Anyway - Sketching

Began with this old favourite. I've worked with this image before but have altered the head for this one..as with many of my works..sketches are laid down in a sketch book then transferred by tracing. Here you can see the new head transplanted onto the old body.

Anyway - The blank page

This what I sat and looked at this morning...the blank page. All the images swimming behind my eyes..permeating my mind. somehow I seek a way to free these images so that they might live and find form. To let them make the journey down my arm and out of the pen in my hand.

They are there and waiting....

Finished Street

Hot off the drawing board, the finished article!!I hope you've enjoyed following the progress of this picture over the past couple of weeks. It's been one the most satisfying pieces to work on and I'm pleased with the result. I think i've uploaded the picture correctly so that when you click for an enlargement, you'll see it at it's full size.

Street 20 - Thursday 24th

The last phase of the picture is under way. He is watching..but who/what?..I like the fact that the red of his shirt sets off the green posts..it also echos the red in the Kentucky Fried Chicken banner and the red in the carrier bags.

Today I am a little more positive about myself. I've also done something that I've never done before!..I've had one of my teeth crowned. I asked my children if it means I now owe the Tooth Fairy money because I've had 3/4 of a tooth returned...it's odd, but driving back from the dentist's, I had a big grin on my face....it's as if I've cheated the natural order of things..the 3rd law of thermodynamics...something that has decayed has been renewed.

'The History Of Love' is deepening it's hold on me..such beauty ...

Street 19

Some people are born to be artists..some become skilled at business..it is unusual to find someone who is both.tonight I sat in a meeting at which several 'successful' artist business type people told the gathered masses that basically we needed to turn ourselves into replica 'Allan Sugars' to make a living in the art world..on the strength of this I can't ever see myself as able or even willing to make a success of making a living from my art...Please excuse the negativity I might be radiating but I feel lost at the moment. Art-wise I've no problems..I am at my most content whilst creating. I said before that a drive exists deep within me that I cannot ignore. But it doesn't pay the bills..and I can't see things very clearly at the moment. It hopefully will pass..but until then , I'm not very nice to know.

Street 18

I think I can safely say that the end is slowly coming into view!I've really enjoyed much of this piece including the crowd on the left and the pavement, which you see just about complete here for the first time. I now have to work on the woman's white skirt the the final figure will be the boy in the foreground..he'll add an interesting dimension to the composition. He will also be wearing a bright red shirt.

Street 17 - 300th Post!

I'll begin this 300th post by sending out my thanks to all of you who have written in response to my writing over the past eight months. I've learnt and grown so much in experience and knowledge..made some wonderful friends along the way . Fantastic is all I have to say...!

Have worked on the figures in the shadows today..I'm loving the blues and muted flesh tones..I'd love to do a much larger picture with this effect...Tomorrow I Hope to get a full working day in on this as today I've had to look after my daughter whose school had one of those 'Inset' days.It's been lovely playing together..went to the sops, went to the park and played cards ('Pairs')..

So..here's to the next 300..please stay with me for the ride and see what
I can create along the way. I really do take on board all the suggestions, praise/criticism you give me... and who knows..maybe you will cause me to create my 'masterpiece' someday!?

Street 16

Looking at the close up view I can't help thinking of the Seurat picture 'Grand Jatte'..I don't mean to compare it, but as in the painting, my picture contains people out enjoying a sunny day albeit out shopping . Today I enjoyed putting in the two figures highlighted by the sun just to the left of the woman in the foreground.It needed a minimum of dots to achieve the correct effect and one false move could have messed things up..as it was, it worked OK.

I'm really enjoying the book I told you about yesterday.I love it when you can disappear into someone Else's life and experience..It got me thinking, what do we look for in a 'good book'?..always assuming you're not after a text book to study..what makes your perfect read?..personally I need something to 'affect' me..to 'move' me in an emotional way..I like something that challenges my preconceptions, i like something that gives me a window on another person's life..I like to reach the end of the book and BE a better person for it and be able to apply something I've learned from it into my life.....how about you?

Street 15 - Sand in the pages.

