White chrysanthemums 2

White chrysanthemums 2, oil on card, 13.3 / 11.5 cm unavailable

Painted over a couple of days, and something of a struggle.

A drive to Urubici

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 Urubici: looking up a street, 9am, oil on card, 12 / 14 cm   AVAILABLE

Landscape overlooking Urubici, oil on card, 13 /13 cm - unavailable

 

 

Street, Urubici, oil on card, 13.3 / 9.5 cm - available through No 31 Gallery

 Five from Urubici, with wristwatch for scale.

I spent a day or so painting in Urubici, a place I love, and which seems happily free of Florianopolis's trashy Barbie culture.

The curvaciousness of the landscape invites Art Noveau designs.

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White chrysanthemums

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White chrysanthemums, oil on card, 12.5 / 15.5 cm  AVAILABLE

Another in the occasional still life series. 

Flowers are surprisingly costly here.

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The Jubilee Day

It's night. We stand in the black sodden garden, brought there by wailing.

I wear had an overcoat over my pyjamas, muddy rain seeping into my slippers.

Lawrence has come out too.

On the ground is is a wet figure, kneeling, weeping, over his hole.

 "What is the matter with James?" I ask

"It is his hole. It has become wet", says Lawrence, matter-of-factly.

"Why didnt he bring the hole inside?" asks a female voice- Teresina emerged, in a damp nightgown.

We stood pondering Teresina's suggestion and James's mental condition.

After a while we realise there is nothing we can do and return to our beds. I sleep heavily. In the morning we sit at breakfast, looking from the breakfast room to the garden where James's form still huddles by the hole in the garden.

"I dont think he is all right," says Lawrence.

So we file down to the hole. There a wire leading from him back to the house, and we hear the quiet birring sound of a hairdryer. He is drying the hole.

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It is the day of the Diamond jubilee. We hoist a Union Jack on a tree. The staff found it in a cardboard box a little tattered but a Union flag nonethless. Nick Parker climbs up to perch in the tree beneath it.

We stand in a ring, quite solemn. Make a speech, says Lawrence, nudging me.

"Wonderful Queen," I say.

"Yes, congradulations Elizabeth!" say the others.

The staff bring some wine and we get drunk. Everyone is very happy. Rain speckles our faces.

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This  is another in the series of related stories, which can be found using the label, " The Beasties".

Driveway on the way to Cacupe

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Driveway on the way to Cacupe, oil on card, 12.5 / 14 cm   SOLD

I have been looking at the Scottish Colourists, and am trying to transform myself into one, at least for the time being.

I've been painting tonally for years and it's exciting to change to work from the basis of colour.

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Autumn, Florianopolis

Autumn, Florianopolis, oil on card, 14.5 / 12 cm

Brighter colours.

Guarulhos, travel

Nocturne: Guarulhos airport, May, oil on card, 12 / 9.3 cm unavailable

Well, this above is the last of from the Chilean trip. The next trips are within Brazil, to Ribeirão Preto in the interior of Sao Paolo state, and to Recife, in the north-east.

In late September comes a three week stint in Italy: Rome, Orvieto, perhaps Puglia and Lucca.

Beyond that I am not sure. Chile has inspired me to visit more of Latin America, specifically Bolivia and Peru, but the Summer months (November to February) are wet then.

Ergo, I might find myself returning to Montevideo, and looking around Uruguay and Argentina. The main thing is to go somewhere which is sufficiently different from here for me to experience a "jolt", which means, principally, somewhere that isn't tropical.