H. M. S.  U N I Q U E ~ B a t t l e    H o n o u r s

MEDITERRANEAN 1942 – MALTA CONVOYS 1941 – BISCAY 1942 – ARCTIC 1942

This was the third time of use for this name by the Royal Navy and first by a submarine.
The name was introduced in 1804 and given to a Schooner which unfortunately was taken as a Prize by a French Privateer two years later.

This U class submarine Unique was launched with this name.
After trials and work-up in Great Britain Unique was deployed in the Mediterranean.

She joined the famous 10th Submarine Flotilla in Malta during early 1941 and carried out patrols to intercept supply ships and escorts on passage to and from North African ports.
Unique sank the 2,500 ton ship FENICIA on 10th March 1941.

1941 in June whilst in the western Mediterranean Unique sank another supply ship.

During patrols off Tunisia Unique carried out a joint operation with the submarines P32 and P33 to intercept a convoy of four troopships known to be on passage to North Africa.
The only one of the three to have success she sighted the convoy on 20th
August and sank the liner ESPERIA eleven miles off the coast.

HMS Unique returned to Great Britain for a refit in September 1941 and on completion was deployed in Home waters including on patrol in the Arctic in defence of Russian convoys against German surface ships and U-Boat attacks and for Atlantic convoys.

She took passage to the Med to resume Flotilla duties on 7th October 1942 and was diverted, ordered to carry out a patrol off the Spanish coast.

HMS Unique is believed to have been sunk without survivors on 10th October 1942 following explosions heard in the area.

However no claim was made by German sources for any sinking.

According to Christopher Boddington, there was a report of a Coastal Command aircraft, he specifically mentioned a Wellington, sinking a U boat in that area at that time however the Germans did not report a loss and the range would have been rather long for a Wellington.
While Christopher did not produce evidence of this claim we are aware that often family stories prove to be true.
Certainly the British Ministry of Defence would not have admitted an accident like that during war time.
That said the most likely cause of the loss of HMS Unique with all hands remains an accident onboard or striking a mine.

The Commanding Officer on build was Lieutenant A.D. Collett RN, who was relieved by Lieutenant A. Hezlet RN (Later Vice Admiral Sir Arthur Hezlet  KBE, CBE, DSO, DSC) who commanded during the patrol when ESPERIA was sunk, and at the time of loss Lieutenant R. E. Boddington RN.

The British U class submarine

The class is sometimes known as the Undine class, after the first named submarine built.
As the World War 2 loomed, twelve new U class submarines were ordered. Only four had the external tubes, one being HMS Unique illustrated here with this painting.

The British U class submarines were ordered in 3 batches, the second included “HMS Unique” and was officially a “War Emergency 1940 and 1941 programme, short hull “.

The U class submarine was a class of 49 small submarines built just before and during the Second World War.
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Design and development

Small submarines, of around 630 tons, the U class were originally intended as unarmed training vessels to replace the H class and to be used as practice targets in anti-submarine training exercises.

However the second batch of U class with a displacement of some 730 tons was developed as small and manoeuvrable coastal submarines for use in the waters around the UK and particularly in the Mediterranean.
A similar design to the original batch HMS Unique was modified to fire 2 extra torpedoes from a bow “blister”.
Records clearly say Unique was one of 4 U class submarines fitted with 2 external tubes in a “blister” at the bow.
The modification was not a success causing excessive bow wave (illustrated in the painting) and difficulties maneuvering underwater
A further 34 vessels, forming the third group, were ordered in 1940 and 1941. They were similar to the second group, but were lengthened by 5 feet to provide a more streamlined shape.

Paxman engines were used in all the boats giving a surface speed of 11.25 knots (21 km/h) and a submerged speed of 10 knots (19 km/h).
Paxman was a major British manufacture of diesel engines.
Ownership has changed on a number of occasions since the company’s formation in 1865

All but two of the 49 boats built were constructed by Vickers-Armstrong; the exceptions were HMS Una and HMS Umpire both built at Chatham Dockyard.

