About twenty years ago when I was living and working in the Magical Town of Crickadoon, (Crickhowell, Wales), I found myself experiencing a block….it happens…it’s quite normal. The key is to find ways of moving through the block…..
The three ways that help me to do this, are – walking – visiting museums and allowing myself to PLAY.
In this instance, I set up long tables in my studio with large sheets of paper….and began to throw paint around…..anything, just to get the juices flowing. I wet the paper, adding a mix of watercolour and gouache and watched with great excitement as the transparent watercolour mixed with the opaque gouache……Bingo….I had broken through the block:)
Initial sketch of Claudia – using watercolour/gouache on a gouache colour ground which had spatters of paint on it. 
Until this point, I had only used transparent watercolours on white or tinted papers, but now with the opaque quality of gouache, I was able to paint over colour grounds. Plus I loved the interaction of transparent watercolour with the opaque gouache.
Claudia (2
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I would urge anyone who feels a little stuck….to PLAY.
It is not necessary to use expensive watercolours or paper….newspaper, brown wrapping paper, wallpaper lining, and inexpensive paints will do…..the key is to just do it.
Charcoal sketch of Claudia – Claudia is an actress and so has projected many different personas – 1995
Small oil on panel sketch of Claudia when she visited me in Wales – 1995
The first portrait I ever painted of Claudia when she was 17 years old. Now in her fifties she is a successful actress and director of theatre. oil on canvas. 
Patricia is an actress friend of Claudia. She and I spent a week together in Brittany France 2019 when I made numerous sketches of her. watercolour on white paper. Like Claudia she is very expressive and a joy to work with.
Observing the sitter from different points of view is important.
If you are lacking a model…look in the mirror:)
Janet
I took the EuroStar train (one of my favourite forms of travel) from London to Paris which takes two hours and twenty minutes. From Paris Nord the metro to Paris Montparnasse where I caught the TGV to Lorient. My dear friend Elisabeth was waiting to take me to the cottage at Lamor-Plage . Everything on time, and very comfortable and if you book way ahead of time, inexpensive.
I first met Elisabeth when I was living in Crickhowell (AKA The Magical Town of Crickadoon) Wales almost thirty years ago and subsequently really got to know her when I had an exhibition in Brittany in 1995. She is an amazing woman involved in many different areas always helping other people. She is a good friend.
I can’t feature Elisabeth without showing her dog dear little Nouchka. Nouchka is very special…..I love her:)
And to add icing to the cake – I arrived at the cottage to find all sorts of goodies, courtesy Elisabeth and Nicole…..a lovely welcome 
During my first week, French actress Patricia Pekmezian joined me and was kind enough to sit for several portrait studies. We had a really lovely time together and talked at great length about the arts and life in general……
Patricia in the cottage garden
Towards the end of the month Alice Johnson arrived from the States….Another good friend and artist. We go back many years. We enjoyed painting together and everything else on offer….
Meanwhile, it was so lovely to spend time by the beach and to experience the wonderful fresh air. Patricia and I spent a day on L’ile de Groix – an island I would love to spend more time on. There are miles and miles of amazing coastal walks to be enjoyed and of course so perfect for sketching and painting.
The beach at Lamor- Plage
And then there were the wonderful musical concerts. Brittany much like Wales is known for its love of music and we were not disappointed on this trip. One of the concerts featured a Welsh and Breton choir….bringing home our deep connections and similarities.
During Alice’s visit we were fortunate enough to attend a big concert in the Lorient Theatre with its one thousand seats….all filled. The concert was uplifting and moving, and again cemented the positive ties that we in the UK have with so many of our European brothers and sisters.
And the glorious patisseries that can be found in every village, town and city in France….
There is so much interesting history surrounding the area…especially involving WW2…which I will write about in my second half.
I first visited Barnes, SW London in August of 2005.
The moral to this story, is to never leave home without a sketchbook…..You never know what interesting person you might meet……
I first visited the Rhiwiau, the home of my friends Anne and Mike Ranstead , about twenty-four years ago. Along with enjoying happy hours with Anne and Mike and painting in the surrounding hills, this place represents a ‘hot spot’ for me.
Then five years ago my two good friends, Heather and Andrew bought the Rhiwiau from Anne and Mike. Hill walkers and dog lovers, they are the perfect people to take over. They have now made the Rhiwiau into an Air B’nB – attracting people from around the world who love hill walking and all the other bounties that the Brecon Beacons National Park has to offer. Here are the links to their air BnB.
Old head stones interspersed amongst the Yew trees. A magical place
During my stay Heather introduced me to Janis Fry – artist, writer and expert on the Yew Tree. 
Interior of The International Welsh Rarebit Centre….An art gallery and meeting room up stairs. 
I haven’t mentioned yet how hot it was. Usually when it’s hot in London or even in Crickhowell….when you get up into the hills the temperature drops by a few degrees, however, not during this heatwave…and more worryingly a drought! Anyway, given that the house was filled with Air B ‘n B guests, I slept in the Shepherd’s hut which sits just in front of the barn….and I loved it.