I seem to be doing less and less at the moment. life is busy..whilst Jan is out doing her play and the children need lifts etc..it means a little change to the routine. This is not a bad thing.Last night it turned out that I had the chance to actually go out with Jan..we so seldom manage it these days. We drove to Litchfield and watched a performance of Samuel Becketts's 'Waiting For Godot'..Jan warned me I might find it boring..but nothing could have been further from the truth. The play has some very deep observations about life..a lot of it is metaphorical and talks about how we are basically an unfulfilled breed of animal..always looking for something that in our own concept is the 'answer'..but not actually knowing what the answer will look like or when it will arrive..It tells us that we occupy ourselves with the worries of tomorrow and fail to live in the present...at least that's what i think!

My book arrived yesterday.'The History Of Love' by Nicole Krauss. I have noticed that some of my readers have cited this a s a book they have either read or intend to..then when looking at reviews of it on Amazon I decided this was for me.I sat in the Derby Dance Centre this morning whilst Annie went into her class. I read about the character of Leo Gursky..well written and conceived, I felt as if I'd met him before..I wondered about the mind ..I wondered what was in the minds of those sitting about me..did they share the same bright place..the warmth of another life living in their senses?..I opened the book at page 23 and saw little black specs deep in the fold of the spine..I was shocked at first as I'd had to comb my hair in search of head lice yesterday (an occupational hazard of having children)..but no..it was sand..it fell onto the table next to my empty coffee cup ...someone somewhere had read this book on the beach..did they feel as if they knew Leo..It was a wonderful thought, that each book is like a window of sorts..where you look into other peoples lives and worlds...where occasionally the people who seem so real in the pages might look out on the reader..or so I'd like to imagine. So sad and lonely is the man Leo..it was as if he was thanking me for releasing him again from the confines of the book.

Content in the knowledge that i have such a rich and moving story for Leo to play out for me..I will say goodbye till the next time.

Street 14 - Ingenue

Once again a late night snap disappoints on the reproduction front.However, i hope you can see the little progress I have made since yesterdays post. The reduced time working today has been due to a trip into town to pick up prints which have been mounted for sale and an attempt to find a new book to read. Did i tell you I am a voracious reader?..I have always had a book of some sort on the go since around 1980...today my search was futile...but I take a lot of recommendations from 'Amazon' which I find the reviews to be most helpful. I've just reached the end of probably one of the most 'visually' inspiring writes ..'The God Of Small Things' by Arundathi Roy is a rich and vivid portrait of the relationships within a family in India...recommended to me by PS of 'Just A Mother Of Two' . wonderfully written and worth a re-read someday.

Today I was looking for 'A History Of Love' by Nicole Krauss ( I've ordered it from Amazon now) which seems like my kind of book. I need a book which moves my spirit and emotions..I have not read anything which has so far moved me as much as 'The Time Travellers Wife'..but my search continues....

Now a confession..Those who know me will testify to my dislike of 'Country And Western' music. I hate sugary sweet twangy warbling about dogs and blankets on the ground. But..(and this is a big but)..I am moved by the deep and emotional music of ....( wait for it!)....KD Lang. Ever since I heard the breathless desire of 'Constant Craving' her voice has haunted me. Melodramatic?..Me?...yes probably..Romantic?..definatly!..KD has the ability to weave the heartfelt desire and longing hat every human will connect to . My old colleague Vicky Schofield who introduced me to her music would be pleased to know that I bought today a copy of 'Ingenue'...I am now deep in the most moving and beautiful of human expression which is the voice of love and truth. Perhaps I'll find a 'Youtube' bit to post sometime..until then..whatever you do..listen to your heart!

Street 13

I've done a lot of walking today, Jan needed the car for the day so I'm exhausted tonight.I'm off t o watch a programme about schools in Pune (where author of 'Just A Mother Of Two' lives) Preeti I shall look out for you!
On a slightly different note..my home town's football team Derby County last night made it to the playoff final at Wembley in a couple of weeks. The prize:..promotion to the Premier League!..The atmosphere in Derby is great today..it really is a footballing town and having won the league championship twice back in the 1970's..Derby fans feel that we will be back where we belong...exciting times!

