I guess it’s nice to have a choice, but do I need to have so many? At the moment my biggest problem is probably the selection of priorities. Having shaken off the dreadful cough I had lest week I find myself trying to defend art against the clamour of demands from other activities. We have … Read more
The other night I felt that I had recovered sufficiently from my horrible cold to make it to the weekly figure-drawing class in Ilkley. When the tutor enquired, on my arrival, how I was I’m afraid that I gave him both barrels! I don’t think that I was fishing for sympathy, but it is possible … Read more
There is a significant difference, as I discovered last week, between the meaning of these two phrases. I think that it is no exaggeration to say that I have been down with the worst cough I have ever experienced. The constant hacking at my lungs left me feeling weak and without the ability to engage … Read more
I was thinking today, as I worked in the studio, about my old art master in my former grammar school. He was an unlikely candidate for the role. A former soldier, he had also been an army boxing champion. His appearance reflected both of those positions. Neither his trimmed moustache nor his terse Scottish delivery … Read more
I am happy to say that I am emerging gradually from the morass of distraction which afflicted me for a time. This is odd, because we are just embarking on the process of selling our house, and one might have expected that the distractions would have multiplied. Anyway, let’s just be grateful for the way … Read more
My father died in 1999, and we travelled down to Norfolk in order to sort out his estate. While we were there a neighbour called round to the house. I knew that Harry was an artist, but I had not realised that he had painted a portrait of Dad. This was news to me. The … Read more
Well, I have done informal portrait sketches before, but never anything serious. In fact, I have in my archive a little self-portrait sketch I did as a student. My most sustained acquaintance with this discipline was a couple of years ago when I decided that I needed an incentive to get me drawing again. I … Read more
Restarting the use of my blog after a long layoff has turned into a power struggle between me and the machine. The layout of the editing page is totally different from the one with which I am familiar. I am determined, however, to establish the fact that I am in charge. Now, let’s see ….
I know that the life and work of an artist might be regarded in some quarters as far from “normal”. It only struck me last night just how true that might be. I took part in the weekly figure-drawing class I attend at the Art School in Ilkley. Driving home afterwards it occurred to me … Read more
At last, after several months, I am up and running again! It has been an eventful period with, on the up-side, three solo exhibitions, and on the down-side illness and injury. I hope that from now on I will be able to return to something that feels like a normal existence. Thanks to the sterling … Read more