is not far from us in Bishops Cleeve. The boys had picked up beer on the way - it’s so lovely to see them all.

Sunday 6.10.24

I come down in my dressing gown to say goodbye as they have to be in London by 12 then return to work on the two commisions for Margus.

Monday 7.10.24

Just as we set off driving down the Lane, Richard’s ‘phone rings and on receipt of the photograph he sent them of his leg this morning, the surgery has given him an appointment this afternoon. So he decides he will drop me off at the Town Hall for Martin’s talk on van Gogh at the Literature Festival. The hall is packed with very punctual people but luckily I manage to negociate my way to seat M21 after the man who was parked there moves off. And there the other side of him is Alison, Martin’s wife who used be editor of the Illustrated London News which Vincent often used as inspiration; he also did a cover for them and about a hundred years later I painted one too. Martin’s talk is brilliant and the audience are rapt with attention though interestingly the interviewer wants to home in on Vincent’s mental health problems probably because it’s such a current issue. At the book signing afterwards Anne Strathie who is also a writer appears, having enjoyed Martin’s talk; her books tend to focus on the Antarctic and explorers like Birdie Bowers and the photographer Herbert Ponting. There was a very long queue of people waiting for Martin to sign The Sunflowers Are Mine and Van Gogh’s Finale and he had given Alison strict instructions that I wasn’t to buy any as he had brought two signed copies for me which is so very kind of him.

We then make our way through the Winter Gardens to Imperial Gardens where the Literature Festival’s tented village is. Just before we get to the Writer’s Room a woman stops and says how much she has enjoyed Martin’s talk and that she also saw him last week at the National Gallery for the opening of the van Gogh exhibition; she is Rosie Goldsmith who is a writer and organiser of cultural festivals, radio and tv broadcaster. Martin tells her about my exhibition which they went to see earlier in the day and Rosie says we may not have Vincent here but we do have PJ. We’re just enjoying sitting on the leather sofas with a glass of wine when my ‘phone rings and it’s Richard back from the doctors who have prescribed penicillin and is in the tented village so I tell him where we are and he joins us as another of Martin’s guests. All feeling rather peckish we enjoy a vegetarian bangers and mash with spinach, broccoli and carrots. We all surprised ourselves at enjoying it so much. Followed by cheese and biscuits and cheesecake for Richard. Martin discusses the catalogue raisonnée with Richard and gives him some good advice.
Then it’s back home to the studio to work on Margus’ two commissions.

Tuesday 8.10.24

Still working intensely on Margus’ commissions. I had been contemplating perhaps sending the two separately but decide it would be better, as originally planned, to send them together. But Richard has kindly made a second box to accommodate whichever scheme I end up using. But decide if I work through Wednesday night would give the opportunity of both.

Wednesday 9.10.24

Work through the night on the final finishing of the two paintings for Margus. It is his and Tiina’s wedding anniversary on the 20th and I am anxious that the paintings should arrive in time

Thursday 10.10.24

UPS collects the two paintings in Richard’s sturdy box just after midday after which he goes back to bed and we don’t get up until the afternoon.

Then I recommence work on The Course of Time for the Portland Gallery to reproduce on the flyer and to show at the London Art Fair in January.

Friday 11.10.24

We arrive at Cheltenham College Prep School a few minutes before 3 and were met by two of the youngsters in their final year who escort me over to the art department whilst Richard re-parks the car there. We are greeted by Alayne, head of art and a group of their keenest art students. There’s a lovely tea laid out of cakes, biscuits and sausage rolls all cooked by their catering staff. So I talk to them while they are sitting enjoying this feast, answering their questions on what it’s like to be an artist.  They are a delightful group all smiling as they show me their work which form concertinas in the new little art gallery in the department which has a glorious pink neon light saying “our gallery @ the prep”. It’s also full of the work from three of the local state schools that Alayne and her colleague have been doing work with. All these beautiful paintings had been inspired by one of my small paintings that Alayne had bought at the Paragon Gallery stand at the Fresh At Fair.

We then go to the hall where all the children assemble for my talk which runs slightly over time. They give me the most brilliant round of applause I’ve ever had.

