Jan 2024 - June 2024

Drawing someone is a very intimate and contemplative process, both for the sitter and for the artist. Quiet conversation during the drawing process can illuminate so much more about the sitter than just a drawing ever can. 

As the project goes on, the portraits and conversations from the early stages will already be part of the past.  How will the realities of the future present have changed? My sitters are ordinary people who have a view or an experience to contribute. Some known to me, many are not.

I want this to document the realities of individuals, their joys and their concerns, big and small.  The documentation will evolve with time.  Each person’s testimonies will be forever tied to their painted portraits, to be fully shared as a body of work in 2030.  Woven into the fabric of the project are little notes recording the events at that particular time, for context.

During Covid lockdown, I learned to draw people via Zoom!  Portraits created via a screen have a different feel, but that is all part of this evolving story.  More recently, I am back to doing portraits in person, but also have Zoom as a way of reaching sitters who are further away.

Please enjoy the journey back through these posts.

27/6/24  First Trump vs Biden live TV debate.  Biden rambling & vague.  Global viewers watch with incredulity.

25/06/24  3 billion pieces of perfectly good PPE paid for by UK and incinerated in China.

23/06/24  IDF tie a wounded Palestinian to the bonnet of their truck in the West Bank.

22/6/24  Russian hackers target London hospitals.  Over 1,000 operations cancelled at King's, Guy's & St. Thomas'.

"R.Y." 19 June 2024.  Not your conventional Mayor at all! He has gone way beyond the expected 'normal' duties to support a vulnerable population of asylum seekers in a courageous and passionate way.

"R.Y."  19/06/2024

17/06/2024   Claims made that Greek coastguards have thrown migrants off boats to drown.

15/06/24  Putin says he wants all 4 regions of Ukraine & promise that Ukraine won't join NATO if peace is to be discussed.

10/06/24  Emanuel Macron calls snap election to counter far-right successes in European parliament elections.

9/06/24  Huge raid on Gaza refugee camp. 200+ killed , 700+ wounded.  Result - 4 Israeli hostages freed and 3 killed.

06/06/24  80th anniversary of D-Day landings.  40 surviving UK vets attend.  Rishi Sunak leaves early.

3/6/24  Nigel Farage decided to become leader of Reform UK party, and run for election to be an MP.

1/6/24  Biden unveils Israeli plan to end conflict.  (1)  Full ceasefire; (2) All living hostages returned; (3) Ceasefire becomes "permanent cessation of hostilities together with major reconstruction.  Two far-right Israeli ministers say they will resign  if Israel accepts, and government would collapse.

"L.J."  30 May 2024   One of those people that you just sit open-mouthed with as you listen to her talking about her life of working to support young people, especially in the field of sexual health. Amazing and SO necessary.

"L.J."  30/05/24

30/5/24   Election pledges to improve mental health support for young people.  Currently, ave. wait for 1st appointment is                         6 months.                 Trump found guilty on all 34 charges of election interference.

27/5/24   IDF airstrike on Rafah tent encampment - large fire engulfs tents 35+ killed.  Universal outrage.

25/5/24  Russian attack on Ukrainian DIY store kills 14+.

              Rishi Sunak announces plan for return of National Service, or community volunteering, for all young people.

23/5/24   All Post Office scandal convictions are officially quashed.

22/5/24   Rishi Sunak calls snap election for July 4th.  Inflation down to 2.3%.

20/5/24   Poisoned Blood Enquiry published - 30,000 people infected, 3,000 dead. Sunak "A day of shame for the British State".

19/5/24   Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi + his foreign minster killed in helicopter crash.

16/5/24  Aid trucks headed for Gaza raided en-route by Israeli settlers.

15/5/24  10 million litres of raw sewage dumped into Lake Windermere i over 10 hours in February.Main pumps failed and                       engineer only arrived the next morning to deal with it!

13/5/24  Russian troops make significant advance in Kherson region.

8/5/24   Ofcom publishes new draft children's safety code, forcing platforms to take measures to protect under 18s.

              The world's oceans have hit record temperature records EVERY DAY for 1 year. 

               MP Natalie Elphick crosses the floor form Tory to Labour - move greeted with all round cynicism.

6/5//24  Jubilation in Gaza as Hamas approves Cairo ceasefire plan.  Followed by bombing form IDF and despair.

2/5/24   Local and mayoral election - worst results for Tories in 40 years.

28/4/24  Dan Poulter, Tory MP, crosses the floor to Labour - "Time to end the Conservative chaos".

23/4/24  Sunak's Rwanda bill finally passed after late night chaos.  Transportations due to start this summer.

              Meanwhile, 5 die near Wimereux in an overloaded inflatable, including a 7yr-old.

21/4/24  US agrees (finally ) to release $60bn arms to Ukraine .... and Israel.

