I left Christmas, it’s back there in a wet and very windy Wales. My village was surrounded by flooding from three spate rivers and global warming. I am glad to be moving on to a different climate and less damp conditions. I left my studio with a hole in the roof, (after another storm) taped up last minute with black and white stripy tape and a hard working dehumidifier, which it cannot exist without. I’m hoping that the insects who reside/share my space don’t cause to much damage during my absence, the silver fish particularly enjoy chomping on watercolour on paper.

I packed up yesterday with one large case full of pre prepared surfaces to save time and as back up, incase I struggle with ideas and a smaller case filled with clothing and T bags. I don’t know what I’m getting work space wise and have no materials, not even a paintbrush, so am relying on Subodh’s kindness and use of his immense studio.

Currently writing this on Air India, the screens don’t work, no charging points, little space, they charge for babies and there’s not a great selection of drinks, everyone’s mega pissed. Not me though, I’m using the Ogmios way and just being kind to myself and others, and writing this to stay calm and awake, it works.

I hope to arrive at 10.30 am, Goa time while you are all still asleep, to Peace Suites and find a nice comfy bed to curl up in and sleep a while as the night flight was busy. A lot of my work uses recycled upholstery materials from chairs and sofas and I’m delighted that I can say I’m staying in 3 piece suite 😆 said in a South African accent.

Museum of Goa is closed on New Year’s Day so time to get over the 48 hrs it took for me to get here and maybe a swim in the pool.

Tuesday will be a day of introductions and attempting to remember the names of Subodh’s staff and family. I will see the museum for the first time and assess the space, I love this part as a lot of my work is site specific. Then it will be lots of site visits, local Goan tribe weavery for fabric, Jesus upholsterers for tech advice, some skip diving and general wombling, then I suppose some painting. So excited to begin this new project in the sun, hopefully all this effort will result in something interesting, India always repays you for the effort.