vi   THANKSGIVING DAY

The Brompton Oratory, London. This is much the image I had in mind to commence with. Deo gratia I got this chance shot, using zoom lens, of a lady who'd just lit a candle at a side chapel altar. A minute later a priest came to point out that photography was not allowed within the church.
Watercolour: 320 x 220 mm.

v   DARK STAR / AFTER THE BALL

Scene from 'The Leopard' by Giuseppe di Lampedusa.

"The truth is that he wanted to draw a little comfort from gazing at the stars . . ."

The Ponteleone ball has finally come to an end, Don Fabrizio decides to walk home.

These two works 'Dark Star' and 'Donnafugata' were inspired by di Lampedusa's exquisite novel which shows a man, Don Fabrizio, Prince of Salina as he approaches old age - what he looks back upon and what he looks forward to. Behind him the exuberance of youth, personified by nephew and ward Tancredi, and his betrothed Angelica. The world is at their feet, what kind of marvellous picture will fill that frame . . . although from Don Fabrizio's vantage point, the author muses "Love. Of course, love. Flames for a year, ashes for thirty."

For the Prince himself the next scene will be death, and here he takes comfort from the immutability of the stars, how their mathematical workings defy the transience of mortal life.

The chandelier in foreground is nineteenth century Italian, my thanks to the lady at www.theantiquechandelier.co.uk for permission to photograph in her wonderful shop.
Watercolour: 320 x 210 mm.
Collection of C & M Taylor London.

iv   DONNAFUGATA

Scene from 'The Leopard' by Giuseppe di Lampedusa.

"Those were the best days in the lives of Tancredi and Angelica . . . "

The young lovers explore the vacant, abandoned rooms of the palace at Donnafugata.

Features the same frame as I used for XIII Eclipse.
Watercolour: 320 x 210 mm.

iii   COROMANDEL

There are a number of very good nature artists with Jonathan Cooper, the gallery where I started showing again last year. Swallows and tree peonies - my contribution to the genre.

Watercolour: 320 x 210 mm.
Private collection, UK.

ii   STUDY

In the holidays during my first year at art school I did a watercolour: similar to this, same Naples yellow telephone on a table at my parent's house. One of the tutors, in a moment of quite surprising observation remarked on how my work was so devoid of figures.

Strange that, returning to painting in my 40's, immediately it was the figure that became my central subject.
Watercolour: 320 x 210 mm.

i   E & O

Marble bust of Quan Yin I found at the Burmese Temple in Penang.
Watercolour: 320 x 210 mm.

Lost Painting.   NUBIAN DESERT.

One of a series of paintings I did following a trip to Sudan in 1981 travelling down the Nile from Khartoum to Kareima. This is where the train makes a stop - Junction No. 10 I think, the line forking to go north towards Abu Simbel, and west to the pyramids at the 4th Cataract.

The following year I exhibited these at the Curwen Gallery and all of them sold, (for this one I received �75). I do know the whereabouts of 2 of the 12 paintings, sadly the others, including this one are places unknown . . . I'd love to know where they are now.
Watercolour: 270 x 520 mm.