Saturday 12.10.24

Up to London to the Southbank where we are meeting Nathan at Wahaca a Mexican restaurant constructed out of eight shipping containers before going to the London premiere of Harvest the film that he worked on last summer in Scotland. It is part of the BFI London Film Festival. We’re guided by Nathan as to what to eat as of course a lot of Mexica food is very hot. I particularly enjoy one of their vegetarian dishes with sweet potato and soft cheese. And I have a margarehtaha to drink. This Mexican restaurant is so busy that you are only allowed 90 minute slots but which fits in well with the time that Nathan needs to be in the blue room for. However he finds it hard to understand why Richard E Grant is there talking to the cameras from various tv and film channels. He keeps being told we are in the right room but eventually goes outside to make a ‘phone call and discovers it is the right room in the wrong building. So we hasten over to the Royal Festival Hall and manage to get there in time for him to see all the cast and crew who line up for a photograph. But it’s not until we are going into the screening that Nathan introduces us to the Greek director, Athina and tells her that it was Richard who created the maps for the film, which she says she still has and says it was the most asked question “who gets the maps?”. She then tells Richard he should have been in the photographs of cast and crew as his maps are central to the story. Nathan had also pointed out the writer John Crace who I think got a Booker prize for it. The film is very beautiful and has an almost primordial feel. and it’s a great joy to see R’s maps writ large on the screen. It’s wonderful to see Nathan’s concepts come to life We are invited to go onto theThirsty Bear afterwards but R decides he’s up to driving the hundred mile journey home to Bishops Cleeve rather than staying up in the flat as we’ve got rather a lot on next week.

Sunday 13.10.24

E mail from Ewebanks announcing arrangements for the TLC Deck of Cards charity auction for which I painted the Eight Badgers Digging

Monday 14.10.12

We’ve been tracking Margus’ paintings which are in Tallinn

Tuesday 15.10.24

The paintings are still in Tallinn but not delivered

Richard has appointment with Gloucester  hospital where they take two biopsies, one from each leg and arrange a full body PET scan.

Wednesday 16.10.24

Lovely e mail from Margus saying that the paintings have arrived and that they are so happy. I’m so pleased and relieved as I very much wanted them to be there in time for their wedding anniversary on Sunday.

R posts my charity postcard watercolour to the RWA by special next day delivery.

Thursday 17.10.24

I’m now back working on the Course of Time painting which I started early in the year, for the Portland Gallery to show at Art London in Islington next January.

Friday 18.10.24

Also start on one of the box-like constructions following on the theme of the Library

Saturday 19.10.24
Continue on Protecting the Library

Sunday 20.10.24

Alternating between the Course of Time and Protecting the Library

Monday 21.10.24

Start a second box-like construction still focussing on Venetian-like canals

Tuesday 22.10.24

I think this is going to make reference to Pietro Longhi’s beautiful little painting in the National Gallery of costumed revellers in masks looking at a rather small rhinoceros who doesn’t seem to have horn. I think it was painted in the mid eighteenth century when fewer people would have seen such an amazing animal as the rather prehistoric looking rhino with its armour-like skin and whose horns were highly prized by Chinese apothocaries. So I decide I’m going to give the rhino back his horn back and his freedom so place him in the centre of the bridge.

Pietro Longhi’s little painting of the rhinoceros also has other lovely memories for me as Nathan won a National Gallery prize for an essay he wrote about the painting as a boy.

Wednesday23.10.24

I’m continuing both on the Venetian canal and the larger Course of Time painting.

Thursday 24.10.24

I look at my ‘phone after washing my hair and showering to spot a message from Maureen who says they are going to take Joyce to the Paragon Gallery to see my exhibition. I’m rather late as they are in the cafe next door having lunch when I ‘phone to say I could get into Cheltenham by 3 unless they would like to come here, which Gordon who is driving decides is the best option.. It’s such a joy to see them especially dear Joyce whom I haven’t seen for a couple of years. It’s such fun to sit and chatter after they have first looked at the books with the covers wearing my paintings on the table as they enter. So I tell them about how they have a different life and reach different places on book covers, newspapers or magazines. It’s great as they stay for a hour or so before Gordon says its probably time to make their way back.

Richard then goes down to the surgery where the nurse changes the dressings on both legs where he had the biopsies a week ago. When he gets back its time to set off to Bristol for Martin’s book launch. A good and straightforward journey and just after paying the parking fee he says he wants to check something on the ‘phone before we go. Then he reads out with a big smile a piece in the TLS who have written a piece and reproduced a painting from my Byron’s Bear & Menagerie exhibition which is very exciting.

