28. 05. 08. Wednesday. Just trying to clear a few things up now that I have my new camera. Here is the mat that I painted for my kitchen and also one of the big drawings that I have done using oil stick on foam insulation left over from the renovation. I had a great visit with Alan and Lea and despite the crappy weather we managed to do quite a lot and Alan and I even managed to do some painting. The whole visit was marred by Lea falling down the stairs this morning. She went by ambulance to Pezenas where they took x-rays and pronounced her OK, nothing broken but some bruising. The French health care system certainly lived up to its reputation and they still managed to catch their flight to Amsterdam this afternoon.
In Toronto
Toronto 9/20. 05. 08. I had a great 10 days in TO catching up with friends and family. I went to the ROM with Poppy and saw the new extension – good idea but I didn’t think it came off that well – I found the crystalline effects compromised by too much drywall in the wrong places. Also went to a number of galleries, out for lunches, dinners etc. Had forgotten about the added taxes to the price of things, services etc which I found irritating – much prefer the European system of everything included. Am now back here after a long journey with a 4 hour delay on the tarmac in Montreal. It is warm and sunny and market day today so have to stock up as Alan and Lea arrive tomorrow from Barcelona.
A Grand Day Out
25. 04. 08. Thursday. Beautiful day. Early start and drove to Claire’s in Montpellier. After a cup of tea we drove to the Villa Eugenie where we hi-jacked Claire’s first sculpture and then drove on to Sauve. We parked the car and went on a wonderful walk through La Mer des Rochers. The sun was warm and the air was full of the scents of thyme and broom. The path lead through the garrigue and what was once an old fortress and across a chaos of rocks. We had taken a picnic so stopped in some shade and had our baguettes and salad. Oddly enough where we stopped 
we discovered a momento mori to a friend of Claire’s elder brother complete with engraved stone, the remains of his ashes and two old umbrellas. Returned to Sauve after lunch and then drove on to Sommières where we stopped at a café by the river and had Monacos and ice cream. On then to Baillargues where we met Jacques and saw his new expo and then back to Claire’s for tea once more before driving home to Clermont on the scooter.
Ladies’ Week
20. 04. 08 Sunday. Julia and Daisy have been here with me this week in Clermont. We all came down last Saturday on the dreaded Ryanair red eye from Stansted. We left Windsor at 3.45 am via cab in order to to be at the airport 2 hours before our 6.05 am departure. The advantage is that you get a lot done the next day before you collapse in a heap. We had a car from Saturday until Wednesday so did numerous errands out and about. Sunday we went to Marseillan to the Flea market where Julia found a great baroque mirror for 5€ and then an iron bed for 50€ in Pezenas. Monday we were in Montpellier for Ikea and an art store called Coste Peintures – I have finally found a reasonably priced art store, 100 cm x 60 cm canvas for 9.70€. Tuesday prepared room for painting and picked up head of bed from Pezenas. Bill and Dominique came by with staple gun and Dominique fixed my e mail. Wednesday, into Montpellier early to drop off car. Checked out some galleries and had lunch in town. Saw show of local artist Vincent Bioulés. Thursday painted room. Friday stapled fabric to ceiling – fairly hair raising. Saturday Daisy and I went into Beziers on scooter to check out sea grass carpets, lunch at Les Negociants. This morning Bill took Julia and Daisy to airport and I spent the day cleaning the house. A very productive week.
Last Day in London
08. 04. 08 Tuesday. Daisy and I went up to London today. Our first stop was the Sir John Soanes’ Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields where Daisy was convinced that the house is haunted particularly after discovering a skeleton and a life mask. The effect was also enhanced by the general low light and the large number of pieces of decorative antique stone in the place. We had our lunch in the square opposite and then took the tube to King’s Cross to the Gagosian Gallery on Britannia Street. This is a magnificent gallery in what seems to have been an old warehouse. Very cool with white walls and grey concrete floors and all the black attendants in dark suits. The show was new work by Howard Hodgkin which worked well in this environment. 