19 were lost during the war.
13 in the Mediterranean and the remainder in the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean

The U class was a “single hull” design with water ballast and fuel tanks located within the pressure hull and with no external saddle tanks

As mentioned above, during construction HMS Unique and 3 sister ships were further modified to accommodate four internal and two external bow tubes.

The external tubes were dropped from later vessels because they generated a large bow wave and made depth keeping more difficult at periscope depth.

Apart from Undine and Unity, all boats were also equipped with a three-inch (76 mm) gun, although they lacked a hatch for the gun crew, who had to use the main conning tower hatch.

The U class submarine design was eventually developed into the British welded construction and successful V class submarine.

42 British V class submarines were built for the Royal Navy during World War II.
The Royal Navy entered W.W.II with 100 submarines.
Many campaigns were fought but at tremendous cost and sacrifice. HMS Unique was part of that sacrifice and cost.
During 1943/44 your chances of not returning from patrol were 65%.
Nine Victoria Crosses were won.
Many post war admirals emerged from the ranks of the survivors.

On the subject of Admirals we are some times asked, why do British submarines fly the notorious pirate flag, the black and white “Jolly Roger”?
The answer is Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson VC, in 1895 appointed as Controller of the Navy and Third Sea Lord (http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_arthur_wilson.htm )
Although a very innovative officer who had a most distinguished career, much of it working with torpedoes, he is quoted as having also said He did not favour the use of submarines as a means of firing torpedoes, calling them “a damned un-English weapon“.
Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson caused the Jolly Roger to become the emblem of the Royal Navy Submarine Service when he said “The crews of all submarines captured should be treated as pirates and hanged“.
British sub marineers promptly adopted the Jolly Roger which remains in use today!

By the end of World War Two the Submarine Service had suffered 65 % casualties and added to its list of battle honours a further nine Victoria Crosses and numerous other battle honours
Sir Winston Churchill recognised the courage and sacrifice of the men of the Submarine Service when he said Great deeds are done in the air and on the land, nevertheless there is no part to be compared to your exploits.

Principal research sources:

Mr. Christopher Boddington.
Water colour made probably by one of the crew, in the private collection of Mr. C Boddington.
http://www.solarnavigator.net/royal_navy_submarines.htm
http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/
http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-12SS-09U-Unique.htm
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/British_U_class_submarine

The Submarine Museum at Gosport was not helpful.
The submarine shown as HMS Unique, N19 shown in the picture on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is in fact HMS Urge. N 19 was HMS Urge, 4 tubes, no blister.

Being a bit out of practice it seems there is more paint on me than on the canvases, a situation I’m hoping to reverse.

Work has recommenced on the new version of the renowned “Trafalgar dawn” (available quickly and securely using PayPal as a signed numbered edition from page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/prints.html), an update written below.

Also on the easel in the past few days, HM Submarine Unique and “Emigration, Plymouth Cattewater and the Samuel Plimsol” ~ here is a brief progress report.

“Trafalgar dawn, the French perspective“; this new marine painting measures 48″ x 12″ and will eventually go into print to make a pair of prints with the existing painting of Trafalgar dawn.

We will show a photo on this blog of the progress very soon.

This new marine painting seems already destined to become like the other version, a classic.

It is already being suggested here in France that it should be displayed in the Musee Maritime in Paris!

This shows great confidence in the artist’s abilities as the picture is still at a very early stage.

So far, after over 100 hours of research we have the underpainting started, this will eventually establish the tones and final composition.

Onboard the Bucentaure we can now see numerous figures set against a horizon upon which the British fleet is emerging.

Researching the French uniforms took almost as long as researching the British fleet positions!

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As soon as the painting is sufficiently defined we will show you how it looks and you can try and imagine how the finished version will appear!

While Trafalgar dawn, the French perspective is a long way from finished, “moonlight patrol, HM Submarine Unique” is almost completed.

You may know, Unique was a U class submarine operational during World War 2?

