Development

I can’t believe the day I’ve had. A day that began in despair - I was barely able to see the faint guidelines with which I’d marked the face of my icon - continued with my redrawing them freehand on the ochre base colour and the adding layer after layer of paint, egg-yolk wash, detail and - scarily - the eyes; went into an afternoon of painting garments to the accompaniment of a tightening headache ... and saw me barely leaving the table except to eat.

I’ve just finished an impromptu evening in the studio with a few other retreatants with bits to complete; one of us - not me! - had Leonard Cohen on his laptop and we applied gold paint and scattered silver leaf and I put in my hands...

And this is where I am now. Tomorrow there is work to be done on halo and background; tonight I must sleep. Soon.