Street 12

Life consists at present of this (above) and facilitating children getting to and from school..Jan getting to and from the Station and cooking meals. I am at present very happy with this arrangement..I am creating and going to bed tired because this is what has made me tired. Have completed a couple more hours work after this photo was taken this evening..you'll see much more progress tomorrow I hope.

How to waste time

Here's a link to a little pointless game my friend Allan found. My best score was 274. Can you beat me?..let me know...incidentally, better make sure you can see a clock,you could be at it for hours!

http://www.k2xl.com/games/boomshine/

Street 11

Worked on the figures in the right hand side of the scene today. This was in between doing lots of school run stuff . Jan does some work for a company that employs professional actors to act in role-play situations for Medical students. Today acting the role of a psychiatric patient..she had to be interviewed by Doctors who are assessed on their technique. She has also begun the long haul tour taking her children's play 'Whose Shoe' around various school and theatres in the area.

I continue to aim at doing 4 - 5 hours of dotting a day..now having reached the half- way mark on this one, I need to go up to Cromford / Matlock to take photos for material to sell at the exhibition in June.

Street 10 - Aquavit and Eurovision

I continue to develop the shadowy area to the left..the figures gradually take on a personality of their own..all engaged in their own story.It's actually very interesting to put down dark blue dots..red..midblue..light blue..yellow..then suddenly there's someone there!

Last night I went with Jan to a party held by our friends across the road: Andrew and Jane..both lovely people, they had lived in Norway for many years and therefor celebrate Norway's National Day. However, this pales into insignificance compared to the event here in Europe known as the Eurovision Song Contest.Around 40 nations compete to have their song voted the best..on the night, 24 countries are in 'the final' and watched by an estimated 100 million people around Europe. Live from Helsinki (The previous years winners host the competition) it was never going to be UK's night..it mattered not weather the song was good..UK is not in favour with the rest of Europe at the moment..and cynically all the Baltic countries seemed to vote for each other..therefor the 'dirge' that was sung by Marija Serifovic from Serbia.For the record, I thought the UK entry 'Flying the flag' by Scooch was diabolically bad ..and from a nation that bought you The Beatles, Queen, Elton John, David Bowie, Rolling Stones..it was pitiful! Still, my enjoyment continues as 'Eurovision' is in a world of it's own...cheesy, bland,trite..and brilliant.

We had a wonderful evening eating delicious food, chatting to neighbours and drinking 'Aquavit' (Water of Life) which is a traditional Scandinavian beverage ( by some is called "Rocket Fuel") .

Street 9 - close up view

Here's a little section of the picture I mentioned yesterday. I love the way the blues and red play in contrast to the yellow Taxi and figures in the sunlight.Today Jan and I went to visit Claire who is the manager of the Tourist Information Centre in Derby. I first met Claire last year when she called in to see my exhibition at the Guildhall. Claire suggested that if I produced images of Derby, she might be able to stock a selection for sale in the shop. So today she was able to view some of my recent work. The pictures of Derby are a direct result of her suggestion and have represented some of the more obvious advances in my technique..So thank you Claire!. I have therefore been invited to supply mounted and wrapped examples of my work for sale. This is a wonderful opportunity to see my work for sale in a prestigious environment and hopefully take yet another step towards being able to earn a living from my work.

Take a look at the link to see the Tourist Information Centre in Derby :

http://www.visitderby.co.uk/Tourist/

Street 8

I've actually done slightly more than you see here today..it's now 9pm and I've just done a couple more hours. I'm very pleased with the section of crowd over to the left in the shadows.In fact the whole area with the shop signs has turned out well. I only wish this was on a much larger scale!!Still, it's little things like this that plant the seed of an idea for future projects. I've found my eye drawn towards crowds on more than one occasion..I need to explore further the wonderful tones of the shadows, the anonymity of the faces and the forms of the buildings.

I've spent most of the day with neck ache..an unfortunate side effect of my work..I can see it becoming more of a problem in later life..will have to look at the way I sit and work..consider alternative seating. I feel as if I am living in a bubble at the moment..life seems to consist of fitting everything else around my drawing. this is what I have dreamt of..but there is so much more to consider. I am so guilty of disappearing off into my room to work..my head being full of the next colour to apply and the the next idea..the next thing to do..

