it's Summer (allegedly) and I'm trying to have a rest hence the painting- a- week has been put on hold, although I have just painted 3 walls of my youngest daughter's bedroom in a fit of madness, so I can't say I haven't painted.

here's an old drawing; another version of the scrapyard. I think I have done three versions although I think I gave away the painting. this was done in squares with different pencils mostly while watching telly.


talking of telly I ve just bought

2 Dandy Wahol cds for 50p each from a charity shop and listened to one while I painted the aforementioned bedroom. Interesting: you will know the group even if you don't know you know, unless you don't have a tv, as one of their songs was used repeatedly by a car advert,(which by sheeer coinsidens has just come on! not the advert-the song) I wonder if some clever groups write songs with the possibility in mind of being taken up by an adverising company. Speaking of which, Donovan's Sunshine Superman advertising beer? has the old hippy sold out?

But back to the Dandy Wahols; an interesting mix, I was going to sayan eclectic mix but I don't know what that means (but it sound good) they appear to my refined ears to comprise of:

35%Stone Roses

25%Iggy Pop

5%Moody Blues

28%Lou Reed

3%All About Eve

11%Smashing Pumpkins (you may know these from a guest appearence on the Simpsons- the one where Homer becomes an opening act for a music festival, letting canonballs be shot at his belly.)

2% Rolling Stones

1% David Bowie

This is another photo from my best day this year
back in April or May I can't remember but it were very nice. Magical even. Sometimes it's great to be alone in a lovely place.








Artists I like include Georgia O' Keeffe Edward Hopper, everyone likes these 2, I' ve never heard anyone say otherwise. I got a little book of paintings by Alison Watt(s?) worth a look and have just bought, but not yet received, from ebay a book on Richard Diebenkorn, there is a picture by the same at a current and very well worth visiting exhibition at the Shipley Gallery in Gateshead, it features many very well known names such as whats'hecalled, only joking; Picasso, Matiisse, Freud, Hockney, Riley, Richard Estes, Chuck Close, Paula Rego (who I find scary) Jim Dine (lovely picture of paintbrushes)

There is also a good exhibition close by at Gateshead library, a group of local artists showing work based on the local derelict docks. Check it out, then you can go to Saltwell park for an ice cream.

my spellcheck sems two be knot workin!