Some of HMS Unique’s  history is on the Internet, soon we will bring you more from our own unique research and a picture.

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Plymouth Cattewater was back on the easel for several hours today.

A magnificent hand made to special order  medium gold swept frame has arrived so at last this splendid painting can be finished.

Gordon Frickers preferes to finish major paintings in their frame after the colouring has had a month or 2 to settle.

You may have noticed paint often changes colour as it dries?

This is one of the reasons Gordon Frickers much preferes people ordering commissions to order well in advance of their delivery date if at all possible.

In this case the work involved has been mostly tinting and glazing.

This fine tuning has included some work on the Mount Batten quarry following comments by Nigel Overton, Heritage Officer, City of Plymouth, the sky has been made a tone more blue, like wise the cliffs of Jennycliffe bay, the buildings have had their shadows darkened and lights brightened, a magical veridian green has tinted the hull of the clipper Samuel Plimsol and parts her sails have had touches of a pink / grey added to enhance the effect of moonlight through the canvas, the sea has benefited from limited amounts of veridian added to the for ground and a number of other minor refinements have been made to the painting for example to the dinghies.

A new photo will follow on this blog as soon as the tints and glazes had dried, hopefully in a few days.

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While the light here in the Tarn continues to be excellent for painting, this has been an odd summer for the Tarn.

We have only had one day of 40 C; most days this year have been 25 to 29 C, more like a good English summer than the South of France!

Gordon still managed to get a bit of a tan on the beaches of the cote de Landais and some long swims too!

Hello September, bye bye summer 2010

Jerusalem, The United States Consulate will proudly present a short bio and other info about Gordon Frickers and the landscapes he painted in Israel some 30 + years ago.

As you would expect in such a dynamic country, the land of Israel has changed dramatically in the past 25 years.

What is so special here?

Despite all the political problems the people of Israel, that includes Arabs, Hebrews, Bedouin, Christians, Jews,  Muslims and others have combined to a remarkable extent in building a new vibrant culture and making the land  laid waste by 18 centuries of neglect, much of it turned to swamp and deserts,  literally bloom.

Gordon Frickers landscapes of Israel represent a marvelous record of a much neglected part of the transition of the land.

You can see some examples of this now unique landscape painting of the Holy Land on page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/landscape/israel.html

While many of these paintings have long since sold, there are still a few available for the astute investor.

Purchase is easy using Paypal or by bank to bank transfer.

Your purchase is covered by one of the best guarantees on the Internet

http://www.frickers.co.uk/terms.html

thus you can invest with confidence.

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From the wasteland of previous centuries one can see the beginnings of the transformation to a modern forward looking society, a country still evolving, much maligned, not Utopian but with high ideals, a democracy unequalled in the Middle East for growth, innovation and justice for all.

High quality period paintings of Israel, the Holy land, are rare.

These paintings were “lost” for 25 years, only “rediscovered” 5 years ago by a (Christian) friend who immediately appreciated the importance of these landscape paintings.

Maybe just maybe you will be lucky enough to own one of these rare historic landscape paintings thus you share in and become part of the story of the artist and of the Holy land, Israel?

Today we disconcerted and surprised Gordon Frickers by having him place a small but very special exhibition of landscape paintings of the Tarn in the beautiful Hotel des Consuls, right in the centre of the historic 13th century Castelnau de Montmiral, the Place des Arcades.

The hotel, open all day every day is easy to find and visit, now run by the very amicable Helene and Marc Gaudechon the hotel retains its traditional character, is deseptively spacious and charming inside including a large (for Castelnau de Montmiral) private terrace and garden and a small swimming pool; room prices start from 48 Euros, tel: +33 (0)5 63 33 17 44 or view www.hoteldesconsuls.com (email: hoteldesconsuls@orange.fr), we unreservedly recommend this hotel.

The landscape paintings on show were all painted in the area when Gordon Frickers was experimenting with his odd colour vision, none were intended for sale yet have gained quite a following in England being noted for their colour, depth, rhythms, vibrancy and much more.

