Today started with David Hockney.

Before lockdown I wasn’t particularly interested in him or his paintings. I don’t remember how I first came to watch a video of him on youtube. But after that I watched lots more about him. It is not necessarily what he has painted that I like ….except for the portraits- I love them…. but it is his enthusiasm for painting, for trying new things, his excitement about what he does next , his love of nature and curiosity about everything. I want to be a bit like that.

So while I was waiting for the water to heat up to wash my hair , I lay in bed and watched some of , I think , 80 short films to celebrate his 80th birthday. I hope I can catch some of what he has.

The middle part of the day involved me continually “fixing” my latest portraits. When I eventually changed the shoulder on the wrong painting ( there are 2 the same) and had to repaint part of the sea I decided enough was enough. They are signed now and done.

In between “fixing” things on the paintings I decided to repair my slipper socks. In lockdown when there was no way to replace anything I got a lot of pleasure out of fixing things with what I had. I am very pleased with the results. I stuck a jam jar inside while I sewed and it worked perfectly.

It’s Saturday so I didn’t have to make myself go out. I didn’t. I probably should have.

However when I was flicking through videos on youtube looking for something arty to watch. ( I try and only watch entertaining things after 6pm) I found that Jonathon Yeo was going to be live on youtube at 4pm. I have watched all his lockdown portrait painting videos but had never watched one live. It was quite exciting . He had painted Jamie Oliver and this was the first time Jamie had seen the portrait.

I like Jonathon yeo . I like his portraits but I also like that he was self taught and seems, despite being pretty amazing, to have some of the same insecurities as I do. ( I also realised what has been bothering me about some of my latest portraits.)

It was my first experience of watching a live video. Apparently he has an app now available where it is like you are in his studio watching him paint.

Finally it is wine time. I may watch a film I bought a while ago tonight as am not going out. Tomorrow I need to make myself go out. But for now I might go and get my newly repaired slippersocks , glass of wine and sit on the doorstep for a while.