‘Self Portrait’, Pastel on Ingres Paper, December 2009. After being so totally absorbed in something, heart, mind, body and soul, it’s impossible to see it with a fresh eye. This painting will now disappear into my portfolio for 6 months, then I’ll get it out again and decide what, if anything, to do with it next: frame it, develop the theme with different media, rework it on the paper, cut it up and use the bits in collage, etc.