His lush, bright colours really sparkled against the white walls. I had never seen any of his big pieces before as I thought that he always worked in a pretty small format but here were some wonderful sumptious canvasses full of grand gestures. A great show. From here we took the tube to Old Street and on to the White Cube in Hoxton Square. We had already been to the White Cube in Mason’s Yark off Duke Street so this was a chance to visit the sister gallery. Again it seemed to be in a converted warehouse complete with interior white walls and grey concrete floor. This show curated by Harland Miller and was based on sending a number of artists various pieces by Edgar Allan Poe. The show was their reaction to the writing. Their were pieces by the usual suspects, Damian Hirst, Tracey Emin and Anselm Kiefer and a number of others whom I had never heard of. 
Interesting stuff ranging from a hot skull, to a beating heart to a lead coffin for Lord Usher. Part of the show was at the White Cube but far the more interesting pieces were in the basement of the Shoreditch Town Hall. This subterranean space was a maze of small rooms in various states of decomposition, quite dank and dark and a perfect site. Daisy was very impressed with the whole thing. Once out in the sunlight again we took the tube to Canada Water and Daisy bought a new riding hat at Decathlon. From there back to Waterloo and Windsor for tea.
Peter Doig at the Tate
13. 03. 08 Thursday. Went up to Tate Britain today to see the Peter Doig expo. Very inspirational. First of all I was impressed at the size of his paintings – for some reason I had always thought that they were smaller. I liked the uneasiness of the work – they all have a certain haunting quality which makes you wonder about what happened or what might happen. Also, particularly in the earlier paintings, I really like the layers and textures of the actual paint which seems to give them a luminescent quality. I found I preferred the earlier paintings to the later ones. The later ones do not seem as interesting either from a painting point of view or from the point of view of subject. The one thing that I did find fascinating was the room with his studies and sketches – it was interesting to see where he was coming from and to see how the work evolved. I liked his painting of that tunnel on the DVP with the rainbow colours.
Friday 19. 12. 14 Artsy have asked me to share this link https://artsy.net/artist/peter-doig-2.
Trees & Cream Tea
12. 03. 08. Wednesday. Today started what I hope will be a series of prints on the trees in Windsor Great Park. These will be smaller than the monoprints that I did in St Mathieu and I hope to introduce 
some colour. Haven’t quite got it all worked out yet as I need some finer mark making tools and it is a bit dangerous doing prints here. 
The only place which doesn’t have white wall to wall carpet is in the kitchen so I will have to be very careful. Tomorrow I’m going up to town and hope to be able to find some better paper and some bamboo pens or something. We got a letter today from the Home Office saying that Daisy has been granted British citizenship. She and I went into Eton after school and celebrated with a cream tea.
Back in the UK
10. 03. 08. Monday. Flew back here on Saturday morning to Stansted after staying overnight chez Claire in Montpellier. Had a truly wonderful French meal on Friday night at Le Galion in Palavas. Caught the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street then across to Paddington by tube and then down to Slough by train. Met Julia and Daisy in Slough where they did a bit of shopping and then we all came back to Windsor. Sunday morning Daisy went off to Horse Rangers and Julia and I had a long 2 hour walk in in Windsor Great Park. Spring seems to be here with daffoldils and forsythia in bloom. Today went into town for paper for printmaking.
Artist in Residence – Week 4
24. 02. 08. Sunday. A rather dull overcast morning but must press on. Did a sort of abstract landscape which I quite like –Pic St Loup yet again using very thin paint pushed around with brush, paper towel and fingers – works quite well. Did a couple of monoprints of Les Platanes and started a painting of the same. Also coloured two monoprints using very thin oils and turps . These both look quite good. I think I will colour one of the Platanes tomorrow. Am wondering how saleable coloured monoprints might be. Busy day but very satisfying.
