In Focus

 The other evening we went to the cinema to see the film ' Vermeer: The Greatest Exhibition' Have you seen it?

It was made at the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam where every known painting by Vermeer is on display. The exhibition is a sell-out, so the only way of viewing the paintings is on film. However, this may be an advantage, as you get to study the works close up without other people jostling for position.

I remember  another Vermeer exhibition in 2001 at the National Gallery where packed crowds stopped me seeing his tiny paintings.

One interesting fact I learnt this time was that Vermeer was one of the first artists to concentrate on a detail to paint in focus while other parts of the canvas were subtly out of focus.

 This had a huge influence on other painters as well as, later on, photographers and film makers.

Taking The Plunge

 Since coming back from Australia I've finally got started on my latest painting THE COUNSELLOR.

After making ten preliminary canvases I thought it was time I got started! I still didn't resolve everything but that 'not knowing' helps to keep the project interesting and challenging. Though at some point I may need to back back and do some more experiments. We'll see how it goes.

You can see the work in progress both on the NEWS page of my website and on my latest Instagram and Facebook posts.

Don't Look Up

 I don't look inside the garden gallery very often in the winter when closed to the public , so I was horrified to discover that part of the ceiling had come down and was resting on the lights!

Luckily, the same firm who did the refit were working in the area and promptly returned to do  repairs.

My little outside gallery may be small but I do want it to look beautiful. You can see it newly restored on my latest Instagram post or click on the Instagram logo on my website.

Power Of Advertising

 I've had a poster advertising my pop-up gallery on my 1940 bicycle ever since I opened over ten years ago.

 I use the bike nearly every day and occasionally get asked about the poster by curious bystanders. It happened recently on a train going to Cambridge. I'd noticed two other cyclists staring at it as we all stood by our bikes and then they began to ask me questions.

Have they since booked a trip to the gallery? Not yet, though the encounter happened during the period I was closed.

I put a photo of my old bike and the poster on my Instagram and Facebook posts yesterday and to date I've had 500 Facebook viewings. Normally I get about 20/30.

And the moral of this tale is? Try old as well as new methods of advertising. Someone will eventually notice you.

Covid Strikes

 On returning from Australia we both caught Covid and have felt tired ever since. Yesterday was the first time I ventured into the studio.

I was going to open my pop-up gallery on Sunday and had a potential booking. However, I have delayed the start until 14th May to give me more time to set up one of the rooms upstairs which had been used as a bedroom for when all the family came for my birthday weekend.

This week I'm in the local papers (you can also see the photo and story on my Facebook and Instagram posts) advertising my reopening. Luckily the start date is deliberately vague so its still useful to have the publicity.

Observations

 Our recent trip to Sydney was very much about seeing family, so there was not much time to do any art work.

However, apart from two rather hurried sketches, I did also manage one little watercolour which you can view on my latest Facebook and Instagram posts.

We had one leisurely morning and I sat on the terrace of the house we were staying in and made a study of the one opposite. I was intrigued by the use of corrugated iron for the roof which had turned a rather nice rusty red.

No Place Like Home

 We've just been to Sydney for three weeks (hence my lack of blogs) to visit our son , Leo . We had a wonderful time and visited the  national galleries to see  the exciting artwork. This is always very stimulating to me for future ideas.

However, I also enjoyed visiting the home, gallery and studio of the late  Brett Whitely. This had been purchased after his death by the local council as a memorial to his work.

I know I am biased, but I always get a buzz from seeing how other artists live and what inspires them.