29 10 2019

Back from weekend on the coast - very refreshing :) Above is the obligatory watercolour of Collioure with the emphasis on the tourists not the fishing village, not that its too evident.

spent time walking late-night sands in agreeably deserted Argeles plotting my future. Made various decisions which now seem improbable - too unsorted to report.

22 x 2019 tuesday

Want to get at this picture - where I'm clearly channeling my inner Dufy - but am forced to sit in the living room and wait for the new-meter man. Wont hurt but had such fun painting this, want more. Especially as I think I've discovered Dufy's strange black-line technique which I've never fathomed before. Can't believe if I have. And will need to wait to see if it all collapses, it really shouldn't work, hehehe.
Dufy meeting Redon? Its fun painting with empty head.

19 10 2019

Email to say the WF show wont happen;

Hi Nil., this may not come as a surprise, but the final WF project 2019 has fallen through, sadly, essentially through bureaucratic mismanagement/misunderstanding. I went there with Julie today to work out placement of work etc. and was told that the ‘we’ as in ‘we are booked’ email referred not to myself and WF, but WF and 1Hoe St.

Another artist there told us how she had been messed around, and had to move work because of a double booking.

We can’t deal with that degree of uncertainty. I am as Julie suggested going to draw a line now under this, she said this sort if thing happens all the time.

I did warn him! It has happened to me many times with councils. But I am disappointed. Would have been a good use of the sealed notebooks and easily done as they are already in London. It had felt like a bit of validation from the olden days, instead of which I know feel like a forgotten fossil. Would have felt like that anyway as the work would have been ignored as ever; especially with councils! Still at least I don't have the fag of dealing with it. LaLa.

14 10 2019

Bieke has been sweet enough to give me an hours advise and direction re; the Russian gig. Must now write up the notes and present them - want a scientist collaborator.
Apart from that a few snatched hours messing up dead flower paintings - ugh - and today, allegedly drawing in the hills but actually ending up listening to Wagner and taking shop with Phillipe - rien!

11 10 2019

Not only no work but not even thinking about it.

07 10 2019

Been at the Magrie Arts Fair all weekend. Raises the question of why?? I wasn't there to sell - work too big/ unpleasant/expensive/awkward - and fraternizing with the other artists though a pleasure is a limited one.
- one sleepless night in this time got a clear image of the Walthamstow show which would work... using the wrapped notebooks done for the deptford show ages ago and still ( l think) stored in London = minimum effort. Contract from council not yet forthcoming however. Gossip tells me that the borough of culture has been hit with many problems of this nature. Hey ho.

01 10 2019

Dibbling about with the last of the dead flowers...

went to Caca and bought three 80 x 80cm and three 60 x 60cm canvases - spent a happy evening gessoing. Will leave them as long as I can, remembering Lowry's ruse of priming and leaving in strong light (North of England??) for 6 months. This is apparently how he achieved that hazy luminosity. If one can call it that.