Sizes of these original landscape paintings from around Castelnau de Montmiral vary from15¾”x19¾” (400×500mm) to the largest on show illustrated above, 30″x40″ (762×1016mm).

Prices represent a good investment considering the artists quality and growing reputation, they range from a modest 500 Euros to 4,000 Euros for the largest.

Regretably web site illustrations can never do justice to the  subtlies, passions and sensitivity of this work.

If you like the pictures shown here you are likely to be bowled over if fortunate enough to see the originals.

Castelnau de Montmiral, listed as Un des plus beaux village de France is a 13th century bastide village, one of several in the district including Puycelsi, Penne, Brunequel, Cordes sur Ciel and so on, which now make a facinating tour each having its own ambiance.

The bastides were originally built to protect the Northern boarder of the lands of the Count of Toulouse from the Francs and Plantagenets, the region had its own language, L’Occitane and was known as the land of gold, Languedoc.

Today the Tarn is one of the great undiscovered secrets of France.

Few tourists find their way to the Tarn yet those who do often return to this magical landscape and atmosphere.

Gordon Frickers first came here to study at the renowned Painting School of Montmiral, made friends and returns often to make impressions in his own remarkable way of some of the feelings this region engenders.

There are people who think his expressive paintings of this landscape may one day be more valuable than his renowned marine painting.

The Tarn is a very rural area increasingly going bio while retaining its own traditions, little changed since the middle ages, noted for good food, inexpensive wines and friendly people.

While some l’Occitane is still spoken English is the international language and there is always some one near by who wants to practice their English and will help you with your French.

On the down side some of the local accents are quite hard to follow but this is more than compensated for by the great majority of friendly people and a marvelous social life open to all ages

If you want to know what happened to the middle ages visit the North Tarn; but a warning ~ visitors are often quickly enchanted!

A picture showing the progress will appear on this blog soon.
This new painting will make a pair to go with the now renowned “Trafalgar
dawn“, a view from among the crew onboard HMS Victory at 06.05, Monday the
21st of October 1805 and based on eye witness reports and research.

You may recall, “Trafalgar dawn” was painted some years ago as part of a
series commissioned for HMS Victory,
http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/trafalgar_dawn.html ?

That series includes the now equally well known “I have urgent dispatches”
http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/urgent_dispatches.html

Both are available as prestige quality signed limited editions.

The new painting is as yet is unsold unless someone makes Gordon Frickers an offer he
can’t refuse!

This new marine painting is intended to go next year for exhibition
following invitations to exhibit at the European Parliament (the first
marine artist ever invited) and in the City of Plymouth where much research
was carried out.

It is also being suggested “Trafalgar dawn, the French perspective“  is
shown at the Musee Maritime, Paris, also a venue of research, but as I am
not yet know there only time will tell!

This new original painting, 12″ x 48″  shows a scene onboard the French
flagship “Bucentaure” at about 06.20 on Monday the 21st of October 1805
because the French reported they sighted the British fleet  slightly later than
06.05 a.m.

We have not yet decided the final title of this new marine painting.

It took  ages to sort out the British fleet.

Much of the information was conflicting, new research was able to resolve
most of the issues.

Dozens of hours of research, reading, drawing diagrams and cross checking
was required aa well as additional visits principally to “Victory” and the
Musee Maritime..

There were quite a few surprises too including the Official report of the
Admiralty Committee of 1913 got several ships in the wrong place for 06.00.

They failed to notice the British were very roughly in 4 columns at dawn and wrongly placed several ships.
Thus some of the ships logs are wrong? What a bunch of navigators?

Not that they will worry about that, still it would have been a fun debate!

The moment when Gordon Frickers finally had the British fleet marked out as accurately as
possible and stood back was quite moving.

He realised he was the first person to see the sight since those who actually
witnessed the view.

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The painting of “Nelson boarding Minerve at Gibraltar” is finished except for
some tidying up and the running rigging on Minerve.