It would be wonderful to just walk away from it all and disappear over a hill..find a beach somewhere and lie looking at the sky. But I know it will never happen..this my calling, and this is my curse..it is my joy, my job and my life...it is me.

Street 7 - Close up

I have been the 'Taxi' driver for my family today doing school runs, youth club drop off and pickups..going to the station picking Jan up..Still, managed around 4 hours of drawing . Here is a close up view which gives you some idea of the detail. As I move further down the composition it should get a little quicker and less fussy.

On a more encouraging note, i sold two of my Arboretum prints today. Nick came to collect them having ordered them during the Arboretum exhibition. thank you Nick and Izzy!..it was just the encouragement I needed.

Street 6

Today saw history being made in the UK. The inauguration of the Northern Ireland Assembly which will now govern the day to day running of the country.For myself and many others, 'The Troubles' have been a darkness from which decades of pain and separation have blighted the lives of all concerned. In 1998 the 'Good Friday Agreement' was made to begin the process which lead to lasting peace. Many have said that the legacy of Tony Blair would be the fiasco which was the war in Iraq..but here is the thing he worked tirelessly to see come to fruition. I pray that peace now will be lasting ..that today's and tomorrow's children will know unity and prosperity.

I've pressed on well with my work today and added the first of many figures into the scene.For some reason the intensity with which I work has changed..I am currently seeking greater detail and colour for the image and have already spent just under 25 hours on this one. ..I'm probably around 1/4 of the way through!

Street 5

I honestly haven't spent my Bank Holiday doing this..I did do some yesterday but decided to post the 'Blair' video instead.So having an hour to use this afternoon I did this whilst watching the final of the World Championship Snooker.(..how do I maintain this level of all out excitement?)..Jan and Annie had popped out to buy some stuff for school, Will is out with his friend Reece and Sam has gone to Oxford to a concert. So a quiet evening will be ours.

Yes it really was him!

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I thought I'd post this video which was shown as part of the BBC's 'Comic Relief' night which raises money for charities at home and abroad. The night in March this year raised around 63 million pounds. This video shows Prime Minister Tony Blair in a sketch with Katherine Tate playing her most famous comedy character Lauren Cooper.

Street 4

Have been working on the traffic lights and the window far left..not spent a lot of time today on this..I've had a headache which is still with me despite painkillers..I took a walk into town and bought a re-mastered Genesis album ( And then there were three). I've been reading about a British Abstract painter Gillian Ayres..still painting at the age of 76, her work is innovative, vibrant, challenging and basically wonderful.

http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?cgroupid=999999961&artistid=680&page=1

Probably a style I once would have ignored..Gillian's work resonates deeply with something basic and yet emotionally sophisticated..it to me is like looking at the visual representation of a feeling or thought....don't believe me?..check out the link.

Street 3

Got my head down and worked for about 5 hours on the building to the left in grey.Sadly you can't see the colours clearly in the green pole..but I used the theory developed by Seurat which meant I used red to shade the pole..it worked very well ..I really enjoyed my time on this today! I totally lost myself in it..I love it when a plan comes together!

Street 2

H.Samuel is a famous jewelers in Derby..one of 400 stores nationwide it is well known in Derby as a meeting place.."under the clock at Samuels". If you were to go to and stand under the clock you would be looking along the Corn Market which was of course the subject of my last dot picture. It's still only late afternoon at time of writing, so I have a couple of hours yet to do today.

Street 1

Just a small area of the picture has developed so far. And for some reason, the camera is acting up again..a strange blue tone has invaded the image.At least you'll see it grow from these humble beginnings...and hopefully after a good battery charge things will be back to normal.

Have provided prints for the shop in Derby to stock..there was some confusion over how much to set the prices at,but I think they are sorted out now..All I have to do is sit and wait..seeing all the wondrous prints already for sale there, I don't think I stand much chance of selling many at all.

