WOMAN AGAINST A GRAFFITI WALL

Bonjour, 

For anyone who's interested, I'm back to my favourite medium - drawing.

Many years ago in a seedy suburb in a big city, I saw a woman leaning up against a wall covered in graffiti. 

Neither the woman nor the wall looked anything like this - only the drawings of the penises did, but one sees them everywhere and they always look the same, almost as if they’ve all been done by one person. 

Anyway, that’s where the idea for this drawing came from. If you like you can see more of my erotic drawings at the link below. (But please don't click on the link if you don't like this kind of thing). Merci.

https://www.artfinder.com/ray-johnstone

THE LION IN WINTER

Well, the lioness in winter, I suppose, so as not be confused with the 1968 movie that starred Peter O'Toole, etc.
So, having survived jihadists and snow in Amman and Istanbul, here we are back in Mézin where winter still reigns supreme.
In an attempt to remain sane, and as a reason to get out of bed everyday, I'm back to painting regularly, having decided to concentrate on three main subjects: Animals, Portraits and Nudes.
If you want to see how I've treated these subjects before, here are some links:

ANIMALS
http://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-RED-WOLF-ENDANGERED-ANIMAL-SERIES/183452/2383410/view

PORTRAITS
http://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-ANDY-WARHOL/183452/2275293/view

NUDES - MALE
http://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-MAN-WITH-TWO-TATTOOS/183452/2733470/view

NUDES - FEMALE
http://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-TATTOOED-TORSO/183452/2733416/view

Finally, here's my latest effort in my ANIMAL series:

After the kill

JAW, JAW IS BETTER THAN WAR, WAR

ANOTHER POLITICALLY INCORRECT INSTALLATION

Following on from my 'Politically Incorrect Pole' (scroll down to read), here's another example in the garden at La Petite Galerie.

Primitive man is considered a politically incorrect term.

However I don’t think the preferred synonym early man applies to my representation of the power of the thing given. 

French anthropologist Marcel Mauss identified this as reciprocity. It occurs when someone gives something to someone else, expecting a fair and tangible return. 

In colonial history primitive man almost always got the shitty end of the stick.

WALKING IN GASCONY - THE COMMERCIAL

WALKING ON THE ST JACQUES ROUTE IN SW FRANCE

Just a quick note to say that we now offer 2 walking holidays on the St Jacques Route to Compostele.
Lynne and I have walked the Chemin de St Jacques for several stages in central France, and we’ve walked from where we live at La Petite Galerie in Mézin to the Pyrenees and then on into Spain.

The route is very well signposted - and you'll have your own guide.

Over the past few years we’ve had many requests from guests about walking on the St Jacques Route in SW France, and we now offer two fully inclusive group holidays. They are both, guided walks, with a back up vehicle in case of sore feet, knees, hips or even hangovers. A very important point to remember about group holidays is that they make the individual cost very attractive.

WALKING ON THE ST JACQUES ROUTE IN SW FRANCE - but remember the back up vehicle would be carrying your pack.

In St Jean Pied de Port near the Spanish border.

Here are details of the 2 Options

Option 1 covers the stages from Lectoure to Montreal. You’re driven to the start of the walk every day, and the minibus meets you at midday with a picnic lunch. At the end of the walk, you’re picked up and brought back to La Petite Galerie, where you spend the night. One day is set aside to visit some of the many other attractions in the area - including wine and Armagnac tastings.

Option 2 takes you on a walk from La Petite Galerie to St Jean Pied de Port in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We discuss the route with you before you arrive and pick out the best stages in SW France.

Both Option 1 and Option 2 are fully inclusive, and they both include airport pickup and return, all meals and accommodation, minibus back up and guides.

Hard work, this walking business

For more details and prices, please click here:

http://pilgrimswayinfrance.blogspot.fr

OUR LAST DAY IN GASCONY - FOR THE TIME BEING, ANYWAY

As usual on Fridays, we have lunch at Le Bastard a beautiful hotel in Lectoure (yes, that's really its name, The Bastard, no kidding).

Just to prove that it's not all work and no play (nor all work and no eating) here we are getting a crit of our week's work from Jim

Could this be the last supper - on the banks of the Gelise in Poudenas? Well, perhaps until next time.
We hope to see you all again in Gascony one day.
Bon voyage!

AUTUMN DAYS

'DARTAGNAN AND THE EIGHT MUSKETEERS' - A recently discovered work by
Alexandre Dumas - and expected to make a bigger splash than 'THE THREE MUSKETEERS' 

Want to paint a picture? This is how we get started

Most people only have one boss - our group has TWO

Doing a Monet at the waterlily farm at Temple sur Lot

Team shot above the river port at Nerac