Trafalgar Square London

Recently when I stayed in London
to attend meetings and
the Annual Dinner of The Civil Service Club

I had a day in which I could sit and draw parts of London
which I have known well for many years
as my family took me to London
as a child
This view towards The Houses of Parliament
from the fountains makes a
splendid drawing
which I enjoyed making on a bright sunny June day

Exhibition Dudley St Augustines Church

It has now been confirmed that the Church at Holly Hall Dudley would like me to hold an Exhibition
during September

I anticipate that I will show local works including Shugborough, the ancestral home of The Earls of Lichfield,
Himley Hall, which features on the cover of my book 'Drawings of my childhood places',
towns and villages of the Midlands, landscapes,
and also many of my international works including books for Russia, about Malaysia, New Zealand, Paris, England
The Exhibition will also include photographs, as seen in The Photographers Gallery,
and works exhibited internationally by The British Council

Memories of Paris

Since on May 23rd I had the formal launching of my book
A trip to Paris

I have looked at the photographs which were taken during the few days
when I took my nephew for a holiday in Paris, for his 15th birthday
This look at Paris was taken by Jason,
he showed quite an interest in photography,
enjoying the sights and sounds of this beautiful city

Open Day Himley Church

21st June 2008

This drawing is one of many which I have made
of the Himley district, as I enjoy the peace of nearby Himley Hall
on many days, and launched my book 'Drawings of my childhood places' in the Hall
especially, I think, I appreciate it, in the winter, when the grounds
are quite peaceful.
They are open for all to enjoy
Capability Brown's designs for this estate of The Earl of Dudley

This weekend the memorial garden of The Earl of Dudley is open
just for two days,
and today Saint Michael's Church Himley
has an Open Day,
when visitors can enjoy the surroundings of this,
the Church of Himley Hall, the grounds of
which are along the narrow lane from the Hall

Dudley News 11th June 2008

The Dudley News
wrote about my latest book A trip to Paris and Malaysia Terima Kasih in this
article about the formal launch of my book in May in Wombourne
by Sir Patrick

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The photograph was taken and supplied for use by
The Village Voice magazines

A trip to Paris

The formal launch of my latest book
A trip to Paris
by Sir Patrick Cormack FSA MP
on 23rd May
enabled me to invite a number of people whom I knew, to see some of my paintings, drawings photographs and books
.............................................................................................................
One person who has not appeared in the pictures, because she was behind the camera,
was Gail, who with her husband Chris Smith,
owns the Village Voice magazines which circulate in Wombourne,
Himley and other nearby villages
Gail had earlier visited me to see my books, writing and illustrations, for other journals and newspapers
and she took the pictures which I have used,
one of which has already been seen in The Dudley News newspaper article on 11th June
I am delighted with such an excellent record of this, for me, very special day
This photograph was taken during a different visit,
one of many which I have made to this
elegant city
I hope that my 'Trip to Paris' is shown in Paris soon....
...................................................................................
so that French people can enjoy my lighthearted look at their city which I have enjoyed visiting
so much

London in June

During my recent visit to London to have tea at The Churchill Hotel,
to attend the Annual Dinner at The Civil Service Club,
where I have been a Member for some years
I had a number of meetings about my current and, perhaps, future books

On Saturday, as I looked for the exact locations for my next London drawings,
I talked to the Guardsmen who were on duty as the Colonel's Parade was being held prior to the Queen's Birthday Parade yesterday, 14th June

The Mall, as usual, was lined with overseas visitors
some spoke and some Malaysian student took photograhs
which they sent to me
In the background the Parade moves along The Mall to Horseguards Parade

On the next day I made my drawings of
Trafalgar Square, looking towards The Houses of Parliament
I sat by Eros, and near to New Zealand House, I drew The Haymarket

National Association of Widows

I was delighted when Bonhams suggested to Yvonne Karsey
that I could be a Speaker at her function for The National Association of Widows, in February this year
held at The Institute in Shirley Solihull

Unlike many previous Talks and Seminars, this was to be
a relaxed occasion, where she told me she would like to hear of my work overseas as Consultant for New Zealand Government to Tonga as Bilateral Aid Advisor to New Zealand and Malaysia Governments and also my invitation to
The United Nations from the New Zealand Government. ....................................

