Paintings Are In Dublin, I Follow Soon.

www.antoniarolls.co.uk for my website
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www.antoniarolls.blogspot.com for an account of an Artist and Mother in Bognor Regis

The Paintings Are In Dublin, The Studio Is Strangely Empty

This weekend, the paintings went to Ireland.  My Hosts, who are privately showing the A Graceful Death exhibition, have been offered  transport from a very longstanding family friend, to collect the paintings from Bognor to Dublin and return them after the exhibition.  One of the Host's oldest friends came over in his huge car on the Saturday, packed up all the exhibition and left on the Sunday to drop them off at the Venue.  I have known this extremely kind man for many years, but have never really talked to him.  It was a good opportunity to speak with him and take time to get to know him a little.  My dear Exhibition Host came too, and so my house was filled with jolly Irish men, something I could get used to.  The fact that they were here out of the kindness and support of the exhibition was wonderful.

I have a radio interview in Dublin on either this coming Saturday or next Saturday.  I will talk about A Graceful Death and what the exhibition is for, about how it came about and where it is going.  More on that nearer the time.

The exhibition is growing.  This time last year I was gearing up for my first showing of it here in West Sussex, and had no real idea of where it would go or what would happen to it.  That first showing did not go as planned, but it still got a huge response.  I was very nervous, it was the most important thing I had ever done in paint.  Now, I take the exhibition to Ireland.  I have no idea how it will be received, but I must be prepared for anything.  The good thing is that no one need come to see the paintings unless they want to.  One can't stumble on them by accident, they won't suddenly appear before you unless, you make the effort to come.  My Hosts are showing the A Graceful Death privately, and want an invitation only exhibition.  I am very happy with this, I am lucky to have the opportunity to come over and show the paintings.  If I get another venue in Ireland that is not so private, I will be happy to print the address and invite you all.  I do want you all to come and see them.  It is so important that we talk about dying.  I know so little about it, I have never done it, and this is only my first experience of it.  But it has been a miracle.  I will be shattered by every death I witness, I know there are more to come, and one day, my own will come.  But Steve gave me the most extraordinary gift, one that had I been prewarned I would have refused;  he gave me the experience of the end of life and the miracle of death.  And because I am a painter, I painted my way through it.  And I still am.

I will let know how it goes.  I will photo it and if I can, take a few video shots of it.  I will tape the interview and I hope I can put a link to it here too if I can. 

I won't be seeing the paintings in the studio for a good long while now, as the kind fellow who drove them to Dublin is returning them directly to Manchester, where they will be shown in February 2011.  They are showing in St Nicholas Church, Burnage, Manchester with the most marvellous Rev Rachel Mann.  I hope to take my film making friend to make a film of A Graceful Death, the paintings and the experience.  That, I think, would be absolutely wonderful. 

Opening night is on Thursday 21 October.  Not long now!