No Room At The Inn

Our  cottage was once part of The White Swan pub, 300 years ago. Whilst  feeling that it was the perfect location for Ted Coney's Family Portraits, I have always been frustrated that I have been unable to grow the space any bigger, so far.
However, the land at the back of us is up for planning permission, with a view  to be sold for housing, so I have put a bid in for a small strip of it, to build more gallery space. Frustratingly, they've just withdrawn the planning application, as the sellers need to do more searches on the land, so we will just have to wait a bit longer to see what happens.
I have also been exploring opening up the loft for gallery space, as, with it's beamed roof, it would make an exciting place to show pictures. Although the lady from the conservation  department of the Council shared my vision and didn't have a problem with us making changes, the building regulations chap was dead against it, on health and safety grounds. The problem is our open staircase with only one route out of the building, should there be a fire. However, I am going to explore the possibility of an outside staircase, to see if I can get the different departments at the Council to agree.
Another idea was to try and buy a downstairs space from the adjoining house (we already have an upstairs room in there, so not as crazy as it sounds). However this all came to nothing when the house which was in two flats, was sold and made into into a family home . We've just heard this house is up for sale again, so who knows, I might be in with another chance?!

The Greatest Gig Of All

Ted Coney's Family Portraits has now closed for the winter and I look back over the year and contemplate all the free advertising I've managed to make use of, for my pop-up gallery.
I've had five stories in the local newspapers and have been on the radio twice. I put up displays in the largest building in Ely (the Cathedral) and the smallest (Prickwillow phone box). I had a day, demonstrating painting in our local art shop and drove around the Maltings roundabout in my 1931 Morris Minor, raising money for charity.
However, what could have been my best advertising gig of all time, was sadly, a missed opportunity.
For three nights I have been driven around Ely in an illuminated carriage waiving to enthusiastic crowds and dozens of awestruck children. The clue is in that last phrase. I was playing Father Christmas, infact I WAS Father Christmas, so couldn't reveal my true identity.
Anyway, as Santa would say - A Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!' 

Am I Dead?

Well, it seems to be happening. Not dying (not quite yet) but having a retrospective exhibition. It is to celebrate my 70th birthday in March and it takes place at the Babylon Gallery, here in Ely. It is being curated by Christine and she has already been around to produce a 'long list' of pictures she thinks we should show. I need to start writing captions once I definitely know what will be exhibited.
You can see the blurb about Ted Coney; A Retrospective on the ADEC website and soon there will be a link to it  on my NEWS AND REVIEWS page. What out for more details.

Lucy In The Sky

I am currently planning my next painting 'The Rashamon Effect' and have been getting Tony to help me with effects which are created on the computer. This is  to give the impression that different people are looking at the same view, but viewing it in very different ways.
To represent myself, as a twenty year old youth, I am looking at an image of the living room through a brightly coloured kaleidoscope lens. Having visited the Paul Klee exhibition recently, I was struck by how his very controlled colour modulations had the same feel about them.
I was never on drugs  (honest!) but this shimmering, dazzling effect seems to well symbolise my misspent youth and how optimistically I was everything.
This also reminds me of the song 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' which was around at the time and written by the Beetles when they were reportedly on drugs.
And I had a girlfriend called Lucy.