Am at Hereford Arts Market next Saturday 9 June, and Stratford Waterside market Sunday 10 June. Then I’m giving a talk about how THIS IS BIRMINGHAM happened, to Hall Green Art Society on Wednesday 13th, and to the Botanical Gardens Perennials on Monday 18th. Plus my prints are on show at a private exhibition in Solihull on 14-16 weekend (get in touch if you’d like an invite) and I’m selling them in a summerhouse in Chantry Road during Moseley Open Gardens on Sunday 17th.

And in between I’m moving house. Oof!

In the 1930s James Boswell did a set of stunning lithographs on the theme of The Fall of London, using familiar landmarks as backdrops, to inspire hatred of fascism. Today humanity itself needs re-inspiring; so artists need to do something else. But Boswell’s pictures are so wonderful (and I’ve recently discovered him) that I’m breaking my rule of avoiding gloomy images just to show you. And also to show you how beautifully Boswell drew everyday life in London just after the war.

Just back from productive week in Glasgow researching its Book and trying to sketch on iPad. Above isn’t Glasgow but unfinished bedroom view in wonderful 6-star cottage in Galloway (built by my friend Jennifer. Aga! carpets! two bathrooms!)

BTW am at Moseley Market tomorrow… and if anyone can kindly lend a laptop to show my slides from memory stick, am giving talk about Birmingham Book on 13 June to Hall Green Art Society, who it seems lack this technology  (+ another one at Brum Botanical Gardens on 18 June, so far hitchless)

I’m at the Spring Gardening Show in Malvern next week, from Thurs to Sat. Designing bookplates for it. (Email me for bespoke commissions!)

And recently discovered this delightful 21st-century instrument the hang, or hang drum. Makes a lovely sound even when you just bang it (which you aren’t supposed to do). Designed 11 years ago in Switzerland: two carefully tuned steel dishes connected via something called gas nitriding process.

Ironically, Daniel Waples made some very pleasant music with it at a PV for depressingly dystopian (though elegant) anti-technology drawings.

I’m at Moseley Market on Saturday, sorry for short notice… must mention unexpectedly fabulous ballet last night (thanks to June Nicholls). Artifact (good video excerpts on this link) by William Forsythe, created in 1984 amazingly. First time I’ve seen ballet in years. Quite unprepared for it. Human body as moving sculpture. Beautiful lines, astonishing shapes. And full of weird bits, eg stage curtain crashing down periodically, man with megaphone wandering about arguing with graceful sinuous woman in elegant dress. Combination of language and dance unexpected and wonderful. Royal Ballet of Flanders. Really good.

The Bond exhibition has been extended to end of May! so if you haven’t seen it yet, there’s still time. Try to go on a sunny morning, when the café’s full of light and you can eat outside by the canal.

Here’s a couple of beautiful pictures by El Pintor (= Jacob Kloot and Anna Galinka Ehrenfest) from Wat Hassan Zag, 1943. More here

Another pic for Glasgow book (Belmont bridge and River Kelvin)

And belated congratulations to Manick Govinda, Josie Appleton and the Manifesto Club for winning a key, three-year battle for visiting artists against Britain’s ridiculous immigration system

Sketches from Birmingham Opera Company’s recent wonderful production of Life is a Dream

Great fun to draw, though hard to do fast enough. Would love another go. The music grows on you, and everywhere people are behaving strangely (and singing)

Pic I did recently for Woman + Home magazine, which they liked so much they rejigged the text to fit. A first!

Finished the first drawing for my Glasgow book, of Eve in the Kibble Palace. Hurray!