July 2024 - Dec 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.

13/11/24  Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over historical child abuse scandal in the church.

               Azerbaijan hosts COP29 meeting.  Huge oil & Gas fields. President says oil & gas are "Gift of God"

12/11/24  Trump's choice of top people :  Marco Rubio - Secretary of State; Stephen Miller - Deputy Chief of Staff (linked to                           anti-immigration and family separation policies); Mike Waltz - National Security Advisor (anti Ukaine arms));

                   Tom Homan - Border Czar (to enact mass deportations); Pete Hesgeth (Fox News host) - Defence Secretary;

                    Elon Musk - Dept of Government Efficiency;  R.F. Kennedy JNR _health Secretary (anti-vaxer and conspiracy                           theorist); Chris Wright - Energy Secreray (climate sceptic & fracking magnate)

9/11/24  Trump has a call with Zelenski -Musk in on the call. .  He then has a call with Putin.  

"K.S-W" 6/11/2024    US Election results day. The conversation is a tearful one, considering all the implications of a second Trump presidency.

"K.S-W."  6/11/24

6/11/24   Huge mandate for Trump, unprecedented. Popular majority and Congress majority too.  Elon Musk by his side.

5/11/24   USA Election Day.  

4/11/24    more than 50 chldren killed in Jabalia refugee camp in 2 days.No functioning hospitals in N. Gaza.

31/10/24   Terrible floods in Valencia, Spain.  1 year's rainfall in 8 hours. Over 200 dead.  King & Queen pelted with mud.

30/10/24   Budget Day.  Rachel Reeves.Biggest tax grab in decades, set to raise £40bn.  £22.6bn to NHS promised.  Employers'                  NI contributions up by 1.2%, Capital gains up, inheritance tax imposed on farmers.  Huge borrowing, huge spending.

28/10/24  Israel set to ban UNWRA from Gaza. They provide and distribute aid, school, medical supplies etc.  90 people killed                  in N. Gaza.  Georgian election results not accepted by people.  They claim Russian involvement and ballot rigging.

26/10/24  Israel retaliation into Iran - missiles strike 20 military bases.

               Elon Musk offering $1m each day to registered voters who sign to commit to 1st & 2nd amendments.

21/10/24  Putin hosts BRICS meeting in Kazan - Brazil, China, Indoa, S.Africa, Etheopia, Egypts, Iran & UAE.

17/10/24  Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, killed in S. Gaza. 
               UN warns that civilians are enduring "unspeakable horrors" in Jabalia camp seige and shelling.

16/10/24  Biden trying to put pressue on Israel to improve humanitarian situation, but he is toothless.

14/10/24  A Hezbollah rocket gets throughIsraeli sheild and hits an army base.  Israel targetting UN Peacekeeping Bases in                        Lebanon.  North Gaza being sealed off.  Citizens told to move south, but many can't.  Jabalia refugee camp attacked,                 many burned alive., incl. Shaban AlDlo, 19, in a makeshift hospital bed.  Defining image.

9/10/24  Reciprocal shelling continues across all fronts in Middle East.

7/10/24  1 year since horrific Hamas attacks in Israel.Gaza still under virtual siege, with only 4% of aid getting through.

1/10/24  Iran send over 180 missiles into Israel - most destroyed. Netanyahu says "Iran will pay".

30/9/28  Austria - far-right Freedom party wins election, but need to form coalition, and no other party is willing!

               Last coal-fired power station in UK closes down.

28/9/24  Hassan Nesrallah + other senior Hezbollah leaders all killed in Beirut raid while Netanyahu in New York UN meeting.

25/9/24  Over 500 killed in Lebanon + 1000s injured as Israel steps up offensive.  UK citizens told to leave.

              Over 200 women claim Mohammed Al-Fayed raped & sexually assaulted them. 2 doctors did internal examinations.

23/9/24  Desperte droughts in S. America.  Ecuador gets 70% of power from hydroelectricity.  Bolivia, Brazil & Peru also                        affected.  Rains not anticipated for 2 months.  El Nino + climate change.

21/9/24  Targetted attack on Beirut kills Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, + 15 other operatives and also civilians.

18/9/24   4000 pagers & phones used by Hezbollah set to explode.  37 die and 1000s injured.  Israel blamed.

15/9/24  Another 8 die in the channel.  Boat loaded with 60 humans, and only 10 life jackets.

              2nd failed attempt on Trump's life , at his golf course.

10/9/24  Government to release 1700 prisoners ahead of time to free up prison space.

           Harris vs Trump debate.  Trump claims immigrants in Springfield were "eating cats & dogs", 7 will "stop Ukraine war".

9/9/24  Huge rebellion against Kier Starmer & Rachel Reeves over Winter Fuel Allowance new rules.

4/9/24  Grenfell Tower report finally published after 7 years.  Failure at every level from governments to building contractors.

