Portrait of Richard Demarco. Charcoal on white paper.

Last year I posted about my project to create a portrait of Richard Demarco (link here – Portrait )

Not long after, towards the end of November, I was dismayed to hear that Richard had suffered a stroke, then very relieved indeed to hear that he is recovering – as active as ever – albeit with some loss of feeling in his right side which restricts his ability to paint. This must cause much concern for someone who has painted all his life. Along with many hundreds of other people, I wish him a speedy and full recovery.

In this recent interview with Scotland’s Herald he discusses this, also the need for permanent housing and full ongoing creative development of the Demarco archives, currently at Summerhall in Edinburgh, which he describes as more of a ‘gesamtkunstwerk’, needing ‘curation and study’. Article Here

It didn’t feel right to go ahead with my portrait until having dropped by to say hello, which I did in December during Richard Demarco’s Christmas celebration at Summerhall. I was very cheered to be greeted with a characteristicly warm hug and to find him in equally characteristic enthusiastic conversation.

I’ll be resuming the portrait this month. The wood board is primed (with blackboard paint not gesso, more on that later ..) Je suis près as they say!