Wallington

Just had a trip to Wallington Hall. It really is a beautiful place. Given modern entry costs if you're near some sites you want to visit more than once it's worth joining. 

The National Trust has a new attitude to photos in a lot of places. Previously you weren't allowed to take photos, but now you can as long as the flash is off, but be prepared for people to wander through your shot, because I swear they don't even know where they are, let alone you!

Some more

Matisse was accused of doing things any child could do, and he answered very cheerfully, ‘Yes, but not what you could do.’ Allan Kaprow

Jarski, Rosemarie (2010-09-02). Funniest Thing You Never Said 2 (p. 364). Ebury Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Sculpture is the art of the hole and the lump. Auguste Rodin

 We sculptors are generally less nervy than painters because we get a chance to hammer out our neuroses. Henry Moore

He didn’t like heads, did he? John Prescott, opening an exhibition of Henry Moore’s sculptures
To be a sculptor you need to be one part artist and nine parts navvy. John Skeaping

For Alberto Giacometti, to sculpt is to take the fat off space. Jean-Paul Sartre

I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Michelangelo Buonarroti

Jarski, Rosemarie (2010-09-02). Funniest Thing You Never Said 2 (p. 366). Ebury Publishing. Kindle Edition.

This made me smile

I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade... And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.

Ron White

I don't even like vodka. I used to like Tequila, but I gave myself alcohol poisoning and was off school for a week!

Heating

Well, at least least last night I got some sleep but not  enough, it still resulted in the overconsumption of biscuits! We used to have a shop that sold gifty type things, but it went bottoms up. It had no gas so it had a lovelt flame effect electric heater, with a remote control! It's a shame but it had to go somewhere and I had my eye on that heater from the moment we knew we were closing because in my bedroom if you have a glass of water on your sidestand you can bet it'll be frozen by morning. Now there it is in pride of place and I'm not going to freeze my wotsits off!

Cottages

I've been on for ages with my cottage picture, only to find that it looks far too small compared to everything, but not small enough to pretend it's a gnome house. I'm going to use multi media (cheat) by scanning in the picture, removing the house and putting a lovely little cottage in that I can find somewhere on the internet. It isn't really cheatin because art is digital now anyway isn't it and it seems such a shame to dump it...

Awake

That was a weird night. If you read my previous post you'll know why. Well things have improved with the sunshine, but the attempt I made with my painting is going to take some fixing. 

I have spoken about visual art, but what about written. My favourite books are Three Men in a Boat and Zen Art for Meditation. I have first editions of each,an 1884 of boat andother copies of.each in czse something happens to one of them. I also have a copy of Boat on my Kindle. It sounds zodd I know but they usually make me feel jolly. You should polick up some copies...

Vermeer

Lying here unable to sleep as usual. I have depression you se and sometimes it makes things move that really ought to be still and sometimes there are things that aren't there at all. Have you ever had the feeling there's someone under the bed? Could you sleep? No? My mind turns to two paintings by Vermeer (painted the Girl in the Pearl Earring). I'm thinking of the Geographer and the Astronomer. They remind me of the Iron Maiden album Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Or maybe it's just my state of mind. I'm sure it'll be different at dawn,,,