Ecstatic, jubilant, happy, amazed...

......all this and more after Wales won the Six Nations on Saturday - an immense win of 30-3 against England.
We went into Cardiff in the morning - the excitement was building up into one immense party; a strong  feeling of anticipation everywhere and the belief that Wales could pull it off - but 30-3?  No-one quite
expected that!
We called into the studio briefly, it's almost next to the Millennium Stadium, but no work today. Rugby dominates and no-one is thinking of anything else. 

I will be happy to see the rain

It's a sunny day in Cardiff but the weather gets colder with an unpleasant arctic wind. Snow has closed Frankfurt Airport and my son can't get his flight out but everything is prepared for his visit so I have hopes for tomorrow. In the meantime I have been putting the finishing touches to a talk I am giving in a couple of days time to a local Arts Group.
I am hoping for the rain - to send the snow packing.

St Davids Day

The cold persists and the sun I expected for St Davids Day didn't materialise. Despite the weather people in Cardiff were wearing their daffodils and celebrating the day. I missed the parade through the city again this year, instead I met up with a group of friends. No work today but a useful discussion over lunch on the merits of using Win-Gel and Liquin and a fresh debate on the use of black in my paintings. Saturday tomorrow and I'm going to spend a few hours in the studio.

Technique

I'm taking photographs of a painting I'm working on at each stage from start to finish. It's to demonstrate my technique to a group I'm talking to in a few weeks time. It's an interesting exercise and thought provoking. It makes me question what essentially is an intuitive process. It's like watching someone else at work!

It starts with Monday

It's Monday and I'm back at work, but walking to to the studio in the freezing wind I wish I hadn't bothered. I had so many jumpers on I could hardly move my arms, and fur lined boots which slowed my pace. I fantasised about warmer days when all I needed to wear was a summer dress and flipflops. Summer seems a long way off. There was a light snow falling and the barrow by the station was selling strawberries and cherries-crazy!
Once in the studio I bitterly regretted the missed days. I am happy here.

It's cold.

I must get back to the studio and start working. It's just so cold and I'm making excuses all the time why I need to stay at home. Yesterday I cheered as Wales beat France in the Six Nations Championship glad that I was in my sitting room and not in Paris where it was bitterly cold. Over the years when I've had no choice but to go to work each day it has never been a problem but now that I can please myself it's too easy to look at the weather and stay at home. My thoughts don't stray far from painting and my mind is constantly reviewing, planning and mulling over past work thinking all the time about future paintings. The guilt is always there.

February

Back to Cardiff with a fresh supply of paint but no Manet this trip. Ticket sales went wild  and it will be March before we get to see it. Meanwhile on the Underground I keep seeing the poster advertising the exhibition and each time I am struck by his use of black - bringing the portrait to life and adding light and vibrancy to the painting. I used black for years until I was advised by a well known painter some time ago not to. I'm excited about seeing it on my palette again.