I had a week on my own as Catharine went down to Reading to clear out her house before it was sold on Friday. I had a busy week at work as we were hosting the University Association of Lifelong Learning Conference on Monday and Tuesday. So it was late nights all week including my Pictorial Figure Composition evening class on Wednesday. I am really enjoying this class as I get to teach what is my passion. No rest for the wicked as on Thursday, Catharine had sent all her stuff up with a ‘man with a van’ (actually his name was Sam) and help him put it all into storage until we can figure out where it can all go.

I had to get at least three very small painting finished this weekend in order have them dry in time for framing for the Scottish Gallery Christmas show. So I have been enjoying just simply painting little snippets of our flat with our collection of bears. It is so long since I have so much ‘look and put’ painting (well ‘look and put and add a bit of my own’ really) and it is about time. This is how to refuel your image bank and be able to paint things out of your head with authority. These are not exceptional pictures but they feel right and the right direction. The bigger one in the picture is just a limbering up for the portrait I want to do for the BP portrait award.