I finished painting in the main colour ares of COMPTON ACRES.  Symbols and other thematic elements remain to be added.

I spent much of today reinforcing the lines of the circle based LANDSCAPE.  A very tedious process!

I did a very quick initial pencil sketch for another Wing "Dryad" painting to be entitled LADY OF THE FOREST.  Designed as a pendant for the recently completed painting, it is much nearer the original version of 1976.  I often work in pairs - I am not sure why.

I also did some very preliminary work on a another landscape called OBJECTS IN A LANDSCAPE.  It will be very similar to the two earlier works.  I have started four other small works.  One of which is destined to be a self-portrait (of sorts!) and the remainder will be landscapes in a fairly simple style.  I am working in my head on some larger scale versions of these latter paintings.

More reinforcing of LANDSCAPE lines - still very tedious!

I finally finished the painting, in the end called, ION LANDSCAPE.  I am hoping to do other "Ion" circle based works, including a large scale triptych.

Started painting in both of the "Studio View" paintings: VIEW FROM THE OLD STUDIO & VIEW FROM THE OLD STUDIO WITH INVISIBLE SWAN.

Cut, prepared and primed six panels for another series of simpler landscapes.  I paint these to be more accessible but I expect they will be found as indecipherable as usual!

Started work on the preliminary drawing of six new works.  Did the initial drawing in water soluble oils of the new OBJECTS IN A LANDSCAPE (which may end up being called something else!) and another work, provisionally called FOOLS GOLDEN AGE.

I also very quickly sketched in, using an HB pencil, two fairly expressionistic landscapes.  Both were taken from a book of photographs of country railway scenes.

Finished the initial drawing in of  IMAGINARY LANDSCAPE - A FOOLS GOLDEN AGE and redrew in paint one of the loose landscapes started yesterday.  This one is provisionally entitled A NEW PENNINE WAY. Based on a photograph of a railway viaduct in a remote landscape, it is another attempt of integrating symbol sequences with the real scenery that initiates them.

Finished off the drawing in of A NEW PENNINE WAY and also redrew the other expressionistic sketch.  This work has the provisional title of A NEW CORFE CASTLE.  This one is again based on a railway scene with Corfe castle in the background.

Loosely sketched a garden scene roughly based on the garden at Sissinghurst Castle.  This will be one of a pair, with the second, probably much less linear orientated.

Redefined the drawing of the first Sissinghurst Castle Landscape.  I may not keep to the lines as I want to produce a looser feel to this work and it's pendant.

I also redrew in water soluble oil paint the second of Manfred Wing's LADY OF THE FOREST paintings.

Sunday:  I did less than an hour's art work  today.  I spent the remaining time, catching up on paperwork, gardening and, extremely unusual for me, doing nothing.

I roughly sketched in pencil the main shapes and perceived grid structure for a portrait of a boy.  The features generating the grid into which symbols will be laid.

Also roughly sketched in pencil another of the more expressionistic (and more colourful) landscapes - actually they are gardens or gardenscapes!

Painted in all but the perimeter of the new version of OBJECTS IN A LANDSCAPE.

Redefined the lines in oil paint of the landscape pencilled in yesterday.  I am improving the lines but keeping the loose look.  I will have much less time to paint tomorrow (and none at all on Wednesday) so I had to make the most of today.

Redefined in oil the pencil sketch of a young boy done on Sunday.  Simplified the face area in the process to make the grid more functional.

Painted the perimeter and retouched/finished OBJECTS IN A LANDSCAPE.  Also painted perimeters of  A NEW PENNINE WAY, ON LEAVING CORFE CASTLE and IMAGINARY LANDSCAPE: THE FOOLS GOLDEN AGE.

Painted in A NEW PENNINE WAY using conventionally descriptive colours.  The blocks holding the symbols will need to be repainted.  The symbols will be spontaneous portrayals of a perceived life force.

Finished A NEW PENNINE WAY by completing the symbol blocks.

Painted in ON LEAVING CORFE CASTLE.  The blocks holding diagrams representing various journeys have the background colour only.

Painted in IMAGINARY LANDSCAPE: THE FOOLS GOLDEN AGE.  I need to add symbols representing "elementary spirits" and also redefine the lines and enhance the colours.  The work was painted quickly because of a shortage of time today.

Redefined the lines of IMAGINARY LANDSCAPE: A NEW GOLDEN AGE - new title as well!

Started painting in a new landscape (based on the garden at Sissinghurst Castle).  I meant it to be relatively conventional in terms of the use of the colour but I have deviated wildly straight away!

I spent the morning continuing to paint in the "Sissinghurst Castle" garden painting.

In the afternoon I started to tidy and clean my studio.  The first time for nearly two and a half years!

I have finished cleaning my studio!!  So great was the feeling of elation that I dusted my library as well!!!

Finished painting in the"Sissinghurst Castle" garden painting - with the exception of the perimeter band.  I have left a band round my oils since the large series of Meditative Process paintings of the early nineties.  Initially I glued a mount to this perimeter space but eventually painted it in.  I am not sure if the practice is fully compatible with the current series of relatively simple landscapes although it is decreasing in size.

