Monday 23 November 2009 - I have produced two new artworks for my next Tattersalls gig: Sea The Stars Study 01:
Boudicca:
Started painting a study of Hyperion: 1930 - 1960 HYPERION was chestnut, a small horse standing just over 15 hh (15 hands 1/2 inch). Bred and owned by Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, his racing colours were black with a white cap, but the second button down from the top of the jacket was white (all other buttons were black). You can see a painting of the horse on www.knowsley.com/stanley_house/history/king_lanc.htm
Thursday 27 November 2009 - Made a deal with Glidawn Stud, Ireland for the Tattersalls painting and Henry Cecil portrait. Glidawn is mentioned in this article: GeorgeWashington filly sells for 320,000gns:
http://www.racingpost.com/
Below is 'The Tattersalls Experience' photographed on site and in a photographer's studio:
The completed 'Hyperion Study 01':
Friday 11 December 2010 - Delivered Glidawn Stud's paintings to Olympic Coachbuilders in Didcot: http://www.olympiccoachbuilders.co.uk/
The horse coaches were very impressive and I wish I might have stayed longer to look around. However, the journey was hampered by fog and traffic and I wanted to quickly head back. I do not intend to do much driving again this year. Especially on the home route, the driving conditions were most unpleasant and I was thankful I am not a daily commuter.
That's Newmarket and horses done with for this year. I intend to paint 'St. Nicholas Abbey' at some point, a horse tipped to win the Derby in 2010, and to be present at Newmarket next year. I want to visit the Newmarket racecourses: the July and Rowley Mile Courses.
Tuesday 29 December 2009 - I’m sat by the fire, food has been cooked and rests in the pan – sausage, garlic, rosemary, onion, cauliflower, peas, chopped tomatoes plus diced boiled swede. I have a bottle of red wine on the go and attending to letters and cards for the New Year. This Xmas has been among the most peaceful and relaxed. We’ve had snow! It’s gone now, but I loved it. Of course, most everyone else thought it was a pain in the backside while I deem snow and log fires as just wonderful. Tattersalls has been a revelation. I partly left Istanbul because I was reading info predicting global economic problems. The reality is not as bleak as predicted yet, though give it time.... now I know if Tattersalls go bust, then the UK and probably the world is truly in economic trouble. I saw 250 horses auctioned a day reaching prices up to £300K and occasionally £500K or more. Apparently a £million per horse is common during ‘normal’ economic times. I guess an average price was £20-£50K, but when you consider each sale lasts a few minutes, it is an incredible turn over.
My Queen painting from Bury is apparently now on display at Thetford Town Council. Vera has written and informed me so. They already have several paintings of mine on loan: Thomas Paine, Nelson, Emma Hamilton, Thetford? Yeah!, Charles Burrell.... they did request a commission quote for their own Queen and Mayor Minns; the first black mayor in Britain. I presume borrowing the painting from St. Nicholas Hospice is cheaper than buying their own original from me. Still, it’s notable that both Bury and Thetford; Suffolk and Norfolk, have communicated and collaborated in lending each other the painting of the Queen. One of my goals was to cross the local county and regional divides and this latest development helps do that.
I sat and watched a green, red on the head, woodpecker explore the front lawn for at least half an hour the other day. It sticks its beak into the grass like a sewing machine needle going up down up down searching for grubs and larvae I guess. Indeed, what a marvel to witness after years in a city.
The latest terrorist story is an ‘underpants’ bomber in Detroit and U.S. President Obama is making stern statements about improving the fight against terror. The father of the ‘terrorist’ is apparently a Nigerian banker with Yemeni connections. It stinks; something is not right and the reporting of the incident is lazy and robotic. I’ve been in BBC radio studios and seen the news person read off the news from a sheet of paper which merely repeats a previous sheet of paper by a previous announcer. Proper investigative journalism is a commodity rarely allowed to surface. I hear the Dutch will now introduce x-ray machines that see through clothes at airports. I have little desire to travel by plane in the immediate future and certainly do not want to join the queues for the naked viewing machines; children, husbands, wives being viewed naked by strangers; isn’t it all a little bizarre? My airport experience certainly became more unpleasant in the last 10 years. Indeed, I am cynical. My windows shook on 9/10 because of a suicide bomber in Istanbul's Taksim Square and then we had 9/11 the next day. It is quite normal in Turkey for the public to question the official version of events, yet in the UK few seem to question the ‘official line’. Robin Cook questioned it. He dies shortly after. My windows also shook when the British Embassy and HSBC HQ in Istanbul were blown up. I used to walk past the HSBC daily when I had an atelier at the Mayadrom Sports Centre and was thankful my routine had changed shortly before the attacks. I later exhibited in the new embassy building as part of the Queen’s official birthday celebrations. The Ambassador’s widow, Victoria Short, still lives in and walks the streets of Istanbul.
Tony Blair is due to answer questions at the Chilcott Iraq Enquiry in the new year. I doubt it will result in any concrete allegations against our former PM; he's too slippery and clever.
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