Aftermath

 The show is over and everything taken down,  packed away, or hung on the last remaining spaces on my own walls. The keys are handed back for my temporary studio space where a flurry of artistic activity kept me happily busy for the last couple of months, creating this exhibition.
 I started it all in the heat of  August, and it has ended as the autumn winds and rain are sweeping in, tearing the leaves from the trees. I feel a little bereft, as if I am sitting alone on Brighton pier when the last ice cream sellers have packed up after the summer, and the merry-go-round has ground to a halt. 

 It rained on the night of the Private view...

Nevertheless, quite a few people braved the elements: Fergus Food-Jeal to the left  with Nicola Jeal centre above.

          David Asboe with Yonatani..       

   David again... (all these pictures courtesy of the European commissions photographer Jamie Smith )                                                       

                    Mark Saade, the Malian Honorary Consul to the United Kindom, right above

 I was honoured to have Pia Lundgren, the Cultureal Attache at the Swedish Embassy to introduce me and the work. She was very gracious and complimentary- it can't have been easy, since we had never met before and I am hardly a known artist... But she talked about my work with the manuscripts, and my hotel in Africa etc  as well...

And then I had to say something, which is always a real trial for me. But it seemed to work out!

So what now?
Well, nothing much will change. It is not the first time I have had an art show, although the last one was many years ago. And all the time in Djenne I was of course involved in making and creating textiles etc. The difference now is only that I have decided to take on a permanent studio space after Christmas when I get back from my up coming  Mali trip . And then, lets see... There are plenty of selling art shows (this one was not) to attend to see if I can't  make some sales too!