Painted in the symbols in ON LEAVING CORFE CASTLE.  These are variations on the castle motif.  A departure from my orginal plan.

I also touched up some of the lines of A NEW PENNINE WAY.  I have resisted the temptation to darken all of them however.

Started painting in the second "Sissinghurst Castle" garden painting.

I completed both of the "Sissinghurst Castle" garden paintings - both now called STILL LIFE GARDEN.

I also completed ON LEAVING CORFE CASTLE.

As I had a little time to spare I made a start painting in one of the new series of "Grid Portraits":  This one entitled  SMALL BOY IN A LARGE HAT.

I finished COMPTON ACRES by adding all the symbols to the blocks which contain them.  I enhanced some of the lines but I am cultivating a loose approach to the perimeter lines in this painting.

Painted in most of SMALL BOY IN A LARGE HAT while listening to the Test match.  England lost with great gusto and defiance!

Finished SMALL BOY IN A LARGE HAT. 

Started painting in Wing's LADY OF THE FOREST.  This is the second variation on a painting originally completed in 1976.

Finished LADY OF THE FOREST.  For me, it is quite loosely painted and the colours are harmonised.

Almost finished IMAGINARY LANDSCAPE - A NEW GOLDEN AGE.  I have painted in all the symbols and some of these will need filling in to complete the painting.  I had previously worked out the initiating symbols.

I have now completely finished IMAGINARY LANDSCAPE - A NEW GOLDEN AGE.

I returned to painting in one of the two "View From My Old Studio".  Both works are based on an earlier painting which portrayed, in a surrealistic style, the view from my first studio - circa 1976.

I continued painting in VIEW FROM MY OLD STUDIO WINDOW.  As it was Sunday I had planned to spend the day gardening but it was excessively hot so I spent the afternoon in my studio.

Another job that should have been done was the stretching of some new canvases.  As an experiment my wife has sown small offcuts of canvas together to make squares to stretch and prime.  I want to do some larger scale landscapes.

I continued to paint in VIEW FROM MY OLD STUDIO WINDOW.  I completed most of the painting save for darkening some lines and painting the perimeter.

I sketched out on paper composition options for a series of larger canvases which I hope to tackle soon.

Repainted a large part of VIEW FROM MY OLD STUDIO WINDOW as I was not happy with the arrangement of colours.  A few years a go this would not have mattered!.  I redefined the lines but I still have to paint the margin.

Started painting in VIEW FROM MY OLD STUDIO WINDOW WITH IMAGINARY SWAN.  I did not get very far before I ran out of time - which is a shame as I have a lot of other committments this week.

Carried on painting in VIEW FROM MY OLD STUDIO WINDOW WITH IMAGINARY SWAN. I am adopting a more cavalier approach to colours in this work.  The colours in the original were very strident and unrealistic.  Unfortunately I will not be able to do any other painting for several days.

A couple of hours painting in more of VIEW FROM MY OLD STUDIO WINDOW WITH IMAGINARY SWAN.

I also spent the first part of the morning making stretchers for some new canvases.  These works will comprise of sections of canvas stitched together and then stretched and primed.  As it is Sunday the afternoon was spent in the garden.

I finished VIEW FROM MY OLD STUDIO WITH IMAGINARY SWAN and also the earlier VIEW FROM MY OLD STUDIO  (by painting in the perimeter section).  I simplified the titles for practical reasons.  I plan to do yet another version much closer to the original: both in terms of size and imagery.  I am not sure if repainting my very early Wing Works is such a good idea but I will probably persevere.

Started work on two new pictures of women.  The most radical is PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST'S WIFE:  In this work the head is reduced to a vertical strip with painted symbols and the bust to a semi-circle.  This was inspired by a picture of the end of an umbrella although it is consisitent with a series of similar works I have been doing since the middle Eighties. 

The second work, entitled MOTHER AND CHILD utilises a "doodle" structure filled in with symbols.  This relates to some paintings of figures completed last year.

I also primed some canvases for a couple of larger landscapes inspired by views of Wessex.

Painted in the main colour area PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST'S WIFE.  Once this is dry I will need to paint into the facial block/strip symbols representing aspects of the character of the sitter.

I started to get  paintings prepared and framed for a forthcoming group exhibition I am organising in Andover.  The show entitled "Modern Artists" will comprise of works of friends of mine who continue to work in the "Modern" idiom.  It is a generic title which I hope to expand.  I staged "Modern Wiltshire Artists" exhibitions in the Nineties with the aim of promoting the art form in this locality.

Painted in the main areas of  MOTHER AND CHILD.  I will have to paint into the facial "doodles" with diagrammatic or symbolic elements which embody the theme..

I continued to prepare work for the forthcoming show.

Bank Holiday.  Finished MOTHER AND CHILD by adding small spontaneous symbols representing the theme.  Also finished, by adding portrait symbols and partially repainting the background, PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST'S WIFE.  The background was repainted in almost the same colour but with more fluid paint, blended in other colours and bolder brush strokes.  A bit of scumbling was necessary on the figure to harmonise with the new colours.