25. 02. 08. Monday. Dull drizzly morning. Met Erland, Elisabeth’s husband, in the supermarket. After getting back coloured in monoprint of Stones on a wall and the began a painting of Le pont sur la rue de la grenouille which I finished in the afternoon. Used very thin layers of paint thinned with turps brushed on with a fairly dry brush. The effect is enhanced but not priming the canvas with gesso. I just put a thin wash of ground colour which allows the canvas to be more porous and shows the brush strokes well too. Also finished painting of La platane – a strange composition but there is something I like about it. Also coloured a monoprint of La platane. I think that there is something about coloured monoprints that I like – an 18th century feel to them. I want to experiment with coloured pencils too with perhaps a wash. Lots to learn. Thinking of doing small monoprints (postcard size) but on heavier paper when I’m in the UK next month or I could just do the drawings there and print them when I get back to Clermont in April.
26. 02. 08. Tuesday. Did a drawing of the Chateau Montferrand – quite complex and detailed and then di a couple of monoprints from it – one using a brush and the other using only a Q tip which gives the drawing a lot more energy and vitality. Need to find some Chinese pens or something to make different sized marks. Had an e mail from Graham Pilsworth telling me about a Peter Doig show currently at the Tate. Hopefully it will still be on when I get over there. Jacques phones to say that he has and still has the flu which is I guess why I haven’t heard from him. Anyway he has set up a meeting for me with someone from Midi-Libre tomorrow morning so that should be interesting.
27. 02. 08. Wednesday. Sunny morning again at last! Dominique arrived at 9. Ex Parisienne who moved here a while ago does freelance stuff for Midi-Libre, the mairie, writes local history etc./ We chatted for about half an hour and I realized that it was going to be a general pieces rather than an arts review, which was fine. After she had left, drove into Montpellier to Claire’s place. After a cup of tea we went to several Decathlons checking out various step machines as Claire is interested in buying one. After lunch at Claire’s we went for a walk in the Parc Meric which is very close to where she lives. It was once the home of Frédéric Bazille the artist and his house is still there empty waiting for the town to turn it into a museum. We walked along the Lez which is where he often painted. Drove home after the walk and began a monoprint of Le Pic St Loup autour les vignes. In the evening had a long talk with Julia.
28. 02. 08. Thursday. Bought the Midi-Libre and read the piece on me. Not sure what it will mean but useful for the cv. Had an early phone call from Jacques inviting me to lunch. Printed monoprint of Le Pic St Loup autour des vignes and also drew another plate of a single vine. Picked up a bottle of wine and gassed up the scooter en route to Jacques’. Had a very civilized lunch with cold salmon, chicken and a dessert with mixed berries. I have now officially joined the Vendemiaires – 12 euros! Nicole asked me if I would be interested in a co-op artist thing with 5 or 6 other artists for 2 weeks at the end of September. Had to say I was busy (Merrickville), but e mailed Jon, Alan and Maryann to see if any of them would be interested. In the evening, went with Jacques to visit a sculptor called Robert Rocca – he had just won a commission for the town of Montpellier for a piece in bronze and steel which is 11 meters high. Interesting work – quite organic even Moore-ish with slightly eigious overtones – great house too which he had designed. Thinking abut doing some big paintings in the same style of the monoprints.
29. 02. 08 Friday. Up early as I had to do two trips back to Clermont, one for the clothes and painting stuff and the second for the paintings and prints. Left at 8 am the first time and was back in St Mathieu by 10. 30. Cleaned up the house and then Jacques came round and picked the monoprint of the Pic St Loup from the mairie for the municipal collection then I left at 12.30 again for Clermont with the second load. Spent the rest of the day doing washing and getting organized here.
Artist in Residence – Week 3
16. 02. 08. Saturday. Drove over to Clermont in the morning. En route checked out the road where I think Elisabeth and her husband live. Did all the emails, no great news except that Judith has confirmed that she has sold 3 small paintings all to the same Ottawa couple. Spoke to all at Windsor – they seemed to have had a pretty good flight over. Poppy was already exploring 46 Fountain Gardens. Thinking about the legend of St Loup and wondering if I can do something with that, also thinking about monoprints of the vegetation specific to here – trees /vines etc.
