A THANK YOU VIDEO

I've made a selfie video to thank you, whoever and wherever you are, for your presence here in my little corner of cyberspace. Here's the link to the video. I don't know if it will open right here or if it takes you to my Youtube page:

BIRTHDAY DINNER ON THE CANAL

This was the view from a table in the moored boat-restaurant on the canal in Maida Vale where I had a lovely birthday dinner with three close friends last night. If you look closely you can just about make out the stately procession of ducks which happened to be floating by when I snapped this shot. Obviously the parade was in my honour even if the ducks didn't know it. They were swimming too fast for me to get a close-up shot so I can't show you their facial expressions.

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY

I was born in Paris at midnight on the seventh day of August in nineteen twenty nine. That's ninety three years ago according to the calendar but what does a calendar know? If I ask the cosmos how old I am the answer would take too long to write down! Happy birthdays to me ad infinitum!

GRAPHIC NOVEL CONTINUES

After this I might post just one or two more pages from DOUBLE ENTENDRE my graphic novel but I don't want to endanger its eventual publication.

UPCOMING BIRTHDAY

This Sunday 7th of August will be my birthday (you already know how old). Here's the beginning of Double Entendre, my graphic novel-in-progress. It's from the few pages before I'm born.

PREGNANT POSSIBILITIES

New painting: I'm always pregnant with possibilities

Acrylic on canvas board, 10 x 14 inches.

TEETH AND GNASHING THEREOF

Although in polite society one does not mention certain topics, over here I am allowed to mention anything I please, including d.e.n.t.u.r.e.s. If you know what I'm talking about you know what I mean. Back from my latest dental appointment. The difficult process of making new teeth (NOT implants) for my non-standard buccal/jaw structure is nearly done. A few more visits to my new brilliant specialist and my dental life will be transformed. Never in all my years of trouble and strife with fake gnashers have I encountered a dental professional like this. He gives his total attention to the most minute difficulties and knows exactly how to deal with them: with expertise, care, patience, no fuss and no bullshit. Why can't we have a Prime Minister like that?

Now I must sell quite a lot paintings or else run for prime minister in order to pay the rest of the bill.

DOUBTING

Taking my mind off the sorry state of news here, there and everywhere. Apart from the great news that Boris is on his way out, even if much too slowly.

Here's a new painting in a series that seems to have a life of its own. In this photo it looks darker than it actually is.

Yes we have doubts

Acrylic on canvas board, 10 x 14 inches.

A MESSAGE

Here's the latest painting, hot off the palette. I'll take a better photo of it by daylight tomorrow but it feels good to post it right now.

Got the message but can't read the writing

Acrylic on canvas board, 10 x 14 inches.

HEAD REPLACEMENT

Dan Maier and Kayley Holderness, both Trustees and designer-makers in the Society of Designer Craftsmen, came to see me in May to choose one of my bookworks for the Transformations exhibition at Bankside Gallery. It was our first meeting and, although I don't understand why a burning house is like people getting on really well, we did get on like a house on fire and they took some blazing photos on their phones. The only problem was that when I saw the photos, my flat looked wonderful but I looked.....well...I had the usual reaction to photos one does not recognise as being the self one knows. I said DELETE DELETE!! However, as I want to post the photos because I like the people so much, I have simply chopped my head off and replaced it with NOTOLIE's head.