We then walk the short distance to Triodos Bank and we can see Martin and some of guests through the large glass window of the ground floor. So the public car park was very well placed. The first person we meet is Luke Walton who I firstly apologised to for not making it to the party  he and ‘Tash had at the end of August and he apologises for not making it to my exhibition - he’s working on  film in Hong Kong. I thank him so much for talking to the other Luke Walton who is the son of one of Henrietta’s lecturing colleagues at Goldsmiths and thank him also for taking him to the National Gallery where he said he had taken him particularly to stand in front of a Caravaggio to look at its cinematic chiaroscuro lighting and storytelling qualities. He says he had a teacher who had taken him to look at that painting when he was a similar age.

Martin’s reading extracts from his green poetry books  and a piece he acts from his new book The Great Riverbank Robbery is brilliant. All the seats are taken and the standing room at the back. It’s a very entertaining evening and lovely to see Seraphina and Luka, two of Martin’s children, helping. We also see Wallace and Alice who used to work for Linc as one of their fundraisers and several people we had met at Martin’s parties. One of the highlights of the evening was when the designer of Martin’s five books, Simon, was introduced to Richard and he said how much he had enjoyed working with Richard’s pen ink and wash illustrations for Inversebrates. He also talked about it in his part of presentation.

Friday 25.10.24

Working in the studio when an e mail pings up from Ellie at the gallery entitled Poet & Bear where she tells me a ‘very lovely lady who had always wanted one of my paintings’ had been in and claimed them even though they were rather more than she had planned on spending, which makes it all the more touching.

Saturday 26.10.24

We’re doing the e mail correspondence whilst I’m eating a belated bunch when Richard gives a little yelp of pleasure as he’s just spotted SOLD underneath the Dance of Life and I wonder if it is Philippe. But shortly later when at work in the studio, another e mail comes from Ellie to say that she has just sold A Dance of Time to a woman who had been in to see it in the gallery after the Fair and when she came in to see the exhibition today decided it was for her and that I have “made her a very happy woman”. which is again very touching.

Sunday 27.10.24

Richard comes into the room and I ask whether I should ask Samuel to collect my small painting Athena’s Little Owl from the Russell Gallery. I’m surprised at his lack of enthusiasm for the idea when he proffers me a look at the laptop screen which shows the Small Paintings Group page for the exhibition and lo and behold it had sold.

Back to work in the studio after giving R some encouragement and a little help with clearing up the buddleia that he has cut down and is taking to the tip

Monday 28.10.24

Today went into the Holst Museum to do some audio recording about the set of seven paintings I created for the Holst Birthplace Trust ten years ago to celebrate the centenary of Holst’s Planets Suite. And to be photographed next to the painting for an exciting Bloomberg Connects app which will enable people to digitally visit museums and houses such as the Holst Birthplace Museum to look into each room and hear an audio description of some of the objects therein. So Tim, a film maker photographer and sound recordist first records my piece about each of the seven paintings, Mars the bringer of War; Venus, the bringer of Peace; Mercury, the winged messenger; Jupiter, the bringer of Jollity; Saturn, the bringer of Old Age; Uranus, the Magician; Neptune, the Mystic. The recording took place downstairs in the Victorian scullery then we went upstairs to have lots of photographs taken of me in from of the suite of paintings which are all fixed to a larger skyscape around which Richard had lettered to celebrate the Centenary of Gustav Holst writing the Planets suite. The wall in the dining room which is now the Museum’s reception, is painted deep green on which the paintings look well. Tim takes very many photographs - for the last group he and Richard lower the paintings onto the mantelpiece so that I can align with them. Not long after we arrive Richard ‘phone rings and it was the Cobolt unit who are ’phoning with an appointment for his full body PET scan this Thursday at 4.15 before which he mustn’t eat for six hours and as a treat when e gets there on that empty stomach he has to drink a litre and a half of a radioactive fluid then have a cannula to inject a radioactive dye. The actual scan will only take fifteen minutes.

Tuesday 29.10.24

“The course of time” absorbs the day &evening.

Wednesday 30.10.24

Working on the first of two box-like frames of a triangular section with the Portland Gallery in mind to show at Art London in January.