I met Rafidah Aziz when I was first in Malaysia as Bilateral Aid Advisor to
New Zealand and Malaysia Governments

we met again recently at the Hilton London
where we had time
to share a few memories
and ideas

she is
Malaysia Minister of International Trade and Development

I was invited to Wombourne yesterday

it is just about 2 miles from Himley
the village has a village green with a cricket pitch and a bowling green
and is surrounded by properties from various centuries
some of them are still black and white
typical of early English buildings
I have heard now that some of my friends are reading my diary
I hope that others will too and that some of them will be interested in my work
and come to see me at my exhibition in Southend on Sea art library art gallery
from 11 Februaryto 1st March ..................................
which is entitled


Victoria's InternationalArt

I look forward to seeing you there

I walked today again around Himley Hall
looking at Capability Brown's beautiful landscape and the lake
so elegant, even on this misty day
it never loses its charm
I enjoyed drawing this
and no doubt I
will
again

Greetings today..after visiting my friends... to those in Australasia and Asia who are at the
end of their day
and those in USA Hawaii
Hoping that your season warm or cold is peaceful
best regards from a wintry England ......................Victoria
I hope to hear from you soon...............................................

this is the article which I wrote about yesterday
here................. which appeared in the Dudley News


today I walked around Himley Hall where I launched my Drawings book
which has a drawing of the Hall on its Front Cover

I so love that building even on a damp misty day
as it has been today...it has such atmosphere
and yet it is so underestimated
just a few walkers with their dogs
however if it was crowded.. as are so many beautiful stately homes in England..
I could not enjoy it as My Special Place.......................subject of so many dreamy days- nights and drawings
from when I had my office inside and my Exhibition...................and book launch

An article was published on the front page of the
Waitakere Week Newspaper
which featured a photograph taken at Himley Hall Dudley when I launched my English book
Drawings of my Childhood Places



The Editor apparently liked this photograph best
when he selected the article

it was a nice article so obviously he was happy

Dudley

a recent press article

I do so hope that another historic small building can be saved
so that a local area is not deprived of the wonderful asset of a
local library
perhaps it can survive
it was built by The Earl of Dudley
as was the Dudley Art school

Helsinki so beautiful cold clean and crisp
with gorgeous sights lakes and woodland
every day a new surprise
this with the sauna warming in the backgound
at Pentiis summer house
on the lake
what a delightful break from that most
attractive city
which would one prefer
I am sure that I never could decide
then when I returned to the city
and the office in the same building
as my hotel
with its superb view across the water
I never tired of it
on each visit
I could enjoy it all over again

IN THE WAITAKERES

One of my favourite journeys in New Zealand was from my home in Titirangi
along the scenic drive about -- -- -- 23 miles from Titirangi to the west coast beaches of Piha
the black sand beaches from which ironsands were dredged
to be transported to Japan for the steel industry there

I think that New Zealand has the most varied and unusual mixture of trees and vegetation
that I have seen anywhere
there are a few very small flowers
but generally it is from medium to very dark green

the Pungas grow by the millions and Kauri trees and the Rimu
and the whole aspect of living in this wonderful environment and be able to walk from
my garden straight into the New Zealand Bush
as part of my garden was New Zealand Bush
exactly as this is here----- is absolutely incredible
and I often wish that I could take a piece of it with me
not just in photographs

Christmas breakfast in New Zealand

New Zealand

I was invited to the Christmas breakfast by the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photographers
held at Westhaven the famous yacht basin at the Sitting Ducks
Eric Miller invited me and that was one invitation which I particularly wanted to acept
I do hope that if any of them should come to England soon
a they might like to contact me and to come to my exhibition at

Southend on Sea
Library
Art Gallery
in February

I presented my book Malaysia Terima Kasih to the High Commissioner of Malaysia at the
Malaysia High Commission Belgrave Square in London earlier this year

I was the High Commissioner's guest at lunch at the
50 years Celebration of Malaysia's independence .
from Britain
at a special function and open day in Hertfordshire
on the first of September 2007

He was also interested in my other books and paintings and so accepted a copy of my book concerning England entitled Drawings of my childhood places
which I published following the Malaysia book

When I came home from overseas
I always used to visit Wombourne in Staffordshire

I think it was because I was living in subtropics and tropical climates that
I always used to enjoy winter there
especially when England was covered in snow
the village green has not changedvery much and some of the early houses are still there
I think it is especially nice to have the villagewith a nice Centre with a cricket pitch and bowling green
and an attractive Church

One almost wonders which came first,
the picture postcard
or the village green itself................I have done lots of drawings thereand this is just one of them
which this year also appears on a Christmas card

Just after my English book
Drawings of My Childhood Places
was exhibited and launched at Himley Hall Dudley
I had a book signing at Dillons Piccadilly,
and this photograph was taken
in the background some of my cards and prints


