It's more than a year since mi nieto arrived.  Being abuela is time consuming if not rewarding.  Hard working as she is my dear daughter spends as much time as poss with our dear Ife and since he turned 1 year his father has gone from Wilber to Lukaku and is still away on location making his mark in Desafio Caracoltv strong person show he is @lukaku.wil in team #Vallecaucanos the best and strongest competitors but right now we dont know how the competition will end but they are showing they are a force to be reckoned with. 

​​ I have been painting and making as I attempted to get to know my new surroundings.  This port is a very new and different experience.  But live here I do and the influences are powerful  although there is little time to process and reflect,  grandma time being full-on but the sights, sounds, smells and tastes would linger for ever once left behind.  For now I am submerged.  Working intermittently in an environment so stimulating is a little destabilizing as so many threads and strands remain untied.   Thought processes cut off should be noted like quick camera images that get instantly filed away for a later look.  This place is rich and not wasted on me I value the many moments in good company regretting lack of language but managing to communicate in some way or another.  The work will come.

It's time to create something from past sketch books.  1995 saw was second year at art school.  I went on exchange trip to Angers it was a strange time.  I can see that my separation from Esther was difficult I remember entering a Catholic church and lighting a candle.  Strange I have an urge to do that now.  The thoughts and drawings on these pages connect me to larger works inspired and completed from these marks and moments.  The record is like a diary I intend to piece together over time.  I feel it will never make total sense but will give me a window for reflections. 

I am so happy to have completed paintings on canvas and paper to hang in the new offices of TACT Bristol.  The works will be displayed in their offices and departments involved in the delivery of TACT fostering and adoption charity activities.  The works will be hang in board and panel meeting rooms, training rooms, family rooms, play rooms and administration offices.  I am proud to have been commissioned to bring my artworks to these spaces.  In the creation of the works I was mindful of the joy and pleasure I wanted each piece bring to all those engaged in the vital role that TACT plays in the welfare of young people in need.

First two paintings of new series depicting Afro Colombia, inspired by my daughter Esther's wonderful photographic eye, she has captured the feel of the place in some very special images.  

Ten works will be completed over next two months referencing perspectives on relationships in time and space.  The narrative throughout addressing child and parent/carer exchanges in the context of the histories and stories, told and untold, 
of the African diaspora.

The 30 prints have now been produced after much stressing and searching for images of long gone works, repairing badly stored works, photographing and finally getting to a decent printer.  All done.  I love the fact that Fresh Arts have selected from such a wide range of my works old and new, varied subject matter and styles.  I am so delighted to have this opportunity to show my work in a situation so closely related to health and wellbeing.  The new build will include regional centres such as Neurosurgery, Renal, Orthopaedics, Plastics and Adult Burns plus the A&E Dept which is moving from the old Frenchay hospital.

'An important and integral part of the building's design is the delivery of an arts programme that will ensure a calming, inspiring and beautiful environment for the benefit of our patients, their visitors and our staff.  Fresh Arts has been commissioned to deliver this programme and we have been working closely with national and international artists and in collaboration with NBT's project team and the hospital construction contractors Carillion, to create sculptures and other public art for the building and its landscape'.  

'Life Cycle' new and recent works showing 4th Oct – 8th Nov
at ‘Senzala’,
Brixton Village Market, 41-42 Coldharbour lane, SW9 8PS       07515119468  www.senzalacreperie.com
@senzalaBrixton



I will be available at the venue during the show to discuss the work meet me or catch up.   Please contact me if you wish to meet me there and want to know the dates when I will be available or to make an appointment.