Just to introduce myself - Johnny is a dear friend of mine and I'm his secretary of sorts, a role that's come about in view of Johnny's plans to hold an exhibition later this year.


I've been lucky enough to have had two wonderful teachers in Johnny and his brother Phil, who have held my hand as I've walked into their world of art.  I've watched them work and listened to their stories of their journeys into painting.  For me, they have opened up a magical door into another world: a very different one to the one I have lived in for most of my life.

So in my turn, I'm writing this to give you a glimpse of Johnny through my eyes and maybe open some magic doors! As Hector, the teacher in Alan Bennett's 'History Boys' said, 'Pass it on! Pass it on!'

The goal this year is Exhibition 2013 and this blog is a record of our journey there.  I hope you enjoy.  Oh, and a note about the photographs - I am no photographer - my photographs do not do justice to the paintings, but I hope they give a flavour - sorry Johnny, but if I wait for your perfect images, I'll wait for ever - and many are behind glass in any case!

Diary

I left phoning J until midday – there’s no point calling otherwise.  ‘I am not 'at home' until two o’clock,’ he will tell you.   Amazingly, not only was I spared Helga (the Teutonic answerphone) but was doubly thrown when J answered with an efficient, ‘Good morning, John Middleton speaking.’

‘Is this a new you?’ I query, ‘are you getting business-like in view of pending exhibition?’

‘No – I’ve not woken up yet!’

‘Ah,’ I respond, ‘why aren’t you in the studio hard at it?’

‘I am – I’m in a creative frenzy – I’m working really hard - there’s a lot of black being splashed about,’ he adds morosely.
'What are you working on?' I enquire.

‘The African Queen – it’s very black.’

‘She does keep on popping up, doesn’t  she?’

Johnny's favourite Queen

I should explain.  There are several  African Queens in existence: she’s an elegant, elongated head, reminiscent of Modigliani.  This Queen, like a chameleon appears in different guises and moods.  Sometimes she’s remote, often black and occasionally white.  My favourite is the provocative temptress, with messy red lips that suggest  what she was up to earlier in the afternoon.

Black Queen - you can see her white heart-shaped lips, white border and  reflection of J in Studio

African Queen in progress

To say that J likes black is an understatement.  He’s passionate about black: it transmits emotion and depth, hinting of times past and mysteries.  If I ever get round to writing J’s biography, I’m going to call it Seventy-Two shades of Black.

‘I’ll maybe see you later then?’ I finish.

‘It’s possible,’ he replies enigmatically.