2026 in Pisticci…good working day….

I finished the portrait commission. It looks good.

So I’ve decided that I’m on holiday now.

Painting for myself doesn’t count as work.

It has been a day of deliveries.

First 4 notebooks arrived from China.

Then a portable metal easel, 6 new canvases and a repair set to use on my frame.

And finally my extra neocolours arrived. Brilliant!

Then an unexpected delivery of old frames arrived.

I’ve cleaned them all, taken the glass out and tried some paintings in them. Then laid away the ones that don’t fit any current canvas.

However some of them fitted.

These 2 need a little work, but look quite decent.

I spent ages looking online for a frame to fit this size of painting and now the perfect one has arrived as if by magic.

Although I quite like it the way it is I may paint it all wine coloured and then distress it with gold. I can use the frame to demonstrate how small paintings can look good.

Or having looked at it again maybe I’ll matt varnish it and leave it alone.

In between going to the door to receive parcels I tried to paint this lady again.

Not liking it very much. May have a play with it tomorrow. I dont need it now for the exhibition.

It’s been a long day.

I went out last night to the piazza Lombardy. I enjoyed being part of the crowd, but after sitting on a stone step for an hour and a half I left before the fire eaters. Must take a scarf to sit on next time. A cushion would be better.