Thursday 28. 04 11 I have been working on this drawing of all the cousins that Rob and I visited on our trip. I think it is finished. Today have aso been working on the working drawings for a series of monoprints of London stations. Drew Paddington, Euston, St Pancras and King’s Cross today and yesterday did Waterloo. Still got Liverpool Street and Victoria to go.
Wednesday 09. 02. 11 Just got back from a flying visit to Merrickville visiting Martin and Beryl. It was freezing there but we all managed to have good time – especially with Beryl’s Singapore Slings – very dangerous! Martin and I went into Ottawa on Tuesday for the day. Besides the obligatory visit to Costco we managed to visit a few of the Ottawa galleries. This morning before leaving we went over to Holly and Larry’s to catch up with their various projects.
Wednesday 02. 02. 11 Today was a Snow Day in Toronto so all the schools and daycares were closed. Daisy was celebrating her 18th birthday so she was pleased to have a day off and Poppy had a tea party.
Monday 31. 01. 11 Spent the weekend with Alan and Lea in Kitchener. Seemed to have spent the whole time talking altho we did manage to take Melissa’s dog Tucker for a walk a couple of times. Checked out Alan’s studio where he is beginning a new series of paintings based on the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers in all seasons. Above is the confluence in winter.
Monday 24. 01. 11 Got back from a week at Cayo Guillermo with Julia yesterday morning at 2.30. An ungodly hour to return to even more ungodly temperatures. We had warm weather and sunshine every day except for a few clouds on the first day and some rain on the last. The resort was about 10 years old and was populated by Canadians and Brits. Besides talking, reading, swimming, eating and drinking we did a couple of trips. The first to a mangrove jungle where we drove our own motor boat and then snorkelled in a channel in the jungle. Lots of interesting tropical fish and even a lobster. The second trip was to Ciego de Avila a small provincial town in the middle of the island. Not Havana but interesting architecture and old cars and motos etc. It even included a visit to a Cuban home which was fascinating and reminded me of my own home in France. It was a long day as we were picked at 7.30 in the morning and didn’t get back until 5.30 in the evening. The guide Jose was terrific – very knowledgeable and happy to answer all our questions about life in the “real” Cuba. I don’t think I would want to stay for much longer than a week as I’m not really a resort kind of person but I do miss those mid-morning Pina Coladas and I didn’t miss not having the internet once!
11. 01. 11 Tuesday It has been a a busy time since I arrived here a month ago. Besides seeing friends and spending time with the family I have enjoyed the usual Maher family Christmas extravaganza and a wonderful New Year’s Eve Party at the Boyden/MacKee residence. Last weekend was spent at Fran and Clive’s cottage so I finally got to see some snow. I’m about to start the initial drawing for the big train painting and then on Saturday I’m off to Cuba for a week with Julia.
Sunday 24. 10. 10 Finally finished all the drawings for this series. I’m now going to leave them for a while and then come back to them later in the week with fresh eyes.
Thursday 21. 10. 10 It has been a busy week so far. I have started painting the portrait of Daisy and have been continuing with the train drawings. Have now completed 15 of the proposed 20 drawings for this series.
Tuesday 12. 10. 10 Finished up another two drawings and have now finished the prairie section of the journey. Also did the base drawing for a large portrait of Daisy.
Monday 11. 10. 10 Have had a good day today and managed to do three more drawings and have finally got out of northern Ontario and on to the prairies. I am now at the half way point in the series so have 10 more drawings to go before I get to Vancouver.