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The Artist’s Wife

When one is the wife of an artist, one is fortunate enough to be blessed with some pretty darn good birthday cards. His Lordship Malarkey and I started making cards for each other a few years back - his to me are lino cut prints, watercolours, ink drawings or computer art, and mine to him are collaged, sewn or knitted. 

Andy surpassed himself with the card he presented me with yesterday. It’s in its own frame and is a representation of all the items mentioned in the song ‘You’re the Tops!’ by Cole Porter and John McGlinn because, says Andy, that is what I am. The tops. Not the Louvre Museum. Not Napoleon brandy. Nor the tens of other things mentioned in the song which are waaaaay too numerous to mention here. Just ‘the tops.’

 (The Birthday Girl blushes prettily and giggles behind her fan. Awwww…shucks!)


 It’s this style of art that I think Andy particularly excels at - the taking of a theme and using often funny and always entertaining detailed drawings composed into an overall piece of art of rare and outstanding individuality. He, of course, is very dismissive of what he can do. Which drives me insane. ‘Enough with all this modesty!’ I shout. ‘Whip out that trumpet and give it a darn good tootin’ eh??’

Anyway, I had a lovely 57th birthday yesterday culminating in a pretty lush meal out with Heather and Ollie in a swanky bar ‘n’ restaurant. So swanky that it was impossible to identify all the ingredients in my starter! That, I think, is a good benchmark for the level of swank in a restaurant. I was very touched by the cards I received, too, which had messages of appreciation for my friendship. This meant a lot, so thank you lovely friends! You know who you are. xx

And so, here I go, embarking on my 58th year in show business! I’m going to be launching my new Tarot Consultancy in the next few months, which is very exciting, least of all because I’m at the stage of designing a business card, and who doesn’t enjoy a bit of THAT malarkey?? 

Cracking on with important stuff today, then. You, too, have a good one! 



Comments

Anonymous said…
Andy, someone once said “don’t ever speak badly about your life. It might be listening”. Apply that to your art. You are really good and that’s that. I really like your idea of making each other birthday cards. I hope you hang them up.
KJ
6 November 2022 at 05:19
Denise said…
KJ, I’m always telling Andy what a great artist he is. He’s modest to the point of exasperation.
6 November 2022 at 15:55
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