1 12 2018

I'm rather shocked that my avowed intentions - to celebrate my working methods rather than be embarrassed by them (something like that, its the mission statement at the top of the blog) is reeeely hard. I'm embarrassed. So the two paintings reproduced are very smal. They have grown since I took these photos so not as bad as they look - and also, here's a good bit of water damaged paper, the air must be full of fungus spores as they dry. Lets not go there either. A full day ahead :)

29 11 2018

Been at it.. Pestilence is coming good though rather scary. Can't imagine what its for - who is likely to want a painting of a naked person on a black horse with a syringe? Most threatening. Terrific painting though, IMHO.
Discovered on Monday when I went for some paper that my stash of large size paper has been soaked by water which has come through the roof (I think) Black mold and wetness. The best watercolour papers were elsewhere, phew, but the damage to the rest is awful. This stuff is expensive and I buy it when I find deals. So, washing lines across studio 2 and clothes pegs to hang them. I've made notebooks of some of them, cut down to manageable size; useful.
Mondays group was good, 13 plus artists, Geraldine modeling. No great shakes for me but general maintenance - Tuesday was in Carcassonne dealing with the Carte de Sejour, after which went to the emergency hospital to see TWM who was whipped in after a routine visit. Hes very sanguine. He may have 8 months of life left and says thats enough. Bizarrely, really enjoyed my visit. He talked a lot about his life and we sang songs. Weds and today in studio (ducking under washing line)

22 11 2018

Didnt wake up till 8am, with a clear idea in my head of what was going wrong. At work at 9.30 and managed to cause chaos, bashing away at Pestilence which had previously been rather good,sigh,  but establishing War, which though odd will do. As a base anyway.
Broke for coffee and returned, possibly a mistake.

21 11 2018

Up just before 6.00am, did all that had to be done and got to work before 9.00. Productive (basis of Pestilence, the 3rd of the 4 riders...) actually rather scary - and began WAR but its crap. Of course by the time its time to stop for lunch I'm exhausted, hence mistakes.

Afternoon paperwork as ever. Depressing having to stop painting. Got some nice new brushes though (Lidl's cheap-as- chips and so worth a go) - wish Id got more, so lovey to have a biddable brush, all mine are chewed by rats apparently.

All the possible paperwork is nearly done, I think there's enough to get through the exam. If not, not.

20 11 2018

Fairly decent mornings work. Started at 9.00 having run about doing householdy tasks and carried on to 11.00, coffee break, then back till lunch. Afternoon of course is paperwork, but THE END IS NEAR. And when it comes, I have several pix on the go that need concentrated attention. Some sillier than others.

19 11 2018

Hiding from folk yesterday and unable to engage with anything that I may be snatched away from, tore up some remains of chinese paper that Ive carried around for years (from China town in Toronto). Glued to coloured paper and prepared for use at life drawing today.
Woke in the night thinking about it, how to approach it -  knew Marie was modelling, shes 8 months preggers and a good subject -
It was crap. Something must have been learnt but the results terrible and, AND, I have a flu-ey bone ache that HURTS.
Asprin and bed for me.Tomorrow can only be better.
Did a  load of paperwork and plan to finish it all this week, working afternoons. Fairly sure we'll be OK, the CdS won't be denied us.If it is, it'll be on a technicality that we will be able to address.The thought of going to live in post-Brexit UK - ugh, no joke.

14 11 2018

Only work today was moving books and old arts magazines, mostly a gift from Kitaj. I was surprised to see Art Monthly from Dec/Jan 1986 because an article by Peter Fuller  on Kitaj is headlining... sat down to read it. Turned a couple of extra pages and there was an ad about me :)

In those days its wasn't cool to show in Bexhill - I LOVED it :)

Amazing how much I've forgotten.

13 11 2018

 Drawings from yesterday where I went through the unusual condition of being seduced by the pleasure of the marks.

Not good, of course - but how relaxing just to do it, and for pleasure.

Joachim modeling, good group, easy to manage.

Managed studio work in the afternoon and a morning today, before the shit ht the fan. (=moving bookcases, dead rabbit, household bollox)

Tomorrow Limoux but maybe time tomorrow afto? Ha, I ain't holding my breath...

..........who is in charge here???

Death on a Pale horse continues OK, started Famine as a rapacious lion .
Found unfinished pic f St Patrick that I've gone back to, also begun portrait of dead rabbit...

10 11 2018 Sat

Barely set foot in the studio BUT have started on the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse - well, death anyway. Enjoying :) Just how pale is a pale horse? Too rushed today though, still paper working for the Carte de Sejour. Had a meeting yesterday with a functionary who should have made things easier but has complicated matters by some factor. Reaching the asr caring point. But better crack on.

02 11 2018 Friday

 Got this far yesterday and the drawing is from Mondays batch - not that interesting, just trying the new camera phone really. Got this morning to work in, then its back to the daily grind. These days will pass, bien sur.