I find I am so much in need of a proper holiday..I am so tired and to be honest, worn out. My thinking has suffered and sometimes it's hard to remain positive..I tell you this because to understand my life, you need to know that despite being blessed with an ability..it does not guarantee happiness.

I hope to bring brighter things tomorrow.

Street - Sketch

I risk becoming a 'Drain' as Preeti would call it..I am troubled. It seems to follow that after an exhibition there is always a down time...to make matters worse, I am between pictures just now. To make matters even worse, all my intention is to put to paper a composition I have been working on for a year now..I've had a couple of goes at it but have failed each time..(then there's the railway picture 'Lines' I've got stored waiting the final spark too)..now I've come close to starting it, but once again can't find the special something that will ignite it into being. So as is often the case these days..I settle on something 'safe'..plundering my 'Derby Street' photo shoot from last year that gave rise to a few recent pieces..I've started on the preparatory sketches for a crowd scene in St. Peters Street in my city. Despite the fact that it is a 'safe' shoot..I actually love crowd scenes. Please excuse the absolutely rubbish photo of the first bit of pencil work..I am to start dotting soon so I just wanted you to see it at the very beginning.

UFO

'

Here is the opening sequence from my all time favourite TV series UFO. Produced by Gerry Anderson who also produced Thunderbirds , Captain Scarlett and Space 1999, it defined my childhood experience!!Especially Gabriel Drake as the purple wig wearing Moonbase Commander LT.Ellis!!!!!

Think again!

Here is a bit of writing I transcribed from a scrappy piece of paper given to me by Roy Ray.Roy is the Principle of the St.Ives School of painting and is a widely exhibited and respected artist. As a young Man I took along some of my early work to show him whilst on holiday in Cornwall. He gave me this to encourage me, and I have treasured it ever since...basing a lot of what I believe art-wise on.Please take some time to read and then think again!..maybe you really are an Artist!?

Finished Antimatter

Alright...I don't like it...but tomorrow I might..it doesn't matter!..it's Antimatter.It symbolises a time for me..I will remember when it was created and why.

Years ago when I had spare money..I used to buy an LP (remember them?) or a CD every week..then I became a Father. Each one I bought carried the date inside when I bought it..(I do the same with all my books.) You know the odd thing..I can be sitting wondering what to listen to..so I pick out a piece of music..put it on and settle down..then I read the date of purchase..so often it turns out to be something like Seven years ago to the day..or one year to the week etc...For me I put great significance on music and the things that inspire me..they embed themselves on my mind. With some of my pictures I can point to parts of the picture and remember what was playing on the CD player/radio at the time. Art and music do things to us..they colour the world and the way we see it.. and become part of our experience..our memory..our life.

Antimatter 4

Does anybody these days read their children stories about 'Brer Rabbit?' I was enthralled by the stories about Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox..stupid Brer Bear etc as a child, and have since managed to track down copies of the books to read to Annie. I decided to take one of the books to school for story time. None of the children had ever heard one of these stories!..so I am rapidly gaining the reputation as being the 'Brer Rabbit' man. An accolade I am happy to carry.Usually funny and often with a moral attached, Brer Rabbit is up against the sneaky Brer Fox and ravenous Brer Wolf. The Rabbit always manages to out Fox the Fox and leave Brer Bear with a headache of some sort...Written by Enid Blyton for me they have lost none of their charm that had me hanging on every work my teacher read to us as a class...way back in the 60's now!

Speaking to Julie the head Teacher today I realised what a bold move it has been for her to employ a man who has never taught before, and put in charge of a whole class for an afternoon. Like me, she believes in the positive power of art..that the engagement of the child in artistic activity and the production of something that brings praise gives the child increased esteem and identity..a sense of achievement. With in the class are quite a few children whose first language is not English. We even have a Latvian and a Russian who are though not able to speak English..can draw in the language of art...which all their classmate can understand! Though it is a difficult and immensely challenging thing I am doing..I actually find it a terrific honour to be able to put something wonderful into the experience of so many children.

Antimatter 3

I'm sitting in a darkened dinning room. writing this. I can see through the patio doors..it's dark but for the solar powered patio lights. Jan has just got home from filming scenes for a TV series called 'Doctors'. The boys are settling OK at the end of the day.Annie is fast asleep in bed.