This painting fits well our original brief, re the lesser know but
significant parts of Nelson’s career and as a bonus shows 2 of the ships in
which Nelson served.

This story was the prelude to Nelson becoming seriously famous.

This story of which this painting represents is likely surprise people when
they know the story which reads a bit like a “Boys Own” adventure.

Following diligent research, Gordon Frickers found  this part of the Nelson story is barely
mentioned and not at all in many of the books about Nelson.

In essentials, Nelson, then a commodore, was ordered by Admiral John Jervis to supervise
the British withdrawal from the Med which Nelson described to his wife as an
important but not dangerous service.

The frigate Minerve, within days of leaving Gibraltar, in company with another frigate Blanche,
was in a fierce night action against 2 Spanish frigates.

The story goes the ships paired off, when hailed by Minerve her opponent replied, this is a
Spanish frigate and you may begin when you wish!

The Spanish ship was gallantly defended during a fierce half hour action which left the victorious Minerve but quite damaged.

The Spanish commander turned out to be a direct descendant of bonnie Prince Charlie.

Nelson was very impressed by both the defence and the blod line so most irregularly, returned the vanquished Spaniards sword.

The next day the 2 prizes had to be abandoned to escape a superior Spanish
force which almost caught the 2 damaged British frigates.

The British frigates lost their prizes.

Abandoned  prize crews included one Lt Thomas Masterman Hardy.

Nelson completed the rest of his mission during and immediately after which
he showed some of his finest personal qualities.

On returning to Gibraltar he learned a large force of Spanish ships of the
line had just past Gibraltar sailing West.

He pursued; in turn pursued by 2 large Spanish war ships one of which almost
caught Minerve.

Through out this episode in Nelson’s story, an episode not even mentioned in  many ‘Nelson’ books, Horatio Nelson demonstrated many of the fascinating qualities which lead to his eternal fame.

An example being while pusued by the 2 Spaniards, both much stronger ships than the frigate Minerve, a man fell over board.

Upon hearing the dread cry “man over board”, Lt Thomas Hardy gallantly rushed up from below and jumped into the little ‘jolly’ boat which went to look for the lost sailor.

The poor fellow was not found, worse, when the jolly boat tried to pull back to Minerve it was soon apparent the jolly boat was dropping further astern.

Despite the oncoming Spaniard, Nelson exclaimed “by God I’ll not loose Hardy” and ordered the mizzen topsail of Minerve backed to slow her down.

The Spaniard, suspecting a trap, also slowed to allow her consort to catch up.

The jolly boat and her people were recovered, little wonder the men loved Nelson, Minerve escaped.

One of Nelson’s dictum’s was “often the boldest course is the best“.

Not sure if the Spanish fleet were going to head North or West Nelson  was
prepared contrary to orders to abandon his post and sail West to warn the
British in the Caribbean or North to join John Jervis’ fleet on watch off Cadiz.

As luck would have it Minerve sailed right into the middle of the Spanish fleet – in thick fog.

Skillfully extracting herself, the following day Minerve found the British Fleet, Nelson reported to Jervis then rejoined HMS Captain (also shown in this painting).

Very soon after there followed the battle now known to the British as “The battle of Cape St Vincent” during which Nelson disobeyed orders and created “Nelson’s patent  bridge for boarding first rates”; but that is another story and maybe another painting…

The next marine painting Gordon Frickers will be preparing will be a scene from the voyage of the French explorer Laperouse showing the day he met with ‘The first fleet‘ at Botany Bay and that painting to be followed by a new version of the ubiquitous HM schooner Pickle.

This is only a brief account of an adventure in the story of Horatio Nelson.
The full account is even more remarkable.

Gordon has agreed to write more about these two historic paintings soon, discussing the details of the paintings, outlining the finer points of his research, much of it previously unpublished , giving us greater insights into a facinating period of naval history.

If you think I can help you in any other way, don’t hesitate to ask.

Email with your phone number and I’ll give you a call.

