http://www.antoniarolls.blogspot.com/ for my other blog on being an artist and a mother
www.justgiving.com/agracefuldeath for the donations page for St Barnabas House Hospice
I am aware that the exhibition date is looming. I have taken on a huge subject and spent two years painting my story. I have thought and pondered and mulled over what happened and have come up with this small exhibition of about 20 paintings.
The paintings are stark. They are images of a man before his death folding in on himself and each image is painted by the person who loved him and had to accept his going. I do intrude on the pictures, I have painted Steve as he died but I have presented him to you as I saw him and in some of them, there is a real atmosphere of my distress.
Today I spoke to the Chichester Guardian Arts Reporter, Phil Hewitt. He is a deeply perceptive man who seems to understand the importance of the exhibition. I hope that article will come out by the 30 November. I have dates for A Graceful Death going to Birmingham for Lent. It is being hosted by Queens Theological College and I am very excited. I hope to say a few words to the college about the paintings, and look forward to it. A very kind friend in London has offered me her house to show the Graceful Death there, and that will work well. Not only has she a very nice house, but she knew Steve and is a very efficient and kind lady. I hope to link each showing with a local hospice so that hospices in general get as much publicity ( and funds, I hope) as possible.
On the Sunday 6 December at 8.40 am I will be talking to Gavin Ashenden on the Faith programme on BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey
I am waiting to hear from Bremmen in Germany, who want the exhibition over Easter. That will work well, because it will be shown next to the Cathedral in the most lovely German town.
All this is good. I am beginning to see results to the seemingly endless time I have spent trying to paint, explain and promote this exhibition. I do think it is still only the beginning. There is much ahead. I hope I can make some difference. We will see. And I still have one more painting to do, the last and possibly most important one yet.
Wow - you've been so busy! I haven't been getting updates to this blog and thought you weren't filling it in. Will subscribe again in case it helps. Maybe you could put links on Facebook so people can't miss the updates? Well done on all this. I look forward to the exhibition, and to that radio programme. Take care and keep up the good work!
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