Today was my third teaching session at school.Year one...I have swung between confidence to gibbering wreck and back again. I have worked with the seriously mentally ill..I've worked with ex-convicts who are drunk and violent..I've worked with teenage delinquents..but nothing has prepared me for the onslaught that is 25, 6 year olds!! Let us just say that the learning curve I am currently on would give a Space Shuttle pilot a headache! "How on earth do you do that?" I asked a gentle female teacher who walked in to my rapidly deteriorating lesson and immediately had silence without uttering a word..she very humbly told me " I am just an old Dragon"..Mrs. Cripwell..if you are reading this you certainly are no dragon, but someone for whom the children have the utmost respect. I would sell my kidneys to achieve that level of bearing! (perhaps not both kidneys...well actually not any of them..but you get the drift!)

Guess what..I'll be back doing year two tomorrow..I will be doing the learning!

Antimatter 2

Went into town with Jan this morning. We needed to pay a few bills and take samples of my work to a shop which sells fine art prints. The shop have agreed to stock my work and sell initially on a sale or return basis. this is good news as I don't currently have a permanent outlet for my work outside my website. I made contact with the shop in question during my Guildhall exhibition in March. I will provide a selection of prints which will I hope sell.

I continue to work on 'Antimatter' which is interesting,,but I am preparing to initiate a new 'symbolic' work..the subject of which has been in sketch form for many years. I have to consider that this new piece will come before my 'Cromford' pieces in late May/June,,then on to hopefully the start of my Arboretum residency after that.

Antimatter 1

I've spent so much time working on intricate carefully executed pieces recently, I have decided to produce something which is almost the opposite of what has gone before.Here I have posted an edited area of a picture made entirely by little scribbles...I've called it 'Antimatter' because as opposed to my previous piece in which every dot mattered..in this it doesn't matter as there are no dots! I'll just let the colours dictate what happens.It's a bit of a carefree workout which won't be timed.

I've just been out with Annie.she had some pocket money and wanted to spend it..so called in at our local Woolworths where she bought a 'Tinkerbell' fairy doll..only little but it was exactly what she wanted.As I mentioned in earlier posts, I like to encourage my children to save for the things they want to buy.I know Annie will look after her toy with more care because she saved for it.

It's funny how money is such a motivator..As in most homes..we lost the TV remote control...(remote by name and nature)..over two weeks of absence had me baffled as to where it had got to..So as a last resort (having shifted every piece of furniture) I announced to my children that the finder of the remote would earn themselves £2 reward.Do you know, I had that remote controller back in my hand within 10 minutes!!?.

I'd like to thank Oskur for looking after things yesterday..he's a very enthusiastic primate and is keen to write more. I think we'll be hearing more from the little fella soon...

I am Oskur dur Wyld monky

Ello..I m wrtting bkoz th masta iz avving er rest..i em in chaj,,,i hav tryd too get a thouzund monkeiz t elp me tou writ dis..but i doo not av a fouzand tip wrytez..neel wul bee bak toomorow.

luv...Oskur dur wyld monky.

pee ess..i liyk neelz pikchurz

Finished Corn. Exhibition day 12 - The End.

Declared this one finished at last!!!151 hours 35 mins! I've spent ages worrying about the fact that the tower appears to lean over to the left...I've checked all the angles and it's OK..it's due to the less than accurate way the builds in the city have gone up over the centuries...

I've decided to show two halves of the picture but to be honest, the resolution doesn't show it any better when enlarged..you'll just have to come to one of my exhibitions yourself to see it...or of course order a print direct from me!!


The exhibition is now over and all the pictures delivered to the school and old peoples home.Today was one of the busiest..I had around 50 people call in..this included Hardwick years 1 & 2 who just happened to be on a nature trail outing to the park..

I think one of the saddest things for me was to close the door on an empty 'gallery' knowing that for the foreseeable future nothing will hang in there save for a few spiders...