3/9/24  12 people, incl. a pregnant woman and 6 children, drown in the channel.

             51 people killed in Russian missile attack on Poltova military training camp.

"C.M." 31st August 2024.  Living in Beirut when she can, she works to support fleeing, homeless and displaced people at this terrible time. When she can't be there, she works in Europe to help refugees fleeing other troubles and conflicts. Such an amazing conversation we had, and I keep thinking about her and those around her as the situation in the Middle East gets worse and worse.

"C.M"  31/08/24

31/8/24  1st case of Polio identified in Gaza.  3 day ceasefire negotiated for aid workers to go and vaccinate 640,000 children.

               Bodies of 6 Israeli hostages found in Rafah tunnel.

29/8/24  IDF mounting provocative raids on towns in occupied West Bank.  Hezbollah & Israel exchanging rockets.

28/8/24   Taliban ruling - women are not allowed to be heard in public. 21,328  musical instruments destroyed in the past year.

20/8/24   Kamala Harris ratified as Democrat Presidential candidate.

19/8/24  Blinken agrees "holding deal" with Netanyahu, towards a ceasefire.

               Ukrainians blow up a third bridge in Russian held Kursk region. Ukrainian drones reach Moscow.

15/8/24  Gaza death toll reaches 40,000.  Extremist Jewish settlers torch & terrorise a Palestinian village in West Bank.

"M.M."  13 August 2024.  Living in Virginia, USA, he tells me about life in the US as he sees it. As a practicing Jew and a family man, he considers the forthcoming presidential election and the state of the world, and his fears for the future.

"M.M."  13/08/24

13/8/24  Ukraine launches drone attack on Russian airfileds.  4 day-old twins + mother & grandmother killed in Gaza strike.

12/8/24  703 Crossed Channel yesterday.  18.300 so far in 2024.

9/8/24  Ukrainian troops lead surprise attack on Russian territory in Kursk region. Kremlin declares Federal emergency.                         121,000 residents evacuated.

7/8/24  Anti-hate protests grow - peaceful, mixed-community, supportive.

5/8/24  Elon Musk gets involved because "X" implicated in misinformation. He says "Civil war is inevitable".  400+ arrested.

4/8/24  Rotherham - an asylum seeker hotel is breached & fire started.

3/8/24  Terrible rioting all over UK - Liverpool, Hull, Bristol, Belfast, Portsmouth.  Targeting mosques & Asian traders.

2/8/24  Further rioting from Southport stabbings, now in Sunderland.  EDF present. 

1/8/24  Biggest exchange of E-W prisoners in decades.  15 Western journalists & detainees in exchange for Russian prisoners.

30/7/24  Social media has whipped up Islamic motive for stabbings leading to violent rioting & looting by far-right extremists              in Southport, especially around the mosque. Locals come out to clear up the mess.

29/7/24  Knife attack on children at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport. 3 dead, six critical. 17yr old arrested.

27/7/24  Rocket hits sports field in Golan Heights in Israel, and kills teenagers playing football.  Hezbollah?

26/7/24  Olympic opening ceremony in Paris affected by sabotage of 4 main train lines into Paris.

21/7/24  Biden finally pulls out, and endorses Kamala Harris to run.

19/7/24  Global IT chaos.  A cybersecurity update on Microsoft system failed.  Airlines, health care, banking etc. affected 

"M.B." 18 July 2024.  M.B. uses social media to do good. By combining his medical training and experience, his easy communications skills and his natural empathy, he is reaching a wide audience who need support with their mental health struggles.

"M.B."  18/07/24

18/7/24  Zalenskii addresses UK cabinet meeting, requesting to use long-range weapons deepr into Russia.

17/7/24  Biden tests +ve for Covid.  Trump says that, if elected, he will stop protecting Taiwan from China.

14/7/24  Assassination attempt on Trump, but clips his ear.  He now becomes almost deified.

              Massive attack on Gaza school, 90+ killed.  Justified by IDF saying they were trying to killtop Hamas man - did they?

12/7/24   Biden gives a speech where he introduces Zalenskii as "President Putin" & Kamala Harris as "Vice-President Trump"

11/7/24  New government say jail overcrowding is 98% capacity (planning early releases) and the NHS in "broken".

9/7/24  Biden deterined not to step down even though now 6 Congressmen have suggested he should.

8/7/24  Russian missile hits Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv - 141 injured and 17 dead.

4/7/24  GENERAL ELECTION DAY. Labour landslide victory  174 seats. Worst Tory defeat in history. Nigel Farage wins                         Clacton, & Reform UK came second in many constituencies - 5 seats in total.  Lib Dems also gain - up to 71 seats. 

              Kier Starmer is the 4th PM in 2 years.  Says it is "not about performance, but public service" from now on. 

 "Politics can be a force for good, and we can show that".  Rachel Reeves - first female Chancellor, Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary.