A FRENCH FLING WITH SUZANNE & JOHN

Just to prove that it's not all play and no work, here we are with a painting we did on Day One.
(We're waiting for the Guggenheim agent to call).

And here we are in Condom (a name no one should forget - and that younger people should never be without!)
It's a team photo with the Three Musketeers - and  Dartagnan.

Blaise Monluc invented a wonderful apero called Pousse Rapiere which we tasted in his  chateau, first built on the site in the 10h century.

St Emilion, near Bordeaux,  is one of the great wine producing centres in the world.
Here we are while we could still stand.
(Come back soon for more posts)

THEY'RE BACK!

This is their SEVENTH VISIT and they've brought some friends.
The usual connection problems were solved by EATING WHILE WAITING.
Those who arrived first - Suzanne, John, Jan and Michelle - went into Toulouse for lunch while Ed and Dawn were still in the air.
It rained a lot at the Fources Flower Show, but we just ignored all that and concentrated on EATING AND DRINKING (after all that's what everyone does in Gascony).

A simple salad starter at Le Florida on Capitol Square

Competing with the flowers in Fources

Dawn painted this exact scene BEFORE SHE CAME TO FRANCE

Team shot with Ray's pigeonnier

FBI or CIA?

MICHAEL JACKSON

I was never a fan of Michael Jackson, but, what an amazingly beautiful, androgynous face! And no doubt a great song writer and dancer. (Thriller is still the best selling album ever).

But he seems to have increasingly lost control of his life. A series of scandals - and then sedatives, pain killers and other drugs eventually led to a cardiac arrest.

So, a seriously interesting face - and that's why I painted him.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

When I was checking the latin name of this dog, I noticed that it's name seems to have changed. When I was a kid it was called a Cape Hunting Dog. (Now it seems to be known as the African Hunting Dog.) Like the hyena, it wasn't very popular, and most people rated it little above vermin.
My point of view, for what it's worth, is that it's a rather beautiful animal.

If you'd like it (on your wall) please go to:

http://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-AFRICAN-HUNTING-DOG-ENDANGERED-ANIMAL-SERIES/183452/2382107/view

AND ANOTHER ENDANGERED ANIMAL

Well, our first guests are still a few weeks off so I'm still painting (mainly to avoid getting stuck into the garden as Lynne keeps nagging me to do).
Here's an example of what I'm doing.

Probably the bes known of all endangered species - it could be yours.
For more details, please go to Saatchi Art online:
http://www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/183452

ANOTHER ENDANGERED ANIMAL

Still waiting for summer, despite many positive signs of spring, so painting is still an option (and it's much warmer than playing petanque).

I don't know much about the red panda, except that it's listed as 'vulnerable' on the list of endangered animals.

Anyway, here's what it looks like:

More details here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/RayJohnstone

EARLY SIGNS OF SUMMER NOTWITHSTANDING...

Well, the blackbirds are making a racket in the early morning, the cranes are high overhead on their way back from Africa, the frogs are back in the pond and the weeds are on their way in the garden.
So summer must be on its way. But it's certainly not really here yet, so I'm still busying myself with playing petanque, drinking some of the wine we bought in Spain last weekend (only on weekends though because Lynne won't let me during the week) - and painting.
I'm in animal mode now, and here's my latest.

More details here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/RayJohnstone