Monday 25. 04. 11 Today I met Claire and we went for a stroll in the Parc Meric the home of the 19th century painter Frédéric Bazille which is near where she lives. This weekend there was an open air art show put on by ZAT. The show was throughout the parc with various installations including full size figures made of chicken wire stuffed with laurel leaves, young women wrapped in seranwrap attached to tree branches like cocoons, a tree with transitor radios hanging from it playing strange insect-like buzzing sounds, two dancers stripping in front of a huge tableau, a woman living with a horse. All manner of different things creating an atmosphere of exuberance and joy. It was quite wonderful.
Painting
Trains
Cross Canada monoprints
Another productive day
Wednesday 06. 04. 11 Another beautiful morning ride to the studio and I managed to print another five monoprints so I now have a total of 15 ready for painting. George dropped by on his bicycle this morning to see what I was up to. The photo above gives an idea of the Village des arts and metiers and each studio is the size of the triangular segment of the roof. Lac du Salagou is sparkling in the distance.
L’Atelier
Tuesday 05. 04. 11 It has been two good days of work at the atelier. Both mornings have been warm and sunny so the drive has been a good start to the day. So far I have managed to to make 10 different monoprints based on my drawings. I have been surprised at how efficient a bigger studio with more working surfaces is. Once I’m back from the UK next week I intend to reorganize my own space.
More of the same
The other white vans
Monday 21. 03. 11 Am house/cat sitting this week so am up the hill with Grappa. Yesterday met Claire in St Martin de Londres and we went for a walk on Mt Aigoual before an excellent lunch at La Cravate. We had a lot to catch up on as she had been in Viet Nam and Cambodia and I had been to Canada and Cuba. This morning it is back to the studio where I have been working on the large white van painting.
Another day, another white van
Rain, Waterloo, white vans
Tuesday 15. 03. 11 It rained yesterday and also most of today and looks like more tomorrow – Spring in the Hérault! However because of this weather I have been in the studio and have been having a very productive time. I have been doing more Waterloo stations, this time with a bamboo pen (as above) and have been working on more white vans. A strangely satisfying and cheerful day.
A frustrating week
Sunday 13. 03. 11 It has been a frustrating week waiting for the paint to dry on two white van paintings. So I have been back at monoprints of London train stations. I have done several of Waterloo and have also been experimenting with drawing over them in pencil and drawing with a pen using printing ink – so far not too successfully.











