Monday

Silence they say is golden and at times it can be, but Yvonne went into hospital today. It took five hours to secure a bed for her. Tony had to leave her before her operation the following day. This has been the longest six months of his life. Tony couldn’t settle when he arrived home, so he painted until the Tuesday sun rose.

Tuesday

Juggling hospital visits with work load is stretching, but Tony is managing thus far. Yvonne’s operation started around 14:00, and ended at 16:00. After leaving the ward for a time, he returned at 18:00 to retrieve sandwiches and snacks for Yvonne. Tony was glad to see that Yvonne’s appetite survived such a stressful operation. What an incredible lady.

Wednesday

Tony arrived in the Gallery for 09:00 to catch up on his commissions and take part in meetings with suppliers. This filled the morning until it was time to pick up Yvonne from the hospital. She caught up with much-needed sleep while Tony painted. It’s nice to have her home, says Tony.

Thursday

Tony was again relieved to be in the Gallery once more, having taken the brunt of a stressful week. Painting, which filled the day, was a therapeutic exercise. The worst of the week over, Tony was able to spend the entire day painting while he looked after recovering Yvonne.

Friday

More painting in the Gallery; what a great day. There was a real sense of progression for Tony, who finished three paintings on Friday. Tony is really enjoying painting, particularly given the stress he’s been under recently.

Saturday

Another great end to the week. Tony spent the day catching up with many fantastic visitors, each bearing kind words for Tony and Yvonne. These people, says Tony, are the reasons he paints. He’s always grateful to have such caring people milling around in the Gallery.