Monday, March 22nd

Read Chuch Close/ Work by Christopher Finch. Fabulous images, interesting writing, alltogether a pleasure to read. This is a collaborative work, the author is a friend of the artist and makes no grandiose pronouncements regarding the work.

In stark contrast was Egon Schiele, The Egoist by Jean Louis Gaillemin. The images are wonderful, but the text! I know someone said that any interpretation that a viewer brings to a visual artwork is as valid as that of the artist, I even agree with the statement, but I totally disagree that such interpretation should be presented as fact. This book embodies everything I dislike about text in art books.

Art books are primarily about images. If the writer wants to tell us about the life and times of the artist, I am interested. If they want to verify opinions by placing letters and interviews with friends and family of the artist, I am all for it. If they have ideas and opinions as to the whys and wherefores of the artists' style and/or frame of mind, please state clearly that it is an opinion, a theory, do not pretend to know the unknowable and PLEASE don't present any such as facts.

My grandmother used to make these scones for tea:

Cheese scones

230g Self raising flour (sieved) OR 230g flour with 15ml baking powder
10ml Baking powder
10ml Sugar
2ml Salt
2ml Cayenne pepper
250ml Water
250g Cheddar (grated)

Mix all, press into square, buttered pyrex, cut into 9 squares.

100g Butter (melted)

Pour over scone mixture and bake for 30 minutes at 180C. Serve hot.