Tuesday 28 June 2011

It Must Be Lautrec

The Morris and I have just been in two local papers this week to advertise the annual Aquafest event. Orgionally, I wanted to give rides around the Maltings rounabout for charity, but health and safety regulations thought otherwise. So now I'm doing a 'Guess the female name of the car' competition instead. Ofcourse, it's all to advertise Ted Coney's Family Portraits as well as the fact that I'm doing a painting about the car to celebrate it's 80th birthday this year. With that in mind, I submitted myself to a bit more vulgar publicity by having my photo taken with the car. One photo is quite reasonable with me leaning in a casual poise against the bonnet. In the other, I was persuaded to kneel down infront of the car. Big mistake! With my panama hat on and my legs hidden, I look just like Toulose Lautrec. I guess he was an artist as well............

Friday 24 June 2011

Painting Depression

I am sometimes asked if I think people will be interested in paintings about MY family (before they come to Ted Coney's Family Portraits ), maybe implying they wouldn't be! I always reply, that as everyone has a family, I hope they will empathise with some of the themes in the paintings. Only last week I was showing a group my painting 'Other Women's Lives' and talking about the circular part in it to represent Depression, which my mother described as like 'disapearing down a dark tunnel'. At the end of my description, one of the visitors said that was just like she felt for two years and she seemed genuinly relieved to tell everyone and discuss her feelings. I felt I must be doing something right!

Saturday 18 June 2011

A Busy Wednesday

Wednesday proved to be a busy day for Ted Coney's Family Portraits. Early morning saw me and the Morris Minor perched in the centre of the Maltings roundabout having our photo taken by the Cambridge News photographer to promote my bid to make money for Teenage Cancer Trust as well as promote the gallery in a roundabout(no pun intended) way. I am working on the idea that locals are so used to seeing my face, that they will soon know who I am (well, I was in the paper last week promoting the Arts Award and my name didn't even appear!)
Later in the day I had 8 ladies from the Mepal Friendship group who had booked to do one of my tours. I was mindful they had already seen my lecture 'On The Edge' and this had encouraged them to book. However, I needed to show them new work while pointing out the origionals, which they had previously seen as slides. I was told that two of the group wouldn't be able to climb the stairs but would be content to sit downstairs while the others went up. In the event, they insisted on coming up even though it was like leading a mountaineering climb. With our stairs being very steep and one lady on two sticks, it was not easy, but I hope they thought it was worth it.

Saturday 11 June 2011

Health and Safety says NO!

As part of my mid term strategy to advertise Ted Coney's Family Portraits I had decided that I would seek some publicity by giving rides in my 80 year old Morris Minor for charity. I have done this for the car's 60th and 70th birthdays and been featured in the Times newspaper and on Anglia News. Ofcourse, then I was still working at Hills Road Sixth Form College and could make use of the quadrangle to drive around. However, I had decided this time, I could drive around the Maltings roundabout as part of the Aquafest celebrations. Anyway I can't!! Health and safety regulations won't allow it even if I have someone walking in front with a red (or is it white?) flag. I think that will make quite a good story for the paper anyway, and watch out for more news on what I plan to do instead. I don't give up that easy!!

Sunday 5 June 2011

Living Family Portraits

I've been living Ted Coney's Family Portraits rather than recording them this week. After months of waiting, our beautiful new granddaughter made a dramatic entrance on her parents bathroom floor last Thursday and we have all been in shock ever since. I set up this blog to talk about my painting and gallery, to show how my Family Portraits have developed, but every so often, life becomes more vivid than art and this moment is one of those. Poppy Grace finally arrived and we are already in her thrall. I'll talk about my ideas for a painting involving her , later. In the meantime, I am just enjoying the moment.