A very generous portion of sales will go to helping orphans of all creeds  in Israel, Christian, Muslim, Jewish and others.

There will be a silent auction and phone bids are acceptable.

Ask for Kerry Elrod.

This exhibition will include landscapes of France and Israel, the latter showing Israel in the early 1980’s so now quite unique.

These are the landscape paintings for auction and the starting prices:

Landscape painting of “Red bales” (30 x 45 cm approx):  $1000

Sunrise:  $950

Blue “city of David”:  $2800

“Big Jerusalem” painting:  $2500

A French wine village: $900

“Tower of David”:  $600

A Landscape France:  $700

PUBLICITY: The US Consulate in Jerusalem Israel will provide invitations to the preview, publicity in Israel, posters, press contact and by adding the exhibition notice to the US Consulate in Jerusalem Israel web site. The artist is to make himself as available as reasonably possible to support this, for interviews etc.

http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/ben_ainslie_sydney_olympics.html

The painting has been upgraded this year but my web master is 7 months behind with changes to my web site which worries me a lot

I’ve attached a pic of ‘my’ house and village for you.

Whilst I am currently enjoying the largest studio space I’ve ever had, the house is for sale so only a temporary solution for me.

As many of of you have contributed to my work, I’d like to share it with you here along with my reply.

Peter wrote:

Done, good idea, maybe you would do the same for me and include a link to my web site?

For Francis Pratt I wrote:

In brief, I would say people attending one of your courses who are not impressed with the exceptional excellence of your courses and the special knowledge available have a bigger problem than improving their art!

Your courses offer a probably unique way for artists amateur and professional to further understand their art work in a most charming environment the seductive village of Castelnau de Montmiral.

I have no hesitation in recommending you.

Having attended as a professional marine artist specialising in but by no means exclusively in marine subjects (see www.frickers.co.uk) I first attended your school when? 1989?

I found and still do that you are the most knowledgeable art teacher I have met and that includes during my 5 years study of art and photography at Uni.

Although I arrived with a good reputation and impressive list of clients which suggests I was at least good at what I did, I found you adapted quickly and provided exactly what I needed both in terms of improving my drawing skills (I have never worried about drawing since) and exceptionally, my understanding of colour and my own very rare form of colour vision.

I do not think any one but you could have done that.

Further, I have heard out of your hearing many of your other students say how much their art work benefited from working with you.

In conclusion I would like to add, you put the finishing touches on my fine art education, I use techniques you taught every time I paint and draw, or is it draw n paint?

I am delighted to have an opportunity here to in some small personal way, to publicly acknowledge your contribution to my work as a painter.

I’ll blog this too, with a link for you.

Gordon Frickers, Marine Artist.

The electrical problem at Itzac is a pain in the bum, some times it is not difficult to see into the future, this was obvious to me a crisis was going to happen at an inconvinient time.

Does a crisis ever happen at a convinient time? Murphy’s laws maybe you are familiar with these clearly predict?

That if some thing can go wrong it will.
It will go wrong at a thoroughly inconvenient time.

If you ignore a persistent problem it will bite you in the bum.

Only a question of when.
When was Friday night.

Stand by for a new phone number and postal address on the web site contact us page.

My house at Itzac  suffered 7 electrical cut outs before I gave up and went to bed by candle light.

I like candle light but:

It is not so romantic when one lives alone,

Not enough energy produced to run a computer

takes ages to cook by and on candle power

other.

My landlord, n lady did nothing for 6 months.

Their Mahayana has became embarrassing, me reporting the problems and just getting vague reassurances and excuses in return.

Intermittant fault I was told, ohhnooo, can’t find that until it crashes ~ err excuse me, when I worked for the UKTA I helped sparkies qualify and dealt with dozens of properly qualified sparkies who could find faults like that by testing.

My ‘owners’  even had the cheek to say they want to keep me as a tenant for the money.

I’d been feeling undervalued for some time at Itzac!

I read that as we don’t care about you only the mortgage which you are paying.

