This woman, in this room? Unimaginable just four years ago.

She was in prison, in Iran.

And - more trivially - I couldn’t have dreamed that I would be doing a solo show of my art.

​

​

You may recall that in 2021 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband Richard went on hunger strike outside the Foreign Office in London.

He was protesting at the UK government’s failure to get his wife released.

I went to see him.

I wasn’t on assignment or anything. It was just me, doing it because I felt it was important to show a bit of support.

I ended up drawing what I saw, and posted several drawings on Instagram.

To my astonishment I received a message of thanks that same day from Nazanin herself - then still captive in Iran.

At first I thought the message was a hoax.

But it wasn’t.

​

I’d not met Nazanin till yesterday (Saturday), when she came to Burgh House to see my show, “Magnolias of Hampstead”.

She came with a family member who took this photo.

I’m very proud to be in the photo with her.

And delighted that she chose to stand in front of that particular picture of magnolias, at the top of Fortune Green Road.

​
​

Book launch v. art show

As an author, I’ve done seven book launches - but a solo art show is different.

The main difference - as I feel it now, anyway - is that an author is asking people to be interested in a single, unitary work that is entirely contained between two covers, and available in many identical copies for not a huge amount of money.

Even the most expensive books aren’t that expensive.

An artist at a solo show is asking people to consider a body of work that is made up of different individual pieces that may never be seen together again.

Some pieces may be affordable, others less so.

Prices are very public - very exposing - and my inner critic had a great time with them as I prepared to instal this show.

In the first days, I found it awkward to talk about pricing.

And I daresay people found it hard to ask me.

Unable to bear it any longer, I printed up a price list on day two and started talking openly about prices. Now it’s really not such a big deal.

I guess it’s about practice, like so much else.

​

Gosh, I’ve learned so much this week.

​

​

Show ends today

I’m told it gets very busy at Burgh House on Sundays - what with all the people going for walks on Hampstead Heath nearby.

So I’m bracing myself.

I got up at 5am to prepare various things - including writing this email.

​

It was undoubtedly very bonkers to book a gallery with less than a week to go, never having done this before.

But it’s been fun.

I’ve had a lot of visitors and I’ve sold more pictures than I dreaded / fewer than I hoped.

(I hoped to sell them ALL, obviously. I’ll miss them, but I want them to give other people pleasure.)

​

Two of the biggest works have gone. They’re both paintings, on canvas.

For your info, one sold at the full price, the other sold at a discount: the buyer asked for a discount and it seemed reasonable so I said yes.

A few other original paints remain available. (Details below.)

​

Many limited edition prints have sold, but others remain available.

• Each one is numbered and signed by me
• With a certificate of authenticity
• Printed on archival 300gsm (ie, heavy) textured Hahnemuhle German Etching paper
• Size: A2 (420mm x 594)

​

You can see all the pictures on this page👇🏻, on my website:
​https://flintoff.org/art/portfolio/magnolias-of-hampstead​

If something doesn’t make sense, that’s probably because I’m exhausted. Forgive me, and if you have questions just ask.

​

I hope you’ll take a look.

After all, the magnolias are intended to be uplifting.

PS. Here’s the link again: https://flintoff.org/art/portfolio/magnolias-of-hampstead​

​

​

​