Not Just Mussels and Chips

We've just had a long weekend in Brussels and one of the things I enjoyed  most was Magritte's house, where he lived with his wife for many years. It amused me to hear that although he built a shed in the garden to do his painting, he often retreated to the kitchen to work, as it was warmer. I know the feeling!
We also saw a wonderful exhibition of religious paintings from Siena and I noted down how the artists had pierced through the gold leaf to portray intricate patterns. An idea I want to develop for the shadow puppets in my next painting,
 'Against The Light' .
In the Musee Fin-de-Siecle we also saw some interesting James Ensor paintings and drawings of silhouettes and masks which will also  be useful.
And the mussels? Definitely bigger and more delicious then those you find in the UK. 
 

A Doomed Affair

'A doomed affair' - that's how I began my press release, I sent out to local newspapers.
I wanted to grab their interest so  they would send a photographer to do a press picture to advertise the last tours of Ted Coney's Family Portraits before I close for the winter. It seemed to have worked, because I was featured in two newspapers and one on line. You can see all three on the NEWS AND REVIEWS page of my website in the Reviews and Articles section.
And the doomed affair? It's all explored in my painting 'The Rashomon Effect' which you'll see in the press photos which accompany the text.
 

The Lady Vanishes

Visitors to Ted Coney's Family Portraits sometimes ask me where Hazel is, during their tours around the gallery. Well, as our cottage isn't that big and I use most rooms (including the kitchen) to display paintings, she needs to disappear.
Hazel might decide to read the Sunday papers in our bedroom or do something more creative in her workroom. Occasionally, she will be working at the cinema, if there is a matinee or swopping  books at the Library.
And sometimes Hazel will go shopping to Tescoes, Aldi or Sainburys. There is always plenty to do in Ely! 

Silent Partner

I went to the excellent 'Silent Partners' exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge the other week. It's subtitle is ' Artist and Mannequin from Function to Fetish ' and that sums it up, really
It was interesting to see how artists had secretly used mannequins and lay figures instead of humans in the early stages of the exhibition and then gradually the 'silent partner' had begun to take over in their own right and hide no more.
I suppose because some of my work uses puppets and dolls in place of humans, my work falls into the later category.
My ultimate silent partner is Mr Turnip, a puppet from 1950s television who represents my childhood in the painting 'Diamonds'. He then becomes my alto ego in the painting entitled
'The Enigma of the Chinese Mask'
You can see both paintings on the PRINTS FOR SALE section of my website.
And Mr Turnip? Well, he's on my Facebook page this week.