17. 02. 08. Sunday. Drove back to St Mathieu – cold and misty drive – good to get back to central heating. Still thinking about the legend of St L. Watched a 2 hour special on a new film called Paris with Juliette Binoche. Parcel of books from Julia was here when I got back.
18. 02. 08. Monday.
Horrible morning, grey, overcast and drizzle. Spent morning finishing up Pic St Loup from D113 which I think works well. Also finished Falaise de Hortus though not sure about this one though – I’ll leave it for a couple of days and then revisit it. Finally found an internet café – will go there tomorrow to pick up e mails. There was a break in the weather so drove out of town and took some tight shots of vines. I also fell over and dropped the camera but it still seems to be working OK. Drew up a plate and changed the ground on a canvas in prep for tomorrow. Did small painting of Le crepuscule sur le pont de la rue de Grenouille.
19. 02. 08. Tuesday. Went over to the internet café at around 10 but it was closed. Started new series of monoprints on vines. Did a couple of pieces on vineyards and then 3 of just a single vine. Nothing quite worked – I had a vision of something but for some reason couldn’t quite make it work. This is the thing with monoprints – they are quite serendipitous, but with each one, one learns something new and that you can only control them up to a point. I was doing them too dark and was being too concerned about making a picture. Last one sort of works. Spoke to Julia and Alan and went over to internet café and it was actually open. Did e mails.
20. 02. 08. Wednesday.
Started painting of vineyard. Trying to work more slowly, paying more attention to brush strokes etc. Finished sky and blocked in vines. Also did a monoprint of stones on the back wall here which worked out rather well – lots of different textures. I need to find other mark-making tools to get more different textures. Am thinking about taking one of the current monoprints and doing a much larger version in modules ie breaking it up into 9 and then making each one of the 9 as big as the current print. Want to discover what happens and to be able to use bigger brushes etc however won’t be able to do this until I get back from the UK in April. Have to find some way of keeping this momentum going. Finally did a small painting of my mail box with its door hanging off.
21. 02. 08. Thursday.The sun was shining this morning – what a difference it makes! After the morning visit to the internet café drove up to Elisabeth’ house which is about 15 minutes from here on a dirt road off the main road to St Martin de Londres and Ganges. Wonderful, sprawling house that they have totally renovated from a ruin with no roof etc. Loads of paintings, great views of the Pic St Loup. Had a very civilized lunch with aperos out on the terrace before and then a tour of Elisabeth’s atelier and work afterwards. Elisabeth is very creative and prolific and works mainly in watercolours and printmaking, sometimes combining the two and she even paints the plates and frames them – all very interesting and I hope that I can stay in touch with them. Got home around 4.30 and did a drawing that may be the basis for an abstract painting, maybe. Spoke to Daisy and Julia. Daisy had had a great time riding in Windsor Great Park with Jason today.
22. 02. 08. Friday. Another warm sunny morning. Worked on Les Vignes. I am happy with everything except the sky which I will work on later. After lunch went into Montpellier to see a show at the Galerie Trintingnant where I saw a show by Anne Slacik which I had read about in this morning’s Midi-Libre. Her paintings looked a lot more interesting in the newspaper than the gallery! I think she actually prints on the canvas which I will try. Went to the art shop in St Gely du Fesc and bought some more paper and some acetate to use to transfer a monoprint on to a canvas. I tried this and it didn’t work with the ink so tried again with magic markers. I think it would work on untreated canvas that was not on a stretcher. In the evening watched the Cesars – same format as the Oscars but less bullshit.
23. 02. 08. Saturday. Beautiful sunny day again. Drove over to Clermont to take some stuff back and to check for mail etc. En route back stopped to pick up another 3 canvasses at St Gely. Very aware of how little time I have left here and I feel I have lots still to do.