LIFE’S UPS AND DOWNS

Have gone to Life Drawing on and off the last twenty odd years you get to know when a particular session is just not going to go well. Those times when you just cannot put a line down right, and the situation grows worse. Going round and looking at everyone else’s works at the tea break helps little. Time to wash brushes and palette, swear under one’s breath and move on.

It maybe all in the mind, and ‘all in the mind’ might be the definition of drawing anyway.

THAT’S LIFE

MONDRIAN || NICHOLSON: IN PARALLEL

I was lucky enough to just get to the Courtauld to see exhibition explores the largely untold relationship between Piet Mondrian and Ben Nicholson during the 1930s. At this time the two artists were leading abstract art in Europe.

Nicholson and Mondrian's friendship culminated with Mondrian moving to London in 1938, at Nicholson's invitation, where they worked in neighbouring Hampstead studios at the centre of a community of the avant-garde.

SA·YO·NA·RA SINGAPORE

23:59

Come on, a lot of us have done. Heading out of Singapore. No so much a country more a corporation. Heading home and the ghostly limbs of the trees, lit by the streetlight as we head out on the main road to the airport wave me bye-bye. 

Singapore, the cleanest place in the world, cheerfully charging £12 for a beer, service with a smile. “You first customer price I make you best price,”

Four days of working with talented individuals, to make a difference to make to their pitches, sales messages and ability to win more business.

Some drawings completed – the artistic faith is kept. 

MUMBAI CRICKET CLUB

Thursday Evening

The flight from Delhi to Mumbai (Bombay) was cancelled and the next flight an hour later was delayed by 45 minutes so my level of grumpiness was medium. Very late into Bombay however it was a pleasure 27 degrees in the airport car park. Thus by car, though the dull heat and dust, to the Mumbai Cricket Association Leisure Complex, known locally as the MCA: This were the next two workshops (Friday and Saturday) were being held and my home for three nights.

The MCA looks like and Edwardian gentleman’s club, gently spinning ceiling fans, dark wood everywhere, the basins in the washrooms large enough in which to bathe, palms and servants smartly dressed and on hand.

The cricket pitch itself was being re-laid by a team of people that seemed up at dawn and working through to 7pm each night. 

I survived my stay on some excellent food and Kingfisher beers each evening. The staff were most attentive, to extent that the room service boy stood holding the plug in position in the power socket whilst I ironed my shirt (neither of us could figure out where the loose connection was).

BOM to SIN

Sunday afternoon: As I write this this we are heading into Singapore, with 27 minutes and 214 km to landing. I rose at 4am early Sunday morning and scooped up by my driver and through the multitude of slow security checks at the airport and then wedged between to giants on a 777-200 for 4 hours and 20 minutes.  Singapore

A BONZA BIRYANI IN DEHLI

Lunchtime takes on a special meaning in New Delhi, we enjoyed a wonderful Biryani called Hydrabadi Dum Biryani,  a little on the spicy side for an English boy but really excellent! And nice to sit down in the  kitchen with the team and debate the cuisine of the sub-continent.

ANOTHER GREAT EVENING IN BENGAL

We journeyed to the other side of town, to the Old Bengal Restaurant for another excellent meal.

I enjoyed the Tandoori Makhon Chicken a dainty dish comprising boneless chicken pieces (stripped lovingly from tandoori chicken) ‘cooked with aromatic spices, ground cashew nut butter, coconut milk and a touch of herbs in a thick creamy sauce’. This was escorted by a couple of Tiger Beers.

Peshwari Nan (Stuffed with coconut, almonds, nuts and sultanas), plain rice and Motor Ponir (Cheese and Peas) were temptingly by my side.

After an drawing made at our table (for which a generous portion of Onion Bhaji’s arrived at the table) I was asked across to the other side of the restaurant to make a drawing of a party of twenty people celebrating some delightful creature’s 18^th Birthday.

Making my way back to our table I was provided with a large brandy and also passed Davie’s brandy to drink both of which were the quid pro quo for my birthday party sketch.

I might apply for Artist-in-Residence.  Featured here. The chaps in the restaurant admiring my work (Jokes).

A CRASH COURSE IN CAIRO

Arrived at midnight on Friday and 60 minutes later was in the hotel. Awoke, it was Saturday and preparation day for the workshop’s on digital media for marketing teams in Egyptian Tourist Authority. Small poolside experience before the sun set.

Workshops went well especially as the second one, for Monday’s group comprised the younger generation of marketeers, fresh out of college, more-or-less, and full of ideas -they took to the exercises and challenged the material.  These are the people who will build a new Egypt!

Hotel excellent; view of the Nile and the sound of traffic drifted up every day. A city of browns and purples:  

The Marriot was a former palace sequestered by Nasser way back when and Sadat sold it to Marriot Hotels. Nationalisation for the great good or well, I appreciated it.  Headed out to the airport midday Tuesday for the flight to Dubai and onwards to Delhi.