Terry spending ten days in Cape Town at the medical library for a big job that needs to be completed by the end of February. It means that the studio has been filled with smoke from our laptops working overtime as she prioritises the information overload and I try and get my head back around the sustainable development world. Not sure my general knowledge sufficient for the highly specialized work required.

With the car in Cape Town with Terry, a bicycle is my transport (Polly not one bit impressed). The years since I last cycled telling in the dangerous ‘looking over the shoulder to see what’s coming’ maneuver that also results in the bicycle moving halfway across the road. I probably need L-plates. Although my running shoes and normal shorts, plus always being in the wrong gear are probably enough of a warning. I’m getting used to he ‘passing right’ call from speeding, Lycra-clad cyclists. My bicycle, which isn’t mine at all and has been kindly leant to me by Philip, has attracted admiring glances. Tyron (the cycle shop guy), who sorted the peddles and seat position, tastefully pointed out that I was using the gearing all wrong. Bit like giving a sports car to a tractor driver!

On the easel a painting of William. I used the same sized canvas that I used for the portrait of Sinni and similar proportions for the composition, based on the golden-rule points. I used a limited ‘Zorn’ palette of Burnt Sienna (Red earth colour) and Raw Sienne (yellow earth colour), with Ultramarine Blue. Fun to use because you have to focus on the value structure and the warm/cool dimension. You also watch your edges more. This really makes you pin down the structure of what you  are representing and the light.

A couple more paintings heading to new homes. The wrapping station up and running!