Lots of talking - Exhibition day 11

This is my place of work!If I stand with my back to my studio..this is the view I get!! If you are wondering where I am with the progress towards moving in to the Grove Lodge Studio...well they (council managers) have reached the details in the lease stage..I hope soon to hear when I can officially move in..will post photos when that is confirmed!

Here's my favourite Black Walnut Tree again..I've added no filter to the sky or lighting in this photo..it was taken just before 9:00am this morning..and what a morning it was...Beautiful!!

School brought down all children from years one and two. Here I'm showing some Y1 children my nearly completed 'Corn' picture.

Y2 children mill about seeing if they could find their own works in the display.Some of the children never attended the 'Art Club' which I ran..They were very keen for me to run another!

I spoke to the children about how many people in the community had commented on how much safer the park felt with an exhibition on..also that many people were cheered by the colourful pictures on show.I wanted the children to realise that their art had affected people and therefore changed (if only a little) the world in which they lived!

The children were attentive to my words and sat quietly whilst I spoke. I later went on to teach this class later in the day at school.

Tomorrow sees the end of the exhibition.

Reception in the park

I'd like to begin this post with a picture of Edith..a gentle elderly lady who has produced the most amount of pictures over the time covered by the project. Edith has never complained..always joined in and has proudly shown her work to her fellow residents.Her family were amazed.Apparently she has never ever shown any interest in creative artwork.Her daughter said she had never seen this side of her Mother.
The reception at the exhibition today was attended by various people..most importantly..the artists!!Here Tommy Greatorex holds a photo of him working on a painting.Unable to verbally communicate you can see he felt proud to be there and given the honour due to him.Others attending were around six residents and carers from Arboretum House, 12 children from the school, Julie Carter: head teacher and Judy Hall: classroom assistant and my right hand help for all the art sessions.Sue Jacklin from the funders 'Small Change' arrived with a few of her colleagues, The Head Ranger of the park Paul Shrigley, Local Councillor and others..Thank You Colin and Thelma, Chrissie and Karen's husband!!!!!!

Jan is serving biscuits and drinks..

A photographer from the Derby Evening Telegraph takes a picture of Floyd who worked on this tree picture.

A line up outside saw other children from years one and two proudly hold their creation for the cameras.Left to right:..Diane,Nathan,Floyd,Joshua,Oriel and Natasha.

Sorry no photos of me..I had the camera! It was a hectic morning. I had to draw the time together by making a speech..I've never been one to write my speeches down..I sat last night to do so, but decided to leave it to form itself...I often feel emotional at these sort of gatherings and feel that if I speak from my heart instead of off a page, it will have more impact.I think this was the case here. The main objective had been achieved..the children and elderly people had seen their work being adored by others..they had received praise and had been recognised as a positive influence on the life and environment of the area!Well done everyone..it was a pleasure to be involved.

Exhibition day 9 - Say it with flowers

There are a few subtle progressions here. Firstly I've added the yellow ochre to the sky and have started work on the final figure (Bottom left)..I don't know how the signature will turn out but that's part of the fun!

Time at the exhibition began this morning again at 9:00..the park was beautiful in the slanting light of the sun..the grass being cut and Paul; the Head Ranger calling in for a chat.He's a lovely gentle and knowledgeable man who has worked at the Arboretum for less than a year. He confirmed for me that the park is actually THE oldest public park in the world!!

I had a number of visitors today including the local Police. Gill was interested to here about the responses from the public I'd had saying how much 'Safer' the park felt with the exhibition.Art has a soothing effect in this context it seems!

I later had around 8 children as well as parents in from the school..I can tell you now how good it was to see children whose work is framed and hanging on the wall proudly show off their pictures to their parents.

On returning home I found a note through the door telling me that a parcel had been left in our recycling bin..inside we found a box from 'Next' containing these flowers..and the best thing was..they were for me!! I can't remember ever having flowers bought for me..and so as the result of some humorous blog chat with my friend Kay in Scotland..these arrived.They are so very wonderful and made me feel very special. Even more welcome as I'm beginning to feel nervous about tomorrow. We're having our 'big' reception at the exhibition..lots of stuff to organise..speech to write..then after that I start my twice weekly teaching job at the school.

I find myself in interesting times. where will it lead I wonder?