đź“– 7 Books in 16 languages đź“š including: How To Change The World A Modest Book About How To Make An Adequate Speech.
Blood rushed from my fingertips, weirdly.
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A weird thing happened after I booked the venue for my solo art show: blood drained from my fingers, turning them yellow. They tingled painfully. I took photos to show my wife:
​ If you don’t know already, I’m doing my first-ever solo art show, at a gallery in Hampstead. I’ve loved it, but also panicked a lot. I think that must explain the fingertip thingy. Tomorrow is the last day. Tomorrow, I’ll send details of the pictures in this show, and how you can buy them. ​ The private view was on Tuesday. More people attended than I had any right to expect, given that I booked the venue only six days beforehand. Wednesday was relatively busy. Thursday, with rain, was quiet. Yesterday brought a delightful succession of visitors - and I sold the largest canvas in the show, which was a TOTAL surprise, because nobody had stopped to look at it before that. Not one. That picture has been at the door of my office for about two years. I’m starting to miss it already. But in a good way, because I really want all these pictures to go to new homes and give other people pleasure. ​ ​ One of the great things about doing this show is that it forced me to do things. For example: in the six days between booking the venue and opening the show, I painted five new pictures. It also forced me to get in touch with people I haven’t been in touch with for a long time - and that is SUCH a blessing. How amazing to be back in touch with J—— with whom I travelled across the US. We haven’t seen each other for 30 years (thirty!). Also, people I have known in different parts of my working life have got in touch, and even subscribed to this newsletter. One, C———, is an eminent journalist. In a private email to me, she said nice things about my art and asked if I still do any journalism. I replied: For years I suppressed my strong urge to make and share art because I suppose I thought I "should" just be a writer.
​ It took a breakdown to make me see that art is fundamental for me. (I made about 250 pictures in psychiatric hospital, almost exactly seven years ago.)
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I've deliberately moved away from being a two-journalist household, as it doesn't seem a particularly secure industry. So I don't do a lot of journalism, no. But I love it when there is something really interesting to me. This newsletter is a bit like journalism. It has been written at great haste, a 9.49am on Saturday morning and the gallery opens in 11 mins, so I must rush. Please forgive any errors, etc etc. Thank you for reading. ​ ​ Magnolias of HampsteadVenue: Burgh House, New End Square, London NW3 ​ ​
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John-Paul Flintoff
đź“– 7 Books in 16 languages đź“š including: How To Change The World A Modest Book About How To Make An Adequate Speech.
Did you read yesterday’s email As well as drawing her - in her office in Wiltshire on Sunday - I took photos to use as reference as I continue to work on her portrait. “Her”? The former very senior editor at The Times, author and presenter of various flagship BBC radio programmes. The woman I mentioned in yesterday’s email. I hope you got that email. My intention is to send THIS email, which you’re reading now, only to people who received yesterday’s, and actively opted in to receive more in...
On Sunday I drove from London to Wiltshire. Just after Stonehenge I turned off the A303 and continued for a short distance until I came into a village. (Hello Reader. This is my newsletter.) There was scaffolding on the front of the first house and a cattle grid at the gates. I drove across, then along the driveway. I had come to start work on a new portrait. (I call this series Portraits of Interesting People in their Offices, or Poipitos.) The Interesting Person in question is a woman,...
Today’s date: 25 March 2025 Hello Reader This is the January newsletter for Special Projects members. Thank you for being one. Here’s a drawing of my friends Jo and Steve, at the gallery where I showed my magnolia prints and original paintings in Feb. I asked them to pose in echo of a well known Hockney painting, Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy. Various reasons: I wanted to make a picture while my magnolia pictures were on the gallery walls, as a kind of reminder to myself in years to come of how...