Tour De France Sponsors Parade

The Sponsors Parade at the Tour De France is massive, colourful, loud
and highly amusing. These are a few of my favourite moments.

Bastille Day, Carcassonne

This was quite a firework display. Probably the best I've ever seen.
July 14th ...Carcassonne. People came from miles. Spectacular.

Very funny foam hand pointing toward Hampden where we saw
Japan play Spain. Would have been nice if it said 'Glasgow 2012'

Tour de France

The Tour de France passing through Chalabres last week.
Centre photo....that's Bradley Wiggins in the yellow jersey
and helmet in the middle.
Well done that man.

This is what I've been doing...drawing out in the hot countryside.
Not a pretty sight.

I'm back. Been in the South of France for a couple of weeks
drawing and exploring and enjoying the one thing that has
been missing here....sunshine. This is a detail of a garage
door in Siran.

Summer

Raindrops decorate the garden like pearls

The house at Candili

Candili

Did this sketch on a hot afternoon sitting on the back lawn of the
main house on Candili Estate in Greece.

Iris

Photo in Felix & Oscar on Great Western Road.

The Gypsy Chandelier in 'Felix & Oscar' on Great Western Road
in Glasgow. A good place for a cuppa and a chat.

Morning light yesterday

Evening light in the garden

Went to see Alan Cumming in Macbeth last night.
This is a near solo performance set in an asylum
with Cumming as the patient who performs the
entire play....or almost the entire play. As a piece
of theatre it is the single bravest performance I
have ever seen. AC is absolutely brilliant. There
are aspects of the production which leave a little
to be desired. The show could easily lose twenty
to twenty five minutes giving it more power. The
ending too missed a trick. It should have ended
about four minutes before it did.
When this show moves to New York (hopefully
with some cuts) Alan Cumming should receive
an award....I hope so.
The set is really great as well. Designed by
Merle Hensel.
Nearly thirty years ago I was in a tv soap called
Take The High Road and Alan joined the cast.
I think it was one of his first tv roles. I remember
a crowd of us sitting in the green room watching
a scene on the monitor and we all agreed that this
young guy wasn't just good but very good and that
he should go far. He has. Ain't that great.

Love these Himalayan poppies.

Riverman George Parsonage

Yesterday I visited George Parsonage in his riverside studio to see
this group of sculptures of musicians. Aren't they fabulous.
So imaginative.
George is known as the Riverman because of his life long work
with river safety. Just as his father Ben did before him, George runs
the Glasgow Humane Society which was started in the 18th century
to protect lives and rescue those who had fallen into the Clyde. All too
often this has meant retrieving the bodies of the less fortunate.
The Humane Society is a charity and much of what George makes
from his sculpture helps fund their work. The redevelopment of
Glasgow's riverside has meant that there are many more places that
need life belts and the clearing of the riverbank.

www.glasgowhumanesociety.com

I had a tricky day yesterday so today I need a
nice photo of the garden.

Hutchesons' Grammar School Art Show 2012

Last night saw the opening of the Hutchesons' Grammar School
Art Show. This is an inspiring exhibition and once again
demonstrates how much progress has been made in the teaching
of art over the years. The art department is one of the best I've
seen. The breadth of work, the variety of colour, texture and
materials is very impressive. This is one show I wouldn't miss.