The house has been experiencing frequent voltage surges and cut outs on the ‘upper deck’ on which I mostly work and live.

The problem has been gradually getting worse and in my opinion has damaged some of my more sensitive computer equipment.
Yes, of course it has surge protection.

~

Of course my recommendation even though I have restored and owned some 11 houses during my years,  of what needs doing was of no interest!

I suspect several faults including  a short caused by wear n tear, poor maintenance, animal damage in the roof area or maybe the some what quaint way the palace is wired;

and, the junction box looks at least 25 years old

and modern people use more appliances.

What do you think?

~

What I did not realise until the problem cost me a computer and I spoke with the experts at SPC, Exeter Street, Plymouth was that I needed heavy duty protection.

They suggested I buy the kit in France so I did, in Albi,  very soon after my return.

About 135 Euro’s worth of voltage regulator plus a new type of junction box.

Within 10 days it detected and protected to my knowledge at least 2 minor surges and 4 or 5 cuts.

But it only protcts the main PC ans one SHD…

Did I need that kit?

What is the risk of continuing to run the rest of my kit at Itzac?

~

Yesterday was heavy going, I moved two (estate/brake) car loads of art equipment and pitures starting loading the first at 07.00, a very uncivilized hour unless one is going sailing!
Happily my good friend Stephen Best kindly turned out of a warm bed to helped me unload the first shipment.
Now I have enough here at Montmiral to work.
The down side is I am back to running 2 houses.
That translates in Murphy’s Law as;
what ever small thing you need and is critical will 50% of the time be in the other house…
The house I am now borrowing, possibly for the next 3 months, belongs to my friend Francoise Boitel, sister in law of my friend Helene Anslot.

I was able to make a little mitzvah for Francoise earlier this year and now she has very kindly made her vacant house in the centre of Castlenau de Montmiral available to me.

Francoise has modernised and up graded most of the house while retaining a traditional feel  and features throught out.

Her work is of the first quality and visitors are charmed and often quite surprised by the elegant end result.

The work is unfinished and the house up for sale, meantime I have the run of the place and 2 large well light rooms for a temporary studio.

I still need a more stable solution though but where???

As you know, n occupied house always has a better ambiance than an empty one and my responsibilities here include keeping the place presentable and watering the plants; the latter may be a slight challenge!

~

It is nice to be back at Montmiral where I was immediately made to feel welcome by quite a lot of people including (informally) the mayor!

Montmiral is a living village, yesterday afternoon there was an inauguration of a new public centre, with live traditional singing and musique de l’Occitanne, a wedding at the town hall and a vernissage as a new art centre at Place de l’hopital gave it’s first exhibition, “Le petit joljol No 1.
The exhibition is featuring the Artiste-peintre Jean-Louis Engles (www.atelier-bizart.fr) who explored the relationship of painter and model and the sculpteur / ceramiste Patricia Pons.
I was asked to act as their press photographer which served to keep me out of mischief and sharpen up my press photo people skills.
Doing so made me aware of how many opportunities gallery owners and art schools miss to gain attention and promote themselves in just about everything they do, invitations, brochures and photo opportunities being but a very few passed by.

I may also have noticed this because I am becoming increasingly aware that my own work misses opportunities because I don’t have time to do what needs to be done.
Not because I don’t know what to do (in some areas I do but marketing is not my subject) rather in short I am becoming aware that to make progress as a famous painter I need professional help with marketing and establishing my work as a ‘brand’ in demand.

Why do I think this is the case?
People quite often express surprise I don’t sell more, surprise at the modest prices and people unaware of my prices  asked to value a work usually place the price for the more major pieces in the 15 to 25,000 pounds range.
Of the latter, even allowing for flattery, clearly there is a lot more money to be made from my paintings than I am currently getting.
I’d be very please to see a substantial percentage of any new money go to other people who are part of the crew provided that I sold more often and made more myself.
We know my work is seriously undervalued therefore an excellent investment.
What to do about this opportunity?