This morning has been rather pleasant.

It started in the Lightbox gallery in Woking, where there is an exhibition of art about the Basingstoke Canal, which I am exhibiting in, see the above image.

The exhibition is in aid of a fund raising effort to finance the building of a new community trip boat as the old one is on its last legs. 

Present was our local MP J Lord, I write to him often, we have got to know each other fairly well through our communications, so it was good to meet him face to face and have a proper chat; we did not talk about politics. It is all right to disagree and say as such to a person, but manners, politeness and respect are always essential. We had a good chat.

Next a lady came up to me in the exhibition space whom I have not seen for a few years. I met her in a mental heath drop in session which as an artist I was leading, apparently I gave her a drawing pad and got her drawing. She is now very well and continues drawing, indeed selling a piece of her work the other day.

Next I walked into town to do a little essential shopping and met another friend. He is a pretty decent guitarist and was busking. That was a nice chat.

So it has been a people morning and I enjoyed it, this afternoon I am ensconced in the studio and I will enjoy that. This evening Liz and I are locking the door and we are having evening on our ow, we call them date nights.

So what a super day, life is good, even if a tad tough at times. 

 Just for one day a change of direction. I find variety withing my art work helpful and refreshing. As well as my conventional work which is progressing very well, I am still persevering with my sculpture. The above five boats are all inspired from trips to the Cornish peninsular over the years. From the left is firstly a lobster inshore fishing boat, which could well double as round the bay day trip vessel in summer. Then we have a small dingy, used for odd jobs around the harbour, possible owned by the local chandler as it is full of tools, obviously ready for a repair job somewhere. Next we have two double enders, these can take slightly heavier seas, so go further out, then finally we have a dingy which is being prepared for a days rod fishing, including a picnic. they aren't finished, details of the characters of each boat owner need adding, such as, what type of hat do they wear, which paper do they read, do they smoke a pipe. prefer tea or beer? Its good fun.

Next stage is building the harbour wall and then the water; remember everything is approximately 85% paper, 10% PVA glue and 1% from the kitchen bin and 4% acrylic paint and other glues! I think that adds up to 100. A little ingenuity is called for at times. Then lastly comes the framing and that is a nightmare. This piece is going to take a while to complete, but it is good fun: now that is the important part.

Please enjoy your art.

Today Liz and myself went for a walk in the woods; and this is remarkable that she, that is Liz managed to cover one and a half miles' She is doing so very well!

Half way through the walk, on a foot path to the west of the Polseden Lacey house we heard a distinctive loud, shrill, high pitched bird call. Looking up and only a few yards away was a red kite. We could see every feather and even the slight shading between the feathers.  Every detail of this bird was clear to view, it seems as if we could almost touch the thing. The call was almost as if he/she was talking to me. Amazing. now that is the closes t which I have been to one of these superb birds.

The picture above is also from Polseden Lacey, but from the south going up towards Ranook Moor, near to the YMCA Hostel. Notice that it is almost two pictures. Firstly the light foreground and then secondly the darker, shadowed background.

Life is just super (a tad hard yes, but still super) I love being an artist, looking at and being aware of things like the image and events of above is such a privilege. After the woods when we are home, it is into the room where I create and my thoughts are moved to a tiny Cornish fishing village; but more of that another day.