May 7th 2018 Exile in France Although now firmly based in Nailsworth, between 2002 and 2015, John and Astrid lived for part of the year in France, at Gramat (in the Lot) and at Honfleur (in Normandy). John's francophilia was tempered by his missing English cheese and beer! Shown in this blog are: a drawing of the barn at Gramat that served as John's studio, photographs of the studio taken by John Christie, a couple of images of Pudding Monster letters to Polly (J&A's grand-daughter), and some cheeseboard images sent as letters to myself.
Site under development
May 9th 2018 Exhibition catalogue Information about the catalogue, and how to order a copy, can be found under 'News'. Here, I will provide images for the eight editions de tête. John has decided to draw in pen and ink some visual poems, some of them using the inscription over the Delphi Oracle (Know Thyself), to relate to the 'theme' of being Lost for Words. These original drawings will be incorporated into the editions de tête and not printed copies.
May 19th Opening of John's exhibition at Ruskin Mill (A Cotswold Celebration) After 2 days of hanging the exhibition of John's drawings relating to the Nailsworth locality where he lives, the worries about who would turn up disappear as 70 of John's friends and former colleagues at Bath School of Art appear.
In his large-scale architectural and landscape drawings, John bends perspective in order to bring the viewer into the drawing. As he has previously stated: “I have thoughts about the illogicality of the monocular, fixed viewpoint of the ‘laws of perspective’, where you look froma fixed position with one eye closed. In reality, of course, we look at things by continually moving our heads in arcs. So, logically the lines I draw should be bent. These principles can be seen in my drawing of George Street, Nailsworth. For all my drawings, I follow the advice of Paul Klee by taking my line for a walk.”
Shown at the Ruskin exhibition are drawings of his early Nailsworth home at RowdenCottage (with family and friends such as David Hockney), of views of Nailsworth from Spring Hill down to George Street, and of Painswickcemetery and Woeful Dane Bottom. Also exhibited are drawings commemorating the super-tramp poet, W H Davies.
