Journal

JournalTravel

End of vacation

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Tuesday 25. 05. 10 Drove Jason back to the airport this morning – hair raising drive with bouchons at Gignac and Montpellier but we finally arrived safe and sound. Sunday we went to Pezenas early in the morning to take advantage of the morning light and the empty streets. Jason shot over a hundred pictures. We then had a  delicious lunch chez  Gisèle and Jonathan together with David and Monique. Monday we did the short walk at the Cirque de Moureze in the morning and then visited St Guilhem in the afternoon with dinner at Le Terminus in Clermont in the evening. After his visit I think that Jason now knows why I live here.

JournalTravel

Poppies

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Sunday 23. 05. 10 Yesterday went to the market in Gignac and then Claire and Gérard came over for lunch. After lunch we loaded Claire’s wardrobe onto the top of Gérard’s Lada for transportation back to Montpellier and then took off on a local tour for Jason to photograph poppies and vineyards.

JournalTravel

Back in France

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Friday 21. 05. 10 Since we got back from the UK we have been zooming around the neighbourhood on the scooters. We were at the Pic St Loup on Wednesday, Sete and Marseillan yesterday. Today we were lucky enough to borrow Laurene and George’s Clio so drove over to the Pays Cathare and went to Carcassonne and Peyrepertuse for the day. It was hot and sunny and no wind. Carcassonne was not too crowded and seemed less touristy than previous visits. We were lucky enough to hear a choir of 5 men singing in the church. Amazing ecoustics. The castle at Peyrepertuse was its usual wild and remote self.

JournalLondonShowsTravel

London

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Tuesday 18. 05. 10 Got back safely at noon today on time despite the volcanic cloud. Saw the Magnificent Maps exhibition at the British Library, climbed the Monument and took a tour of Tower Bridge. The Monument has 311 steps up this narrow circular stairway and has some interesting views of the city from the top. The height is based on the distance from the source of the Great Fire of London in Pudding Lane to the site of the monument itself. After tower bridge we also wandered around Butler’s Wharf and even went to the Design Museum. Monday morning shot some reference photos for my proposed series of monoprints of London stations (very convenient having Jason here shooting all this stuff!). Afterwards we went on a London walking tour around Mayfair – surprisingly good and not at all touristy. After pub lunch caught Greenline back to Luton. Stayed at the Days Inn, bland but functional. Tried to find somewhere to eat in Luton but not successful. The town centre is quite run-down and depressed with many places closed or for rent. Had to return to hotel for dinner. Up early this morning to get the 8.15 to Beziers. Drove home on the scooter via Decathlon where Jason found some ballet slippers for Poppy.

JournalPaintingShows

Stations

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Thursday 13. 05. 10 Monday, had a great meeting with Kevin who thinks that he can find me a gallery in Nîmes or Montpellier for a show in July 2011. He is also interested in a series of monoprints on London train stations which I had already started. This is all very positive and exciting.

JournalPaintingTravel

L.A.C.

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Friday 07. 05. 10 George found this place on the internet so today Laurene, George and I drove over towards Narbonne to visit. It is a gallery/collection put together by Piet Moget a Dutch painter who settled in this part of the world. The gallery is a huge barn-like structure originally used for wine making (there are even a couple of smaller galleries actually set in the wine vats). The space is vast, light and very airy and is run by his daughter who was there showing a bus load of students around the gallery. The collection is quite eclectic with drawings and paintings by many painters who I have never heard of  but all are interesting. There are even a few sculptures.

JournalPainting

Winter Landscape, final, maybe

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Friday 02. 04. 10. I think that I may have finally finished Winter Landscape so have hung it in the living room. I’ll know if it is finished if after seeing it there every day I can’t find anything that I want to change. Picked up new scooter yesterday afternoon and have been burning rubber since. It certainly has a bit more puissance than the old one.I went to my life-drawing at Octon last night and the model didn’t turn up. By general consensus we all stepped up to the plate, so to speak, except we remained clothed. The other two men in the class left – I guess it wasn’t worth staying to draw clothed people.

JournalPainting

Portraits

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Monday 29. 03. 10 I have been experimenting with folded prints. I have printed an aquatint of the subject on the outside with words defining their interests on the inside. I’m hoping to do some larger monoprints exploring this idea. Anybody recognize the subject?

Journal

A busy week

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Sunday 14. 03. 10 After the snow on Monday the weather has steadily improved and today it is 16 degrees and sunny so drove down to Marseillan Plage and Sete to the flea market and for a walk along the beach. Thursday I went to my life drawing class in Octon and on Friday went to a vernissage in Bédarieux with George and Laurene and ran into Elisabeth and Erlend from St Mathieu. Good expo by 3 printmakers including Vincent from the maison de la Gravure in Montpellier.

JournalPainting

White vans

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Wednesday 10. 03. 10 Yesterday was a very productive day. I managed to do a small (8″ x 10″) painting of Winter Landscape and I started on the first of my white van series White van before the storm. I painted both using thin linseed glazes. The small one is finished but I’m waiting for the White van to dry before working on the plane trees and the vines.