During the afternoon, I showed her invited audience my books
for Russia, on New Zealand, Malaysia and England.
I spoke about the many wonderful invitations which I had received whilst overseas, from The King of Malaysia, Prime Minsters and many others, at private and Diplomatic functions. The questions afterwards were quite pertinent as everyone appeared to have an interest in my eventful life.
It was, for me, an especial pleasure, as I said afterwards at tea, as for the first time, I had returned to Birmingham area to give a Talk, after many years away, as I had graduated and worked in the City for quite some time and always have a special interest in encouraging my overseas friends, to travel further into England to see the Worcestershire, Warwickshire and other central English Counties.

My photograph shows Yvonne with the books which I presented from New Zealand and Malaysia Governments on those countries

I am visiting London soon
and maybe will have one or two days
there so that I can enjoy the wonderful buildings
squares and parks of this, for me,
the most beautiful city in the
world
Where else can one see the beauty of Wren
so perfectly

I was asked once to draw Westminster Abbey
.........that could fill a lifetime...........
however it might be well filled
I hope that people enjoy my look at England
it is always nice to be here
whether in countryside or city

A trip to Paris

I thought that it would be nice to
show what we did on our trip to Paris
.............................................................
The Eiffel Tower was defnitely on our visiting list
and my nephew showed his interest in photography
throughout our visit

here is his photograph of me inside the Eiffel Tower
in our very enjoyable and sunny visit to Paris

A trip to Paris book launch Wombourne

Before Sir Patrick arrived
at my formal book launch and exhibition in Wombourne, myself and some of my guests
were able to talk together
and it was nice to be able to show them my books and paintings
and also the prints which had been produced from my orginals
which I have enjoyed preparing for this event

These were new to some of my guests
however those like Mark, from Bonhams, and Margaret, have seen some at my home previously
I have not had a collection on show in the Midlands for some years
so this was new and very pleasant for me also..................................................
I had drawings of Wombourne Kingswinford Dudley Himley Bridgnorth Pensnett .....
as well as my overseas work................behind us is the pastel Pungas which I exhibited for
Sir Paul Reeves Governor General of New Zealand ....................................

in this picture Rev Paul Brown Wombourne Church, Margaret Lee who has recently retired from BUPA,
Joan Oakley of the Townswomen's Guild and Norton History Group are on my right and
Mary Bond Chairman Wombourne Council and Mark Hannam Bonhams complete this group on my left
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I hope that they will come to see my next Exhibition also.................
I will be giving a talk and a display of some of my work requested by Joan Oakley
for The Townswomen's Guild on the 4th of July in Stourbridge

Signing my Paris book

In Wombourne Sir Patrick said to my guests that he enjoyed seeing my paintings and books........
and I think that for the first time he saw the photographs which are exhibited in
The Photographers Gallery
in my book Malaysia Terima Kasih
He had written that he had hoped to see
my Exhibition in Southend on Sea
but was unable to do so.....

I have had the pleasure of reading what he has written also
and so I
very much enjoyed showing him some of my work
and signing this latest of my books
for him


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I hope that I will be able to welcome him to
a larger Exhibition of my work some day

Victoria's book A trip to Paris

My latest book
A trip to Paris
which was shown at my Exhibition in Southend on Sea
had its formal launch at Wombourne Council Chamber on 23rd May
my special guest was
Sir Patrick Cormack FSA MP
and I also welcomed Mary Bond who was the new Chairman of Wombourne Council


This book
which I wrote, and illustrated, when I took my nephew for a
few days visit to Paris for his 15th Birthday
is a very lighthearted look at that enjoyable holiday.......
when he and I discovered Paris, as a french student might
we went shopping, travelled on the metro, took boats on the Seine
spent time at Notre Dame........had dinner with my french friends...
and during all of this Jason spoke to many french people
and for the first time discovered his fluency in France
It was fun for us both
he told me that he was so happy to be seeing the real France
not just what the tourists saw
so I think that made me feel that it had been worthwhile
....................................................
and this book tells that story from Wombourne to Paris