Links with the past.

Suddenly I am young again, living and working in Duncroft School in Staines Middlesex in the early 60's as a social work student on a practice placement. I remember my time there clearly but I never thought to hear the name Duncroft again. Now it's in the news because in the 1970's Jimmy Savile frequented the place and abused the girls there. To say it's disturbing doesn't come close to how I feel.

My wish list.

Wouldn't it be fantastic to have an assistant who could chauffeur me to to the studio, transport paintings to galleries, take pictures for framing, get me new supplies of paint and canvases and  provide me with endless cups of tea. I could go on but that would be a start....
Then I would be free to just paint.
What's brought this on? I have spent the last 10 days away from my easel moving paintings around. The last of my paintings stored in a friend's studio are now all in mine. All the paintings from my house that I'm not keeping in my personal collection are now in my studio. Then I took paintings to the gallery in St Davids, Pembrokeshire and Saturday lunchtime (not the best time) I took paintings to a gallery in the centre of Bath.
Finally back working in the studio and after only two days I'm surprised that I feel exhausted. Tomorrow I'll take a holiday.

An invasion of the kilts.

Today Cardiff was full of men in kilts. They spilled out of the pubs in the main street all gearing up for the football match when Scotland plays Wales this evening. In the event Wales won.
I called into the studio briefly but I've not done any painting this week. Instead I've spent most of the time meeting friends in the coffee shop or shifting paintings from one place to another.
Sunday should see this finished when I collect paintings from the gallery and a friend's studio. Thursday I take paintings down to St Davids Studio Gallery in Pembrokeshire.
Then I can get back to work!      

One of the difficulties of a studio in the city.

It's always a bit of a lottery getting a space in the loading bay at the end of the Castle Arcade. With a car full of paintings to drop off or a load of paintings to collect it's anyone's guess if I'll actually be able to park. For a start there is only one approach. With both main streets in Cardiff only open to pedestrians the road I have to take sweeps past the civic centre and in competition with fierce traffic and numerous buses I have to spot the loading bay, see if there's space, position myself in the traffic and move swiftly into place. I get just one chance and if I miss it I have to do the whole circuit again. A bit like a Boeing 747 missing the runway and having to circle the airport one more time. It feels like that!

After the meal

Taking a photograph when a meal is over stores up memories for me. I have a great collection from both here and in France. I can remember each occasion, who was there but not always what we ate. The still life always attracts me - the random nature of it, the mix of colours and (although not in the case of this photo), the chaos and disorder which signals a good and long evening around the table.

Tomorrow is another day.

Tomorrow is Another Day. Oil on canvas

After a few days in London and a weekend of celebrations for my son's birthday it's easy to enjoy still being on holiday. How-ever, in a move to get myself back to work, I've arranged to take paintings to the St Davids Studio Gallery in West Wales next week. This means going to the studio in the next day or so to pack up those I plan to take. Once there I won't be able to resist picking up a palette knife to carry on where I left off. I am working on a large canvas and seeing it unfinished each time I briefly call into the studio is unsettling. Finishing it my next priority.