30 05 2017

- and then it rained. Did some painting. Crap. sigh.

29 05 2017 Monday

Expo done and dusted for another year... delirious with joy at it being over, gave myself an indulgent day in the sun yesterday to celebrate. Bob has left for London, my coast is clear; this morning will be the mosaic duty, must finish the damn thing. Its constant reproach is wearing.
Then I have to seal up the old pix ready to go back to storage.
Two pictures await in the studio.

27 may 2017

Gallery sitting and bored stupid. Can't settle into a book as I get interrupted. Internet connection sporadic. Hate looking at the work though have cleaned and varnished some old stuff. Plus that - the varnish - keeps out a lot of voyeurs. I apologise for the smell and say its only toxic if you smell it for a long time. They scamper...

Good opening, Tom and Bull played. Enjoyed that.

Had a dream that a woman sang a song that told of her whole life DETACHED from the many strings that bind us - outside of society, culture, family and friends. It was a beautiful song, haunting and entire which of course I can't remember. But by luck today stumbled over a quote from Waugh (E) 's diary, 1926, which talks of the sense of it from another angle;

l suppose that the desire to merge one's individual destiny in forces outside oneself, which seems to me to be deeply rooted in most people and shows itself in social service and mysticism and in some manner in debauchery, it is really only a consciousness that this is already the real mechanism of life...

Oh la.

21 05 2017 sunday

Back, slightly baffled... cultural whatnot.
Saw friends, shows. Got asthma. Got expo, though details need work (crypt in Greenwich). Things like dates, PV, lighting need exploring with the boss man who also has to give his approval. Meeting in late June probably. Exhausted just thinking about it.
OFF currently occupying me. Band arriving Weds morning - beds ready for the 4 that are coming, they are leaving 2 in Paris.
Off for a walk to re-acclimatise myself.

14 05 2017

Finished, hurrah!! Not sure what it is but its done.
Started with some vague notions about the brothers' of Joseph after they'd put him in the well... the other stuff, dunno.
 Suspect this is the first painting this year.
Its awfully nice though. I'd quite like it on my wall, for a time anyway.

Off to blighty on Tuesday and have many things to do, not least hanging the show that opens pretty much when I get back. No going to think about that as there are 2 pix I could perhaps finish before leaving.

12 05 2017 Friday

I suppose it is a given that nothing is easy.
Early walk this morning saw first a collared dove labouring in flight with a olive twig in its beak - nice - then a black and white cat up a high tree being attacked by a black and white magpie, feet first. Cat eventually jumped (higher than a bungalow) and hit the ground running.
Last night I took a slug of wine and spat out a live fly.
I love symbolic language!!
All day in studio today

10 05 2017 Weds

Work ground to a halt... circumstances. Plus getting ready for the OFF> Did the photos and press release, waiting on the checking of the French translation. This afto will finish the hanging.
Got the pix from storage on Monday, unpacked, hideous dust. Barely able to function the next day. Hoping this afto will be easier.
Watercoloured yesterday on obligatory picnic with Bob, quite fun. I drew calix lilies and fish and a cat at Termes which was a lovely little place. Useless watercolour but might fit in as a study for a painting sometime.

06 05 2017 Sat

https://www.academia.edu/32379484/Hilma_af_Klint_Western_Esotericism_and_the_Problem_of_Modern_Artistic_Creativity?auto=bookmark&campaign=weekly_digest

Tried to take notes off this but it wont let me... not sure if I can open the article from here, probably not. But at least I can remember it's there; Mario Pasi on Hilma af Klint, esotericism and creativity. It examines - in no detail, alas - the relationship between some artists and a spiritual propensity expressed in mediumship. It's a very objective standpoint. I would prefer it began with artists themselves rather than the exhibitions by which they are validated. Nice to see the esoteric field continue to blossom into the arts though.

Hey ho off to paint... all spirits welcome :)

05 05 2017

Did some work :) Day cancelled due to iffy weather so was able to spend the entire day in the studio. Spent the morning cleaning the palette and sniffing about, then was able to trash two paintings and recommence. Quietly confident, knackered, very happy.

03 05 2017

For a wonder, finished Rauls  drawings - barely if at all adequate - sent the essays and illustrations,to Mark though not yet the drawings to Raul . Lost my mobile, eventually found under drawings. About to embark on lawyers when friends arrived...it could be that I'm much happier not painting. Ridiculously long time and I have to be implicit despite protests.
Dreams marvellous - poetic, rich images. Thanatos explicit however.

02 05 2017 Tuesday

Abandoned yesterdays drawing to catch the morning sun, had a go at the mosaic - now coughing and still cold, it was v chilly. But the thing is less of a reproach now.
Raining, mercifully; time to finish the Raul project and deal with the metaforum essays. Lawyers too, perhaps.