your trail the entire day. Its worse now of course, did you know they have a range of work clothes with tracking devices in? Suddenly the Yes Men's micro management falice2 doesn't look so outrageous.

I had intended to paint a view from the high point of the cemetery looking back towards St John but when I followed the road and came across this perfect little scene I set my easel up where I stood. We have a series of diagonals running left to right; trees at the rear swiped on in chalky green curls, the hedgerow a tube of sharp foliage, the green a little warmer and a violet lane sweeps away out of shot to the right complemented by the yellow crop. In front of all this is a mature trunk which shoots up the canvas, a good solid vertical, and with an unusual branch which grows off the one side of the trunk and bends immediately round the back and extends like a grope across to the left.

Yes colour! I need some more, as many primary's as you can, warms and cools of each plus white. It will be well to get the best quality we can manage.

There is a barbecue at the boat yard later.

Well, a good time was had by all last night, we stayed out until four in the morning! How restorative it is to talk and drink a whack with the other residentials. Everyone was in good heart, not too much arguing and even when I accidentally smashed the projector that had been rigged up to watch you tube music on the side of the Albacore3 there was only a minor exchange. It turned out to be Tig's projector, an ex marine and veteran of the Falklands war, not quite a specimen like a Zourve4 but a wonderful temper on him I can tell you. Once I absorbed his fire I was able to reason with him, he pulled the projector out of the skip anyway, after Sean tired of it hanging around his office. It was put down to easy come easy go and we drank on it and can you believe that Tim actually had some absinthe on his boat!

The night ended dramatically with one fellow, Mickey, falling off the downward ramp that links pontoons of different heights. Luckily for him the tide was out otherwise he would have been away in a flash but he was alright I think in the end but I'll check later. As I look out of the window now I see his hatch is open so he must be in the land of the living. A good face for a portrait, full of salt, sunshine and drink lines but when I asked him to sit he bent double with laughter and told me to 'fuck off'. If I get involved in portrait painting more I'll give him another go. We can't have too many irons in the fire.

 

Bests,

 

John

 

 

For the extra I thank you, the trip to London shall be well spent. I'll be heading off before the sun tomorrow, catching the train at Plymouth and Ill be in London as the National opens. I see they have a double square of cottages available for viewing5 that I haven't seen before, it looks to be full of energy. And I'll never tire of seeing those sunflowers. They also have Vincent's chair on display and a study of crabs. I'd do well to look over all of Vincent's influences too - Rembrandt, Hals, Delacroix, Millet. Maybe a trip to the courtauld if my sister will allow, she has them down as elitist and she should know as she lectured at Kings Collage which is part of it I fancy. I'm sure she is right but there is something so powerful in painting that when in its grip one finds that one's institutional critique faculties happily trumped by red yellow and blue. We must try and harness this quality to our political ends.