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
......................
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


......................................................................................


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