ARTISTS TALKING

# 12 [18 March 2008]

The pickled Emperor's new clothes. There's a pickled fish in the papers today, 'worth' a lot of money. There are banks in the papers today in a pickle, worth nothing.

Pickle...a funny word...a funny world...

# 11 [14 March 2008]

Going sailing next week...for two days, but only if this low pressure increases.

My sketchbook is always in my head, just hoping my head won't always be hanging over the side...?!

# 10 [12 March 2008]

Restored the garden of two octogenarian's this morning...pruning all their neglected roses for health, strength and shape. It's always a pleasure when clients really appreciate what I do for them in their garden. But, all the time I was wanting to paint...but painting alone just doesn't pay the bills.

If the exhibition in Portugal actually happens I will be able to spend more time doing what I love best...creating...painting...

# 9 [10 March 2008]

Water, water, what a great day!...up and out early to witness the storm. Just the two of us on the beach looking across the wild horses getting absolutely drenched...fantastic...Nature in all her force and fury and beauty just cannot be replicated...only witnessed and remembered for future paintings...wonderful...

# 8 [8 March 2008]

White, white paint, white walls. Flat trade matt white...such a lovely paint and such a lot of walls to cover...I can't help being distracted into using my large wide brush for mark-making on an epic scale...then developing the image into a pristine flat matt white wall. 

We can all paint a wall white but this does remind me that it's the process that matters.

...and while I'm painting inside the box there's time to think outside the box...developing my thoughts along the lines of a series of landscape images relating to our planet. Having just painted two large white circles on a white wall, I'm thinking of naming the series Plan8...perhaps a predominantly white series...

# 7 [6 March 2008]

...time to move on. It's culturally dead here.

Sadly, for many in the UK with disposable income their highest aspiration is to own a 4x4 and an American fridge.

Preparing to sell the house...lots to do...

# 6 [4 March 2008]

Pippa, my cousin in Portugal, has just reminded me of the family friendship with the Regos...all in the past now, but her grandmother often had tea with Paula's mother and also visited their summer house at Ericeira near Cascais and Estoril.

Pippa's seen many of Paula Rego's exhibitions in Lisbon and still sees 'Strange dwarfish people in Portugal just like some of her models'.

Pippa's mother, my aunt, and her two sisters knew Paula until she moved to London and the Slade in the 50's and met a fellow student...and then there was the scandal...

# 5 [3 March 2008]

Monday...it's a beautiful day. Good and not so good news...had a short email from the gallery (at last) but there's a delay with the new gallery space where my paintings are to be shown...they'll get back to me. 

Some idea of a date would have been really helpful to me...manana, manana...

# 4 [29 February 2008]

It's Friday!...philosophical Friday. Time to reflect...if I don't exhibit this year, maybe a gallery will consider exhibiting my work next year...or sometime in the future.

Ultimately, as the artist, I'm not in control where or when my work is seen in a gallery and by remembering this fact I am encouraged because above this, I create the work...and the shopkeepers/galleries rely on the artist.

Is the artist the chicken or the egg? I like to think the egg...

# 3 [28 February 2008]

This is difficult for me...I may have to walk away from this gallery. When I suggested in my last email to the gallery I put in writing what we had discussed in our phone conversations as a form of contract that we could all happily agree with, after making any changes if need be, there has been no communication from the gallery.

Without some form of contract, I am not prepared to send pictures abroad. I don't wish to push anything with the gallery as I don't want to lose this opportunity of exhibiting.

I just like to think I'll receive a positive response soon...