I've been busy!

We really have been busy over the Christmas and New year holiday period. But now to reveal all!
Fran and I, are arranging a series of shows in our retail gallery partners during 2012. 
It is called.....drumroll please....

2012 LONDON ART

The exhibitions are all about our London based art. That is paintings, prints and cards with a London theme. I guess that most of my readers already know that Cityscapes of London are among my favourite subjects. But did you also know that my wife Fran Slade has also created a collection of portraits showing London costermongers, market traders, eccentrics and other cockney characters.


Here is a link to a page showing Fran's Cockney Characters.

http://www.crabfish.com/catalogue/cat16_ser122.htm

And this just one of them.  He is a Chelsea Pensioner.

Meanwhile I have been painting some new London views. The biggest is a whopping 5 feet by 2ft 6ins. It shows the building of Londons latest skyscraper, The Shard.


It is nearly finished. watch this space to see it unveiled very soon.

The first gallery to host our show will be;

'The Only Place for Pictures' in Islington.

The first exhibition kicks off mid February.  More later.

18Nov2011 
Last minute nerves and a classic mistake, And I made it!
My post here yesterday was about the final nerve-wracking 48 hours before our imminent Artists Open House show.
I also sent about 3000 emails to our list.
But on some of the emails I forgot to include WHERE we are holding the show.
I mean, I ask you...Ye Gods and little fishes...what a classic blunder.
So here is a nice photo of our house and the address.

This WHERE our Artists Open House is starting tomorrow at 11am.


Address is: 182 Springfield Road, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 6DG.


I hope to see you here.

Organized panic at Artists Open House venue!

You can see from the photo that we are not yet ready.

We open 48 hours from now at 11am on Saturday 19^th November.

However, here is our check list to show that all will be well.

·         Xmas tree, lights. CHECK

·         Fire, coal, logs, clean chimney. CHECK

·         Mulled wine ingredients, Merlot, juice, spices, large simmering pot with lid, glasses. CHECK

·         Prize draw entry cards, prizes. CHECK

·         Credit card terminal, paper rolls, phone line.  CHECK

·         Furniture out and stored, furniture moved around. CHECK

·         Light track, spotlights, power. CHECK

·         Hanging system, picture hooks, string, screw-eyes. CHECK

·         Card rack, print browsers. CHECK

·         Signs, bunting, OPEN flag. CHECK

·         Gift tags, bookmarks, Xmas cards. CHECK

·         Guest artists organised. CHECK

·         Music system to play soothing background sounds and calm my nerves. CHECK

So, all we have got to do is….. HANG THE PICTURES, PRINT LABELS, MAKE PRICE LISTS….ETC ETC

We are open Saturday 19^th and Sunday 20^th from 11am until 6pm.

Then again on Saturday 26^th and Sunday 27^th from 11am until 6pm.

Then again on Saturday 3^rd December and Sunday 4^th December from 11am until 6pm.

We hope to see you here.

Gotta go now … a few things to do.

Cheers

25 Oct 2011 Pablo's birthday.

Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso.


25 October 1881 to 8 April 1973 (aged 91)

My hero!

24 Oct 2011 Chainsaw massacre!

There was a bit of noise at the bottom of the garden yesterday. We had been warned that British Rail were going to trim the vegetation on the railway embankment. Then up pops this guy and cuts down several big trees. 

Well it has improved the view and allowed more sunlight onto the veggy patch [and wasp nest].

23 OCT 11 ...WASP RETRIBUTION TIME!

We had built a bug house near the vegetable patch to attract friendly bugs and bumble bees for pollination [a symbiotic relationship]. All had been going well before some wasps misunderstood the crucial landlady/tenant arrangement. 
A few days ago Fran was picking leaves from our salad bed for lunch when she was attacked by a swarm of angry wasps. She was stung on the eye and arm and in her hair. Not nice! 
So we've been researching the problem. And, the wasps have got to go.

Late last night after wasp beddy-bye time I donned several layers of protective clothing and armed with an anti-wasp aerosol I sprayed the wasp nest with foam. I might look a bit silly but I am not macho-stupid.
This morning we can see that there are a few survivors still going in and out of the nest. But only a few.
Beware remaining wasps...I am tempted to call in a NATO strike force if you don't leave peacefully.

22 October 2011 Happy birthday.

Yesterday was the birthday of  Hokusai (October 21, 1760) He was a Japanese artist, ukiyo-e painter and printmaker of the Edo period.

When I saw this picture I was reminded of a visit to Tokyo where I saw Mt Fuji from my hotel room window first thing in the morning. Heat haze meant that it vanished by breakfast.