Excuse any errors or omissions, in a bit of a tis! Advice about the Coronavirus – It’s coming at us from all angles so I will add another couple of ideas. Be a lovey only do ‘air kissing’, like the queen, wear gloves, put them on when you leave the house and keep them on as you shop, meet people, shake hands, holding onto the chrome rail in shops, using key pads in banks, petrol stations, supermarkets – then give your gloves a good wash with soap and water when you get home. You can buy gloves for as little as £1.50 so have a few pairs on hand! If you tend to put your hands to your mouth buy some Stop and Grow and paint the fowl tasting stuff on your fingers. I’ve bought Dettol surface cleanser which claims to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, and Dettol multi-surface wipe, made from 100% biodegradable plant fibres and promises the same claim. I’ve gone round door handles, toilet handles, the bannisters and the steering wheel in the car so I feel reasonably protected. I thought about filling a spray bottle with whiskey or gin to disinfect my hands during the day but then thought better of it, I might get a reputation as a hardened drinker. It’s a frightening situation but people are wising-up to the risks. As one elderly lady on the bus said: “I’m not going to open the door to anyone until the government announces this virus is dead – after all how do you know if they’ve been to Italy or China or God knows where. If you keep yourself away from people then you’ll be safe” .
I opened the door a few days ago to a young neighbour who’d called to say if you need anything at all here is my mobile number and I’ll be only to happy to come and help. This is typical of caring people and thank God for them it gives a sense of security.
I haven’t watched or heard news since yesterday lunch time, first time in my life! Is that silly? I always believed in knowing everything that’s going on, the news the most important time of the day. I long for the day when we can again look forward with hope and happiness. On top of all this I’m due to have a shoulder operation on Wednesday – right side so that will be a challenge!! In a sling for six weeks! I’m not good with my left hand so I don’t know how I’ll cope poor Alan will be working overtime! The only thing I can think is all this will come to pass. Blogs might be a bit sketchy for the next six weeks.
The Warhol Look
If Andy Warhol was alive and painting today it’s a safe bet that letters of appreciation would either come via e-mail or be typed, copper plate is a thing of the past! Envelopes aren’t much in demand any more and stamps have out priced themselves so franking is the thing. From 23 March first class will cost 76 pence (15 shillings in old money) and second class will be 65 pence (over 11 shillings). I was talking to a young person the other day and mentioned the price of stamps, “big increase since ‘LSD’”, he thought I was talking drugs!
However, when Warhol was alive and living in New York the postman brought huge bundles of handwritten fan mail to his door, from all around the world and thankfully, being a hoarder, he kept them in boxes in his studio. Thankfully because the envelopes the letters came in are the subject of an exciting new solo exhibition, ‘Letters to Andy’ which opened in Dublin last Thursday 12th March.
It all began when artist Neil Shawcross was visiting the five storey Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Worhol’s home town. On the first floor, amongst the archive material, he struck up a conversation with the chief archivist and the chat got round to the hundreds and hundreds of letters still kept in the museum. And out came the boxes and Neil’s interest was immediately fixed on the huge variety of envelopes, the writing, the addresses, the stamps. A deal was done and a selection of around 80 images were sent to Belfast where Neil began his painstaking work. “It was like all my Christmas came at one time.
The variety is amazing, some addressed just ‘Andy New York’, another ‘His Excellency Andy Warhol, 860 Broadway New York City’, some from fellow artists have illustrations round the edges and others have little messages.” The one he selected first was his favourite and it was addressed to Warhol’s mother, ‘Julia Warchola, 3252 Dawson Street, Pittsburgh, United States, Amerika.’ postmarked Slovakia with stamps stuck on at a jaunty angle! She came to stay with her son for two weeks and never left! Another was addressed to ‘A. Warol The PoP King of America’ with four cartoon faces of Warhol along the bottom.
Painting History
Know internationally as a portrait painter and awarded an MBE for his service to the art world, Neil has had a lot of fun with the subject of his latest exhibition but it has been intense work. He admits to being happiest in his studio off Lisburn Road in Belfast, painting is the bed rock of his life as is apparent in this case as he brings his own joyful appreciation of pop art to over 20 canvases that, until taken down to travel to Dublin, lined the walls and took over the studio. By now they are hanging in their new home welcoming art lovers to come and purchase their favourites.
The work will be on show until 11th April in the Hillsboro Fine Art Gallery in Dublin, founded by John Daly in 1995 and widely recognised as Ireland’s leading 20th century and contemporary gallery. “We’ve had nothing like it before,” he told me, “but then I’ve never come across someone like Neil before! He has always been fascinated by written letters, a thing of the past so this is almost an historical body of work showing handwriting that reveals much about Warhol’s many correspondents.” The invitations have gone out and the feed back has been amazing. “Neil is very well regarded as an artist and loved as a person and I’m pleased that such a personal exhibition will be shown as a single body of work. We have nine foot paintings right down to small canvases which is important because these are not copies of envelopes but an interpretation which is unique to Shawcross.”
I don’t subscribe to coincidence but, be it fate or not, on the same day Letters To Andy opened in Dublin, a Warhol retrospective opened in Tate Modern London.
It happens to be Neil’s 80th birthday today and, being a generous party animal, there will be celebrations both North and South.
It’s hoped the exhibition will make its way to Belfast eventually but in the meantime Manus McCown, a great admirer of the artist, will be displaying some of Neil’s Warhol work on the walls of his Cafe Connor on Stranmillis Road.
The Story of a Jigsaw
This jigsaw was completed by a friend of mine, he spent ages doing it, hundreds of separate little bits build to a beautiful and peaceful cottage by a river. He’d almost finish, right down to the last piece but, horror, it was missing. All that work and patience only to find the last little bit was not in the box, the whole picture was ruined. So he wrote to the company and explained the predicament. No problem they said, we’ll send you another one. Of course the box arrived with the individual pieces in a heap where he just wanted one! What did he do? Started all over again and this time the picture was complete. It now hangs above the fireplace in his memory.
Thank Goodness I’m Not An Adult
Stay Safe