It is hard these days to form any sense of what might be meant by “normal”. The restrictions on movement and meeting in the UK have just been increased again, after a period during which we were coming to believe that life could become more open and more easy. This morning, however, we had a visit from the architect who is working on a proposed alteration to the house, during which he stood on one side of the kitchen and my wife and I stood on the other. We were unable to shake his hand on arrival, and unable to offer him a coffee.
I have just received an email from the regional Italian Circle, about the forthcoming meeting. This will be permitted to go ahead, despite involving more than six people from more than one household, on the grounds that it is an “educational activity”. There will be no coffee, no meal and (shock horror!) no wine. The talk will take place, although we will need to be seated 1.5m. apart.
The walls appear to be closing in again on artistic activity. The life-drawing class I have been attending restarts tonight after the summer break. It will take place in the open air, however, in order to ensure “social distance” between the participants. Given the falling temperatures the model will be clothed.* I have been working hard over the past week putting together a proposal for a substantial retrospective exhibition, but I can’t help wondering whether this will be a workable proposition even in 2022.
The flame of art does continue to flicker, however, amid the current gloom. My wife and I were out for a country walk in the locality yesterday. Passing an ancient hawthorn tree I told myself, “Ah! There’s a subject for a picture!” The tortuously contorted old trunk supported a vigorous crop of new berries.
*I did entertain for a moment a bizarre image of the model nude with the exception of a face-mask!