In 1988 I started to study to be a paintings conservator. It was the discovery of a new and different passion, one that fortunately has become my career.
I continued to draw and paint over the next decade or so but not as regularly. Nonetheless, I find it interesting to look back over the work from those years. Museum objects appear, and different places and people, and often the places are inextricably linked with the people and the moment. Some of the principal players appear in People
Russia
Russian Church, 1989
Russian Village, 1989
Russian Church, 1989
Johann Liss, “The Punishment of Marsyas” (detail), The Pushkin Museum, Moscow, 1989
Rubens, “Ecce Homo” (detail), Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, 1989
Luca Giordano, “Vulcan’s Forge” (detail), Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, 1989
El Greco, “Saints Peter and Paul” (detail), Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, 1989
Town Square – late afternoon, Würzburg (?), Bavaria, 1993
USA
Santa Monica, Los Angeles, 1991
Fort Worth, Texas, 1993
Fort Worth, Texas, 1993
Fort Worth, Texas, 1993
Crete
Crete, 1995 (?)
Crete, 1995 (?)
Crete, 1995 (?)
Crete, 1995 (?)
Crete, 1995 (?)
Crete, 1995 (?),
Knossos, Crete, 1995 (?),
Crete, 1995 (?)
Crete, 1995 (?)
Italy
Interior, Ischia, 1997
Alleyway, Moonlight, Ischia, 1997
The House, Ischia, 1997
Terraces, Ischia, 1997
Tree, Ischia, 1997
Landscape, Ischia, 1997
Landscape, Ischia, 1997
Storm, Ischia, 1997
Sant’Angelo, Ischia, 1997
Sant’Angelo, Ischia, 1997
Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, 2000
Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, 2000
San Miniato al Monte, 2000
Volterra, 2000
Isola Maggiore, 2000
Piazza del Popolo, Todi, 2000
Isola Maggiore, 2000
Lake Trasimeno, 2000
Church Interior, Umbria, 2000
Statue, Church Interior, Umbria, 2000
Bridge, Umbria, 2000
Archway, Umbria, 2000
Archway, Umbria, 2000
Archway, Umbria, 2000
Lake Garda, 1996 (?)
Lake Garda, 1996 (?)
Lake Garda, 1996 (?)
Lake Garda, 1996 (?)
Lake Garda, 1996 (?)
Sun Behind Cloud, Ischia, 1997
Sant’Angelo, Ischia, 1997
Harbor, Sant’Angelo, Ischia, 1997
Landscape, Ischia, 1997
Sant’Angelo, Ischia, 1997
Umbrian Church, 2000
I wish I had made a habit of recording location and date but unfortunately I only started that very recently. Specifics of where and when – the geographical and chronological coordinates, are fuzzy, but the emotional ones are not. They are, no doubt, impacted by the knowledge of all that has happened since, but the images are still very immediate reminders of how I felt at a particular moment.
I met Mark in 2001. We had a great first holiday together in Corfu. It felt like a curious choice for me – the location that is! I took along materials to paint not sure how it would work out. I discovered an infinitely patient and encouraging companion.