15/4/24  Trump in court over $130,000 hush money payments in Stormy Daniels case.

14/4/24  Iran targets Israel with retaliatory attack of 300+ missiles & drones.  Most shot down.

               Ongoing drone attacks near Zaporizhzhya Nuclear plant.

4/4/24   Biden has very frank talk with Netanyahu, insisting on more aid to Gaza and protection for aid workers, & ceasefire.

2/4/24  7 food aid workers (incl. 1 Briton) killed unloading and distributing food off a ship.  IDF knew they were there.

1/4/24  Iran's embassy in Damascus bombed.  Serious escalation.

31/3/24   Over 5,000 have landed in small boats in first 3 months of this year.

25/3/24  UN Security Council passes resolution calling for immediate ceasefire.  US abstained.

22/3/24  Terrorist attack on packed theatre in Moscow - 130+ killed. IS claims responsibility, but Putin blames Ukraine.

"S.A." 20 March 2024  - the most determined and courageous young man, currently seeking asylum & determined to do a medical degree here in the UK.  A real privilege to talk to him.

"S.A."  20/03/24

18/3/24  Israel mount"targeted" attack on Al Shifa hospital, claiming Hamas have regrouped.

15/3/24  Russian presidential elections begin.  3 days over 11 time zones!  All of Putin's opposition are in jail, dead or exiled.  

12/3/24  £10m donor to Tory party uses vile & racist words about Diane Abbot, saying she "should be shot".

8/3/24  Realisation that ceasefire not going to happen before Ramadan, so efforts to get aid in to Gaza stepped up. Ships from                Cyprus?  US-built jetty?  Crossings from Israel?  How to distibute fairly and safely?

7/3/24  At least 287 Nigerian students abducted from school.

3/3/24  Hamas, Qatari and US delegations meet with Egyptians in Cairo.Israel refused to come because they haven't been                       supplied with list of remaining surviving hostages.  Hamas says this is impossible under bombardment.

1/3/24   George Galloway's Workers Party of Britain wins Rochdale by-election, saying "this is for Gaza".

29/2/24  Over 100 Palestinians killed in stampede for aid trucks in N. Gaza.  Many injuries were gunshot!

26/2/24   Lee Anderson, Tory Party chairman, sacked for saying Islamists had got control of Sadiq Khan's London.

23/2/24  Odysseus, US moon probe, succesfully lands on moon's S.Pole - hoping to find frozen water.

20/3/24  US finally calls for "Ceasefire as soon as practically possible", but doesn't support UN call for "immediate ceasefire".

17/2/24  Ukrainian forv=ces pull back from Avdiivka - running out of ammo, nothing coming from the US.

16/2/24  Alexei Navalny dead in Russian prison camp.  Biden publicly blames Putin.

12/2/24  Israel launches aerial attack on Rafah, last escape area for Palestinians. Many dead, 100s wounded.

10/2/24  Trump calls countries that haven't fully paid their dues to UN "delinquent".  White House spokesman calls these                             comments "unhinged".

6/2/24   King Charles has cancer.

4/2/24  UK and US involved in bombing raids on Houthi bases.

2/2 24   US air-strikes against Iranian-linked forces in Iraq & Syria. 85 targets.  Gave warnings frst.

             Power sharing returns to N.Ireland after 2 years since DUP withdrawal.  Michelle O'Neil 1st ever Nationalist leader.

28/1/24  Drone kills 3 US servicemen at base on Israel/Jordan border.  Iranian-backed militias?

               Extreme heat in Northern countries esp. Canada.  19.5deg.C. recorded in Scotland - highest ever Jan. temperature.

27/1/24  UNWRA (UN Relief & Works Agency) some staff implicated in 7/10 attacks.

24/1/24   Russian plane with 65 Ukrainian POWs shot down.  By Ukraine?  Not told about flight time.

23/1/24  23 Israeli solders die while laying mines in Gaza.

20/1/24  Balistic missile strike on US base in Iraq, from Iran.

18/1/24  Netanyahu refuses to consider eventual option of an independent Palestinian State.

17/1/24  Rwanda bill passes through Commons. 60 Tories voted for amendment to block International Law from interfering                       with deportation decisions.
13/1/24  Uk announces £2.5bn aid to Ukraine.

11/1/24  US & UK take action against Houthi rebels.  RAF Typhoons fire on several bases.

9/1/24  2023 designated hottest global year on record.  Many days +1.5deg.c. over pre-industrial times.

7/1/24   Israel claims to have "completely dismantled" Hamas in N. Gaza. Now +23,000 civilains killed.

4/1/24  N. Korea supplying missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine.

3/1/24  Junior doctors begin unprecedented 6 day strike.

1/1/24  British vessels take defensive action in Red Sea against Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacking freight vessels.