This book will be available on sale.
in Southend on Sea at my Exhibition at the
Libraryy Art Gallery
11th February to 1st March
along with other drawings cards and prints

This is Southend-on-Sea Library and Art Gallery complex
where my Exhibition will be held from

11th February to 1st March 2008


It is in Victoria Avenue Southend-on-Sea
the Library Gallery is open
Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Telephone number 01702534100

Admission to the exhibition is free -- --
books prints and cards
will be available for sale at the Exhibition

I will be there at times during the Exhibition to sign copies

I am having an exhibition of my drawings paintings books
and photography
in Southend-on-Sea LibraryArt Gallery from
11th February to 1st March

The exhibition will be entitled
Victoria's International Art
exactly the same title as the one which was chosen for theExhibition which I had at the
Oxfordshire County Art Gallery in Woodstock
this is an article which was published about me for that Exhibition
the new Exhibition will feature work from countries
such as
New Zealand Australia USA Malaysia Singapore
Hong Kong France Switzerland and quite a few other places which I have visited when I have been working as an
Advisor a Consultant and writing books

I am hoping that some of my overseas friends and acquaintances will be able to visit
on this occasion
and if they are not able to .
perhaps they can come to England at some other time later in the year
when it is planned that I will have another Exhibition, which will have a different subjects
as the next one will probably feature quite a few of my drawings of England
places which I love -- -- places near to my home -- -- and the London, .
which I have enjoyed visiting since I was a child

When my book Drawings of My Childhood Places, was launched at Himley Hall,
Fagins bookstores, which had a large bookstore in Merry Hill
featured my books,
in its stores,
and my books and drawings of Holly Hall church, were displayed in the window for a month.

I had a book signing inside the store, and met some very interesting people,
particularly ones who were interested in the history of the region, and my own family's
involvement in the district
Some people remembered the district which is now the Merry Hill Centre, when it was a steel works, where my grandfather was Manager, in addition to farms which he owned.

I can remember visiting his house at Harts Hill
which was near to the steelworks which was known as Round Oak,
or the Earl of Dudley's steelworks.

I also visitedthe steelworks
with my father when I was a young child
I was awed at the vastness of it

My book, Drawings of my childhood places, was launched at Himley Hall in Dudley,
the ancestral home of the Earls of Dudley.
The book features my drawing of Himley Hall on the cover
and there are illustrations from the Hall itself and the grounds, and
the church, which was built for Himley, which adjoins the grounds.

My book also has drawings of churches and landscape in Dudley, the surrounding districts,
and Bridgnorth, and, because I saw the Houses of Parliament in London, when I was a child,
I have included this in this book, which tells a little of my childhood life in Worcestershire.



Victoria at Himley Hall

This was at mybook signingof my English book
Drawings of my childhood places, in Dillons Piccadilly

I had been told that normally Dillons did not have book signings in Piccadilly
but it appears that an exception was made
and certainly I enjoyed this day it was really nice to be able to greet people who were interested in mydrawings and my writing
and for them to see the cards
which I had on show from the book and also from Shugborough
and it is really special to be able to meet the people who buy my books
As my books have been commissioned in the past
and I have not always met the readers-- -- --
so to be able to listen to their comments to talk to them, and to enjoy their interest in my drawings made it a really wonderful time for me -- -- -- and I was very happy that Dillons, ManagingDirector had been interested in my book when I had met him in Birmingham earlier

My Malaysia book Malaysia Terima Kasih was launched on Television and has been exhiited many times Internationally by The British Council

Malaysia Terima Kasih was launched on television with

Cabinet Minister Tan Sri Chong Hon Nyan in Kuala Lumpur

The book was exhibited internationally by The British Council

and is in The Photographers Gallery and in
The United Nations

It was the Official book presented to the Heads of major Asia
and Australasia Conferences
it is still enjoyed
as a personal view of the Country
to which I was invited as
Advisor

I was also Consultant to the Board of Malaysia Airlines

and asked to give a Public Seminar and many Talks

The Seminar Coporate Image of Malaysia

was attended by very high level Malaysian and overseas delegates

meeting September 1st 50 years Malaysia Independence Celebration in Hertfordshire with Malaysia Business Forum Vice Chairman

Today in December

A very English frosty morning
the orchard white, frozen, beautiful
the horse's steaming breath showing against the whitened landscape

ice on the windscreen but how I love the beauty of it all
wrapped warmly against its sharp cutting wind
I drive through the village
and later, into freezing English meadows and woodlands
home is so lovely
nothing can compare with
this landscape

every day I revel in its beauty and want for nothing more
just to be
every day surrounded by sheer delight
the ponies now are growing
away from their mothers
warmly kept in the stables
I hear them as I walk under the trees

looking at the paddocks with their icy covering
which is timeless
and I think that is why it is such a delight

and so my first words for this, my Diary

Victoria