A day out with my wife.  Made some notes of structures for sequential works based on architecture.

Stretched a canvas on my return.

Spent the day preparing for the Modern Artists Exhibition at the Hearn & Scott Gallery.  With a brief excursion out with my wife - just enough time to get soaking wet!.  I hang the show on Monday.  After this I hope to concentrate on some very new work.

Another day spent preparing work and promotional material etc. for the forthcoming Modern Artists Show.  There are five artists taking part, including myself:  One, Joan Jago,  I met though the Free Painters & Sculptors; another, George Perendia, I met through my Ionist Art Group; the third, Geoff Francis, I met through my Artists For Animals project and the fourth, David Jones, is a local artist I contacted specifically for this show.  There is an emphasis on strong abstract work although there are a number of interconnected sub-themes such as music and landscape.

Spent the day hanging the group show in the Hearn & Scott Gallery.  It should have taken less time but there were the usual minor problems: works not fitting in their allocated space etc. etc.  The show looks quite impressive although unfortunately there wasn't enough space for all of George's sculptures.

The morning was spent finishing off the "Modern Artists" exhibition.  In the afternoon I drew in, using charcoal, four new landscapes.  Two are on relatively large canvases  ( made from sewn together strands of canvas) and two are on hardboard.  They are based on views of wessex and consist of spidery lines into which I will paint small symbols.s.

Started to paint the lines of the largest of the new landscapes.  A very slow process!

Finished painting in the lines of the large Wessex landscape.

The morning and evening was spent in paper work related to the current exhibition.

A large part of the morning again spent promoting the new Modern Artists show or the philosophy behind it (The presentation and promotion of more advanced art in the local area).

The afternoon was spent redefining the lines of the second (comparatively) large Wessex view.

Further letters promoting the show in the morning as well as some preparatory work for my next exhibition.

I later redefined in oil the drawing of the other two Wessex views.  Because of their smaller scale they seem a less radical departure from my previous work this summer.

Painted in the main colour areas of a new small sequential landscape.  A schematic representation of a wood with vertical "trunk" strips containing symbols which portray the fundamental forces at work in the scene - as imagined by the artist.

More exhibition letters.

Continuing work on the "Wood" Landscape.

Started painting in another version.  There are three version in this initial series.  All of which are in my small standard size of 12"x16".  I am trying to keep all my framed work to standard sizes.  However the new unframed or strip framed large canvases vary widely.

Yet more exhibition letters.

Did a few minutes painting on the third "Wood" painting but spent most if the day in the garden - although I should have been catching up on my paperwork!

Over committed today so nothing done.

Still over committed but managed to get a couple of hours work done on the new "Wood" landscapes.

Plus further letters!

Still continuing to work on the "Wood" paintings.  I have completed all of the background in each of the three paintings and need only to define the edges of the main colour blocks.

I now finished the first stage of all the "Wood" pictures - including the perimeters.

I also put a thin was of colour on three small sequential works.  The initial pencil lines were completed several months ago.

I have started two of a new series of serious sequential works based on the large landscape canvases:  With linear marks dissecting the space and directing the flow of symbols.

An easy Sunday in the garden - but before chilling out I roughed in (using charcoal) two more of the large canvases.  I am combining simple gestural marks with developing sequences of abbreviated imagery.

I redefined the charcoal lines in oil of two of the new canvases.  This is quite a protracted task and possibly not a good use of my time as I often have to go over them again when I have filled in all the areas with colour.

Redefined the lines of the last of the four large canvases.

Started painting in one of the new landscapes.  All are untitled but I am working on a shortlist of titles and themes.

Finished the first layer of paint in the landscape I started yesterday.  I am working on a series of titles for these landscapes that reflect the change of emphasis in my work.  I am re-adopting a far more radical and experimental approach to picture making.

Started painting in the main layer of another of the new landscapes.  Both of these first works are on hardboard but the remainder are larger in scale and on canvas.

Varnished works for all three forthcoming shows.

Finished the main layer of paint of the hardboard landscape.

Started to paint in one of the larger canvas landscapes.  Using a very light palette.

Took down the "Modern Artists" exhibition at the Hearn & Scott Gallery.  The show proved surprisingly successful.

George kindly delivered six works for the Free Painters & Sculptors exhibition at Osterley House.

Spent the morning and some of the afternoon getting works ready for my solo show in Marlborough and group show in Andover.  Discovered belatedly that I had almost run out of retouching varnish!

Hung my exhibition in Marlborough in the morning.  The afternoon was spent preparing paintings for exhibition and working on the new landscapes.  I am working in muted colours with strong lines to which symbols can be grouped.

I rediscovered the importance of having a title or title/theme first.  The title has implicit imagery or ideas which can be developed or conversely can control/constrain the imagination and flow of symbols.

Things went awry today.  I should have spent the whole day painting but something cropped up and I only managed an hour!  I am still working on the large abstracted landscape.