A tree; Salvador

A tree

Taken near my apartment.

*

I am off to Salvador for a week. I hope it isn`t too hot, nor too criminal.

It`s the second most popular city for tourists in Brazil, and the old central part is, supposedly, well preserved, so perhaps I shall be able to make some nice paintings.

Flowers in yellow (the wind and the dove)

 Flowers in yellow, oil on card, 15 x 18 cm

Somewhere between the wind and the dove
Lies all I sought in you
And when the wind just dies, when the wind just dies
And the dove won't rise
From your window sill

Well I cannot tell you
Which way it would be
If it was this way too
For the wind and the dove
For the wind and the dove

And I am a child of linger on
I peer through the window gone
I am a child of linger on
I peer through the window gone

Somewhere between the wind and the dove
Lies all I lost in you
And when the wind just dies, when the wind just dies
And the dove won't rise
From your window sill

Well I cannot tell you
Which way it would be
If it was not this way too
For the wind and the dove
For the wind and the dove

And I am a child of linger on
I peer through the window gone
I am a child of linger on
I peer through the window gone

Lyrics, The Wind and the Dove, by Bill Callaghan, whose fine song accompanied me in my work.

Red, yellow and pink flowers

Red, yellow and pink flowers, oil on card, 18 x 14.5 cm

Flowers on a red background

Flowers on a red background, oil on card, 14 x 12.5 cm     SOLD

Words: Across the wire, book cover

Book cover for a collection of verses produced by residents of Cyndi Taylor Krier Correctional Juvenile Treatment Center, Texas, which uses a photo of mine. I didn`t do the graphics.

The Center aims: "To promote the rehabilitation and well-being of offenders and their families by redirecting behavior with an emphasis placed on individual responsibility and the protection and safety of the community".

I wish them every success with this publication and in their work.

Morocco, London, 2014

I have booked flights to Morocco. I`ll be there for just under a month with a week in the UK.

Annual Review: 2013: Flickr, Blogger, Facebook, and other sites

*

Introduction

The year was a general success despite a slump from October to the end of December.

I enjoyed painting trips to Egypt, Uruguay, New York, Minas Gerais, and exploring further Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. I spent a few days working in freezing London too.

  Luxor- the Winter Palace from Hotel Susanna, oil on card, 12 x 9 cm

In Uruguay, oil on card, 12 x 9 cm

A Chinese restaurant in New York, oil on card, 12 x 9 cm

Boa Esperança, the central square, oil on card, 14 x 14 cm

Mafra, simple houses, oil on card, 14 x 14 cm

 

Sao Francisca de Paula- road out of town, oil on card, 12.5 x 18 cm

All the trips were too short, and I shall try to extend them in future. It is necessary to have a few days simply to acclimatise to a certain place, to settle in, and relax.

I sold reasonably well, with sales at the Royal Academies in London and Scotland, and at Dubai Art Fair, and to various private buyers.

I used various sites to show work:

Flickr

Flickr messed up their site with an ugly and frustrating redesign.

However, I  continued to use it, partly out of habit, partly because I have already invested quite a deal of time in putting work there, so that it is really a complete catalogue of my work, and because I could not find a better alternative. I usually show pictures in about ten groups. I have 721 followers, up from 612 last year.

Blogger

The number of followers increased only a little from 70 to 78.

Facebook

This site again prove to be good for feedback, contacts and sales. Please feel free to add me as a contact there if you wish.

Deviantart

I stopped regularly using this site as it is really just for teenagers to exchange pornographic  manga cartoons and kitsch. I have 55 "watchers" up from 51.

ArtStack

This site is elegantly organised and a pleasure to use. I sporadically loaded pictures, and these were stacked 77 times. I shall use it more.

Plans

I am going to Salvador, Bahia in January, and to Morocco in March. I wish to do a further trip in late July, but I haven`t decided where.

Thanks

Many thanks to everyone who helped me in 2013: buyers, followers, family and friends.

There are a good number of people online who have been supportive, but whom I have never met. I found their comments useful and encouraging. 

Happy New year to you all.

 

Carnations 5, oil on card, 9 x 10.5 cm    SOLD





*