Thursday 07. 06. 12 It has been cool and wet in TO this week but it now seems to be starting to change. I went down to the lake yesterday with Maryann and we did some drawings in the midst of a long on-going conversation. The above is a small watercolour I did this morning of one of the back alleys near Jason’s house – very verdant at this time of the year.
Journal
NYC
Monday 28. 5. 12 Just back from a fast weekend celebrating my 70th birthday with Jason and Julia in NYC. It was hot, crowded, busy, stimulating and exhausting. We flew to Newark by the wonderfully civilized Porter Airlines and then took the train into Penn Station. We stayed at the Hyatt Grand central who, on hearing of my birthday, delivered a bottle of champagne and a bowl of fruit to the room!! Saturday we breakfasted at The Boathouse in the park, walked up to the Guggenheim and then back down to MoMA. Jason and I were supposed to do a bus tour in the afternoon but the buses were too crowded so we just walked around town. Ended up up a typical local restaurant for dinner somewhere down on 34th. Sunday morning after a heavy rain shower Jason and I took the bus tour of lower Manhatten and then walked over to the Hudson and took a boat tour of the Hudson and East Rivers in blazing sunshine. We met Julia at the pier at midday and then walked along the High Line garden/trail ending up in the Meat Packing district where we had lunch. After lunch walked back uptown to pick up our bags at the hotel and then back to the airport by train and on to TO. A great weekend!
First week in TO
Friday 25. 05. 12 It has been a busy week since I arrived. I have done all the basics, dentist, eye doctor etc. Have ordered new glasses and started to catch up with friends and family. Got the bike out and have been riding around on TO’s bumpy streets. It has been hotter here this week than in the Hérault! Off to NYC with Jason and Julia for the weekend.
Final white van
Thursday 17. 05. 12 I think this is the final white van which I found just outside Lodéve. It will not going anywhere soon!
Back to basics
Monday 14. 05. 12 Went out early this morning to do some drawing en plein air and then came back and did this small painting too.
Busy week
Friday 11. 05. 12 It has been a rather social week with Polly here from the UK so haven’t been doing much painting. Monday we went into Montpellier by bus and explored the town courtesy of the tramway. Great system, 4 lines now and you can even get down to the étang at Pérols on Line 3. Today back in the studio working on a portrait of Violette my coiffeuse!
New white van
Beach Huts
Monday 30. 04. 12 This is a scene that has not changed since my childhood. Oddly altho there are beach huts, there is a notice declaring the beach is closed due to erosion and dangerous objects near the surface!!!
Wet UK
Friday 27. 04. 12 Just back from a quick trip to the UK. Left on Sunday after visiting an expo at the Musée Fabre in Montpellier with George and Laurene. An interesting show on Alexandre Hollan a Hungarian artist living in the Hérault. Flew to UK Sunday afternoon, picked up a car and then went to some old childhood holiday haunts en route to Chris and Viv in Hemingstone, Tuesday went to Cambridge to see Sebastian who I hadn’t seen for 50 years! On then to Lawrence and Diane in Stevenage for dinner and on Wednesday to Maureen in Sandhurst and Rob and Heather who were visiting Andrew in Ottershaw en route back from Oslo to Halifax. Thursday back here. Weather was wet and cool but it was good to see everybody.
April flowers
Friday 20. 04. 12 Made a new chalk drawing for the bedroom this morning.