FINISHING FIONN WILSON'S PORTRAIT

I think I may have perhaps possibly nearly finished Fionn's portrait. Maybe? I don't want to add more detail but I still haven't had that inner click which says Leave it!

Portrait-in-progress of Fionn Wilson by Natalie d'Arbeloff. Oil on canvas 55cm x 65cm (20" x 24")
27 June 2018

PAINTING FIONN WILSON

Last night Fionn Wilson sat in the chair opposite me while I started on her portrait. Below are the first two stages plus a shot she snapped of me at work on it. I'm using only black and white oil on canvas - there's something strong and free about this limitation which matches both her direct personality and my perception of it. Will post further stages.

As I mentioned a while ago, Fionn invited me to participate in the exhibition 'Dear Christine' (Christine Keeler) which Fionn thought up, is curating, taking part in, and will inaugurate next year at the Vane Centre in Newcastle. I've been working on sketches of my ideas for this and it was wonderful to show them to her last night and receive the blessing of her enthusiasm. Our conversations flow like jazz.

Beginning a portrait of Fionn Wilson, 23 June 2018.. Oil on canvas

SELFIE TIME

Why? It's an unpredictable urge. Maybe it has something to do with time. Or let's be honest, age. It's a kind of check up: am I still okay? Do I pass? Whatever passing means.

So here I am today at approximately 5:15pm, London time.

FRIENDS CELEBRATE GETTING HITCHED

Saturday at the London Wetland Centre on the banks of the Thames, Rachel Rawlings and Dave Bonta orchestrated an inspirational and original event to celebrate with friends and family their recent wedding in Pennsylvania.

It was a greyish and coldish day but warmth and conviviality were generated by the many guests in this magnificent natural setting. Specially composed poems were read, spontaneous, sincere speeches were spoken, specially deejayed music was played, comforting food and drink were consumed, old and new friendships were refreshed. I was happy to be there.

 

Rachel, the bride

Dave, the groom

CONTRARIAN

Watched Germaine Bloody Greer in the BBC2 documentary this evening and enjoyed every minute of it. If you missed it you can still see it on iPlayer but if you don't care for Greer then you won't want to see it.

I love the contrary dame (not a Dame!) and I don't care if she isn't a proper feminist. She was raising the hackles of proper society when she wrote The Female Eunuch and now she's raising hackles of proper feminists (of all genders) by disagreeing with some feminist cast-iron rules and tropes.

Bravo brava Germaine! Long may you continue to challenge the status quo, whenever and wherever it calcifies. As soon as any movement becomes established as an "ism", it seems inevitably to calcify into institutional and intolerant positions it initially battled against. It's as if the vitality of a flowing river freezes into an icy pond - fine to skate on but don't dare to crack holes in it!

Sorry I linked to the Telegraph article below without realising they won't let you read it all without paying!