Cancer Chic

Finally, the painting of Nushi Khan Levy is done.  I have Nushi's agreement to show it so now we can all say Wow Nushi, so this is Cancer Chic! You do it so well.

Nushi is full of colour and life.  She is also fragile and changing her life.  This painting, along with some text from our interview with her is now ready for the next exhibition in Birmingham in November 2011.  The venue for that will be St Martin in the Bullring, and the Opening Party is probably going to be Thursday November 3 in the evening.  I will confirm everything when I have all the details.  It will be very soon, I have a list stretching the entire length of the studio of things to do, people to phone, arrangements to be made.  I shall love showing Nushi there.  I also hope to have Stuart and Sue Pryde finished for November.  If you remember, Stuart came to stay from Scotland in order for Eileen and me to work with him on a work that remembers his wife Sue, who killed herself three years ago in August.  It feels very important to have Stuart and Sue ready to exhibit with Nushi.

Two important developments for A Graceful Death -

1.  Eileen Rafferty (www.eileenrafferty.blogspot.com) is now officially a joint exhibitor.  Eileen has been with the exhibition from day one, and does so much for it.  Her photographic work is invaluable for AGD and recently she has been adding sound and moving image to her portfolio.  She will be contributing her own work photographically, with sound, and with the moving image to work alongside the paintings.  I am so relieved.  Eileen is such a good artist!

2.  AGD is going to show in St James's in Piccadilly next year, 2012.  I am so excited about this.  It has been suggested that the exhibition starts on Passion Sunday and runs through to Easter Day.  The symbolism is profound.  The most painful and important part of the Christian calender is the time leading up to Easter.  It is a time to remember how Christ died and why, and is full of reflection on the end of life.  Christ's passion, as it is called, is the story of his death by crucifixion, including the despair of the days leading up to his arrest and his knowledge of all that he had to endure.  During this time of Lent, we remember our mortality and the hope of life after death which is symbolised with the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Day.  It is fitting that the exhibition will be taken down on Easter Day.  I am honoured that St James's in Piccadilly is allowing A Graceful Death to show at this incredibly sensitive and important time for Christians.  Thank you to Lucy Winkett, the Rector, and the Church council that have agreed to go ahead with it.

I am starting work on Stuart and Sue Pryde by the end of this month, and will post the paintings on here, subject to Stuart's approval, when I have done them.  So now, I had better tackle that list that seems to be growing in front of my eyes, and get, as they say, the show on the road.