My view from inside the Shepherd’s hut along with the sounds of sheep and birds…….perfect.
Another special visit was to the artist Janet Foster who lives and works in the village of Llanfynach. I met Janet when I was tutoring for the Brecknock Art Society and have always enjoyed her work. 
I couldn’t complete this part of my post without mentioning Bounty….a beautiful horse I met that lives just down the road from the Rhwihau. I really liked her. 
After two blissful days at the Rhhwiau – Heather drove me to Crickhowell (about ten miles) where I met up with friend Jane who had driven from London for her first visit to The Magical Town of Crickadoon, where we stayed at the fantastic Dragon Inn. Having heard me talk about it for twelve years, at last she could see it.
A few watercolour sketches painted when visiting the Rhiwiau over the years – always trying to capture the ever changing light of the Brecon Beacons. 
Here is the lonely little cat wishing she could live in a nice warm cottage like the one across from her tree. 
“Sitting between mountains and watched by the moon, with magical hummingbirds weaving their love” this story takes place in The Magical Town of Crickadoon. 
During the long dark cold nights, every noise would give the little cat a fright, and sometimes she would cry.
One night when the winds began to roar and howl, the little cat had a visit from a wise old owl. The wise owl told the little cat to be patient and trust. To close her eyes and dream of magical hummingbirds.
The little cat began to make friends with the birds and animals that lived beneath her tree. After days of fun and play with her new friends the little cat would fall into a deep sleep and dream about finding a home of her own.
One of her new friends, a red robin, told the little cat that she would never be alone because hummingbirds were always near, helping her to find a new home of her own. 
One morning red robin and little cat woke to see that the Magical Town of Crickadoon was completely covered in snow. everywhere the little cat looked, there was a special glow.
Later that night when little cat was dreaming in her tree, a beautiful white hummingbird appeared. White hummingbird told little cat that there was nothing to fear, and that after a terrible storm, all would be clear. 
The next morning when the snow swirled and whirled and the winds roared and howled, the little cat felt so cold and alone was beginning to think that she would never find a home of her own. 
In her dreams the little cat heard White Hummingbird say – “Don’t give into your fear, soon all will be clear. – Follow the light through the storm and there you will find your home, so cosy and warm”. 
Janet the Artist scooped up little cat with tenderness and love, and from high above the Magical Town of Crickadoon, hummingbirds of every colour were flying under the moon. 
Janet the Artist named the little cat, Christeve the Cat because she had arrived on a very special Christmas Eve.
Christeve the Cat settled into her new home and sitting on her favourite chair. 
Christeve the Cat (on the left) with one of her friends sitting in her favourite place in the garden of her new home. 
If we adults could time travel back to our earliest formative years, when the world appeared as a kaleidoscope of colour and shapes, we could regain our natural curiosity and love for colour and form. We might see things in a much broader context than the one prescribed to us by our cultural experience.
As adults we forget how wonderful it is to play with colour….We are concerned about how we appear to others…..which often stifles the creative process.
It saddens me greatly to hear a child chastised because they are making a mess, being silly or not behaving in a normal fashion.
Over the years, I have collected a lot of children’s art….and have had many beautiful portraits painted of me by children from around the world.
Painting water colour portraits of two very special young girls in Portugal 
My suggestion to children or adults as we approach the holiday season is to get paints and paper and make the creative process an important part of the festive season….and of course for every other season. If you are not sure where to start…why not paint your own wrapping paper….now there’s a thought…..
And last but not least I leave you with a watercolour of Cristeve the Cat and a magical hummingbird. 
A bientot –
Given that I hadn’t been on the Isle of Wight since 1965, I decided to take a taxi from the Ryde ferry terminal to Bembridge where I was staying. The taxi driver was lovely…a man who had moved to the Island from London thirty years ago. As he pointed out, the Island works best for young families, people over sixty, and of course those who love to sail – Cowes being a world class sailing arena. His grown children have returned to London, a story I heard several times. As he pointed out that despite a good internet connection, until the day a bridge or tunnel is built, connecting the Island with the mainland, life as it is will probably continue. (let’s hope they never build a tunnel or bridge…..)
My overall first impressions were of a much slower pace of life, of almost going back to how the UK was when I was growing up. Everyone I encountered was extremely helpful, including the bus drivers. People still queue.…and of course being a Brit I do like queues :). There was no litter or graffiti….a sense of order prevailed. In short it all felt very manageable.
This visit was about getting a feel of the place. Would I want to spend time there painting? These are always my prime questions. The answer is yes. I would choose a village location with a bus route. This would allow me to walk to shops/pubs etc, and with my London bus pass – free bus travel. So it will definitely go on my list of places to explore and paint.
I returned to the mainland via the Cowes ferry to Southampton where I had the sudden realisation that the last time I was on Southampton dock was January 28th 1966 when I took the United States Liner to New York! Talk about deja vu. My friend Suzy, whose office sits right on the dock then drove me to Dorset.
I began this post with Thomas Merton’s quote about balance, order rhythm and harmony.…elements I believe we all need in our lives.
A Bientôt
My Life as an Artist (2) 