And here is the nearly finished version I hope. Its a Naive style of Pals. I am going to leave it on the wall for a while and see what needs doing later.

Crikey it`s cold. At last I am able to paint Palafrugel again for Thompsons Gallery. This is my first mornings work up. I am going to put some big and bold Sunflowers in the Foreground and some little people walking up to the top of the Village to see the view from the Church at the top. This is the village of Pals in Palafrugell which is near Girona

I Painted the background to this picture over 2 months ago and left it to dry in the studio. I picked it up to work on it again today and it looks promising. I am reading Joan Gillcrest at the moment . I wonder if I am being influenced by her?

I have a cold that I cant shift. and I had an MS situation last night so my energy is low and I`m feeling a little sorry for myself. I know I have a choice be happy or be sad .Theres something stirring in me that I cant explain. Thrashing around in the studio despite the pain and I am definitely a pain right now I have rather pleasingly come up with this. Its still very wet and the challenge will be what to do next.

appeal

This is one of two Prints I am giving to the Newlyn Art Gallery called `Spotty Jug, with St Michaels Mount` for there Haitian appeal. Its a very simple image in grey tones .The black red and white really stick out.I love this limited neutral imagery.

Ive been mucking about with this little dark painting just to see where it goes. I`m adding black gesso to the colours in an attempt to reflect how padstow really is on a winters day in January.Painting to deadlines is a part of my Job. So it is a nice relief to just paint and see where it goes and of course keeps the creative mind alive and exploring.I had a call from another Gallery today in Alderburgh. The Thompson Gallery . They would like 6 paintings for there summer show. Two for the brochure and to arrive first then the other four to follow. Thompsons are an excellent Gallery . One of the best in the Country and there Summer brochure is a grand affair with Artists like Mary Fedden . Edward Seago. Terry Frost Alberto Morroco to name just a few. So an important commitment.I also have the entry form for the Royal Acadamy in London. I`ve never exhibited there before as I`ve always thought my work isn`t serious enough. Which to some extent is true . I am very serious about not being serious. Life is to short.I would like to exhibit something though. Am I ready for it ?

I think I have finished this now. I`ve made the Gondolas Black ,changed the sky ,added more cobalt blue to the Lagoon and added a Yellow Ochre Lemon. Oh1! and changed the flowers to pure white. Its romantic. I like that and the colours are strong.

I have a commitment to paint Venice for Blackheath Gallery in London so I am still hard at it. This is a revised picture from an earlier version.

You sometimes cant predict what you paint.

Venice Venice Venice.!!! How about Cornwall . Heres a picture done this morning out of desperation of not really connecting to Venice.I`ve done one good one and that had lots of people in .The still lifes are a struggle. This is St Michaels Mount of the bay in Penzance where I live..

The last picture simply didn`t do it for me so I abandoned it .I`ve started and hopefully nearly finished a small square Venice instead.Its still a little bare .Maybe a couple of facing coffee cups or something so show a human touch might do it. Not sure yet.Although to me the Lemon looks good visually I cant really see its placde in Venice. Its not really a fishing port were there would be a lot of fish or is it?? What would you put in there??

Started a new Venice today. I really don`t want to do a cliche Venice and this is what is coming out. I do remember being constantly on a bridge with Japanese tourists the last time I went to Venice. This is at the sketchy phase and I may continue or try something different if it doesn`t work.I am enjoying painting it.

Ive been working on another Padstow today. Its very cold today and I feel a little down and cold so its hard for me to get excited. I would like to curl up in front of a good film but I have work to do.