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Henry Valentine Miller. 26 December 1891 - 7 June 1980 Writer and Artist An artist's life involves great swathes of attention. Attention is our way of connecting and surviving. Paying attention to the small details in our lives makes our lives extraordinarily large. Henry Miller championed this attention and his artistic and literary career stand as a legacy to his vast vision and close scrutiny. 'The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.'  Henry Miller. 'The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.' Henry Miller. 'Develop interest in life as you see it; people, things, literature, music- the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.' Henry Miller. Miller's daughter, Valentine,  describes her father as ...

Ferragudo, Portugal. Oil on paper by Celia Turner. This is one of my earliest paintings. I visited Ferragudo in Portugal for the first time back in 2002. This area of Portugal is absolutely stunningly beautiful. Ferragudo town seemed untouched by time with fishermen bringing in their catch, widows in their weeds strolling quietly by, dogs chasing each other and impeccably dressed babies being taken out for a stroll. The air was fresh with salty sea air and barbecued fish. The lovely yellow houses seemed to lend an air of sunshine even on a rare gloomy day. I felt a sense of freedom in Ferragudo, that strange feeling that I had been there before and feeling totally at home even though I had never visited before in my life. Around the corner from this scene is the Fort of Sao- Joao do Arade, I think it has been modernised now but then was a stately old fort proudly protecting the coastline. I have many paintings of this fort /castle. The coastline itself is very much like our rugge...

Fashion itself is a reliable reflection of social, cultural, economic, and political change. And boy 'The Times They-Are-A-Changin''. I wonder what effect the Trump era will have on fashion. I think the first noticeable change will be in the boob department. I predict that boobs will be taking a back seat. I reckon we (well, us girls) will be buttoning up our blouses quickly. When women want to be taken seriously, they need to look serious. In the US, the women will be feeling thwarted, frantic, and afraid of what their futures hold for them and their daughters. It is time for them to re-group, show solidarity, button up and go to war to reassert themselves and their power. Already the disappearance of the bosom can be noticed on the red carpet with high-necked gowns overtaking the plunging necklines which already seem embarrassing and naff. The sales of plunge bras have plummeted while the sales of t-shirt bras, un-padded bras and bra-lets have increased. Women want ...

It is thought the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder affects around 2 million people in the UK. It can affect people of any age including children. So, as it's a gloomy start to November, cold, grey and damp, here are some tips to beat the blues. And a happy picture to remind you of more colourful days to come. As soon as you wake up, open all curtains and blinds- any light is good light. Maintain your routine- don't neglect your hobbies. Get outside- dog walkers have to do it. Ditch the sugar-  sugar feeds depression. Develop wintertime interests- become a super-chef, a knitter, a blogger, a singer, a dancer. Practice relaxation- breathing exercises, yoga, mindfulness. Watch a funny film- it is hard not to laugh. Keep warm- hot water bottles are great, hot drinks, warm socks. Keep working out- you will feel better even if it's a struggle. See friends and family- they might need cheering up too. Book a massage- a study shows massage ...

A beautiful shot of a white 'fogbow' has been captured by photographer Melvin Nicholson. Mr Nicholson was out walking on Rannoch Moor in the west of Scotland on Sunday when the stunning white rainbow appeared. A 'fogbow' is a colourless rainbow that is made up of tiny water droplets that cause fog. A windswept tree, framed by the fogbow completed his magical shot. As an artist myself, I especially love this photograph, I can imagine Melvin's delight at capturing this particular image at this particular time, not staged at all, nature doesn't do dress rehearsals or repeat performances after all. He was in the right place at the right time and was rewarded with this gift from nature, and he unwrapped his present and shared it with the world.                                                              Magical work Melvin.

This will be my 51st post. So far, the subject matter of this blog has been eclectic, a bit of glamour, quite a bit of politics, a smidgen of philosophy, a tiptoe into tarot and a lot of art. I do tend to flit from one subject to the other but that's a characteristic of the creative brain. Some people assume that artists- musicians, writers, poets, painters- are strong on the fantasy side, whereas politicians and businesspeople are realists. This may be true in terms of day-to-day routine activities. But when a person begins to work creatively, all bets are off. Artists need to combine playfulness and discipline or responsibility and irresponsibility. There is no question that a playfully light attitude is typical of creative individuals. But this playfulness doesn't go far without its antithesis, a quality of doggedness, endurance, and perseverance. When I am feeling creative, I feel like I am living life more fully and can easily become absorbed in a project for hours o...

Good morning, America. Half of the American people will have been nursing their first coffee of the day feeling sick. Think of us Brits on June 24th, we feel your pain.  A vast disillusionment would be setting in: that as of now the romantic idealisation of America is dead. As they shift uncomfortably in their chairs, they will conclude that there may not be a happy conclusion to the novel that is their homeland. Half of the American people presumed that their fellow citizens still believed in a more liberal approach to life, a bit more of a leaning toward racial harmony and sexual equality; believed them to be an open and tolerant lot, believed them to be, well, more like themselves. It comes as a horrible shock to realise that it's you in the minority. It's you who voted for the losing campaign. It's horrible to realise that you overlooked those fellow Americans, white people, living in rural areas who don't share your views on what it's like to...