Visual diary of two recent days and smoking!

the entrance to the therapy room via the sensory garden; I worked there as a chaplain for 15 years, now it has closed. this quick sketch (50 minutes) done in ink line and colour wash.

quick sketches of folk going about their business at Sainsbury's car park!

I've taken up smoking again! Not in the NHS sense of the word which tells you  are a bad person and will have to be consigned to medical hell for committing the sin (beware the new health religions!), but in the sense that I was asked to do locum duty at a church which required me to swing incense, something I haven't done for 25 years. I enjoyed every minute of it and ladies, it smells better than aftershave!

weekend away and rare poultry

Weekend away at a country hotel;
saw some rare poultry!

 

I know nothing about poultry, but certainly enjoyed sketching these rare breeds

 

Taking Marmite with you on holiday

Recently I heard about someone who insisted on taking a jar of Marmite with her  whenever she goes on holiday abroad, because you can't guarantee to get it anywhere outside the UK. (For non UK readers of this blog, let me explain that Marmite is very salty flavoursome yeast extract spread; as is said " you love it or loathe it"!). Forward planning indeed!
I only mention this because of an incident in my hospital chapel Sunday service recently. The service is relatively informal, designed to accommodate the limitations of elderly people, tired and weary and sometimes confused and uncomfortable. Generally it is focussed around the celebration of holy communion, but trying to be as non-denominational as possible. Sometimes when it comes to the distribution of the communion some folk might say " no thanks, I'm Catholic". I might say "don't worry, it's available to anyone of whatever denomination or none".
 The lady was clearly enjoying the service, taking part, engaged, eye contact. When it came to the distribution of communion she said, "no thanks; I'm chapel, we don't do that". It was only when I returned to the altar to start clearing the vessels that I realised I felt quite sad: something akin to the way someone feels when he or she has prepared a meal and finicky guest says "I don't like that" it is something to do with hospitality being rejected, an offering not being acceptable.
There's a lot in this offering of hospitality: we place ourselves in the offering; to reject the offering is to reject the offering of the person who makes it; I think that is why the statement by Jesus, recorded by Luke (chp 10, v.7) is so poignant, "stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer". Accepting what someone gives is so important. At the end of the service the lady insisted we accept her coin offering. We don't take a collection during the service, but it was important to accept and tell her that it will be used for the flowers, as the chapel is the only place in hospital where flowers are allowed. It's strange how one seemingly insignificant encounter can open up a fountain of reflection and spiritual musing.

owners and dogs: Recreation ground:early morning

Folk have different ways to begin the day: dog owners have little choice but to go out: I choose to go and swim: outside the pool are trees and children's play area, lovely colours and shapes this time of year. I've done a sequence of quick sketches followed by this acrylic today:
first the finished piece:

acrylic on mountboard


it all began with 2 sketches:

 

followed by:

 

 

pen line and wash

Fellow travellers on the bus

Two bus journeys to work yesterday: a small A6 pad and pens enables quick sketches of postures and positions. I draw because I love drawing: I draw because people fascinate me:

these were waiting patiently for their bus

 

this lady was hunched and also weighed down by her bags; very sad and forlorn looking

 

 

 

 he stared out of the window, it was all passing him by

 

 

 

 

she got on with her friend; so absolutely happy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

he was a large heavy man; I discovered he was in outpatients later in the hospital in which I work.

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