Is there a 'cell' operating in 'Plain Sight' in the British establishment ?

First of all please excuse this post it's non characteristic one - text and link heavy with little in the way of pictures!

 It's here because I'm not at all happy about some of the ways the Government of Boris Johnson is operating and in particular why Claire Fox is to join the House of Lords...

So if you’re wondering who might have suggested Claire Fox for the HoL my money would be former colleague Munira Mirza she’s head of Policy Unit at BJ’s  No 10.

Munira’s husband (she’s married to Dougie Smith who was involved in Fever Parties a few years back) is now a ‘strategist and opposition researcher’ in Downing Street – here’s what looks to be a well researched item about how the one time revolutionaries history  have inveigled themselves into the peaks of the establishment 

It seems to be characteristic of the dodgy end of politics (and Grant Shapps) that  assumed names and  splintering of cliques are 'de rigeur' well there's plenty of that here.

 I was aware of Claire Fox (also it seems working as Claire Foster) from the  LM controversy with ITN and I noticed her attendance at RTS London meetings and then as a 'rent a quote' and source of 'controversy'   mainly being given (perhaps too much?) publicity by the BBC.

Also somewhat discounted her involvement around one of the many 'fringe'  Think Tanks the so called  'Academy of Ideas '. 

When people suggest sources of information and opinion to me I'm always keen to know who is backing the source - not clear how the Academy of Ideas is funded - it's not a charity but there are some details held at Companies House  The records reveal that Ellie Lee is (or perhaps was) involved too as is Suke Wolton both in LM's  and the RCP UK's   past.

past.

Seems there's links to Spiked which is to me again a curious mix of characters and philosophies -as far as I can see this is funded by US Libertarians from the  Koch family foundations.

Anyone know more ?- I think transparency around the figures and their agenda should be of use in informing debate  around Ms Fox being an appropriate person to assume a peerage.

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[seems Claire's younger sister also used an assumed name at LM  and is also a beneficiary of Tory honours,  Fiona already was awarded  an OBE  and has  a similarly questionable past)].

Andy's Birthday

 Yesterday would have been (by most reports) Andy Warhol (a)'s 92nd Birthday.

More I find out about the artist the more I'm conflicted as to how I feel about Andy and his work - undoubtedly he's cast a shadow over Art and celebrity as we now view it and the story he brings of the American success story continues to resonate 

I went to the Tate Modern exhibition ahead of 'Lockdown' and did find quite a lot of work that was impressive  (along with some  curious memorabilia- like wigs).

 

 

76 - a design/pattern amongst the lines

75 - An area filled with horseshoes

Horseshoes all over the place

74- a liner drawing of a pencil

It's a pencil drawn with a pen

73 a Tonal drawing

task 72 -7 to -10 minutes on a 'blind drawing'

I was thinking of taking the full  time but didn't  - feel that this (very) quick line captures something of the figure.

I like the fact that in the photo the right hand does come out (like hands in The Supper at Emmaus' by Caravaggio ) and would like to try and do something more on this as a longer work

Nick Talks

71 Experiment with using wax crayons

You could try using them as you would a pencil, and on their side

I had to cheat - started wanting to go with crayons but only have four so used  'Bright Ideas' Double Ended' Colored Brush Pens.

70 what relaxes me - and Had a go at a person at Tate Modern (picture)

Activity 70 and ..

Interesting to consider:

'What Activities make you feel relaxed 

Draw or write them here.

1) Well a decent cup of coffee and something like a chocolate brownie (or a mince pie in the right season).

2) A warm bath with something good on the radio.

3) Allotment stuff, a bonfire or perhaps Cutting back.

Even a visit to Tate Modern (when it was open) .. like below where Warhol was on and being photographed

69 Snowy tree

68 liner pen (and pencil too)

67 some faces

And with faces

66 a plant on a pot

Draw a plant (inside) Outside

65 - different pencils

64 Colour Circle collage

63 mixed materials

My Camera -EOS R 

62- colour swatches (and collage)

some mucking about with Watercolours

In space

and me in space

61 - figures (1,2 and 3)

60 - A few birds

59 - it's me but not two handed

58 - combining colours

I used Acrylic paint - and here it seemed that mixing leads to 'muddy' colours - will try water colours rtoo

And here are some watercolours

57 a design on each square

An idea for a script

Having had some (very) brief allusions to story-boarding my mind took me to a film  and some very obliquely imagined  actions and scenes ..
What is it?

 An early morning and a visit by the priest to a chapel.
The priest is attacked and goes to hospital
Convalescence and return
Back at church and there's a further encounter
News and Sport on TV
In court and the offender goes to prison
The End

56 A Postcard I might get...

An (almost) imagined postcard...

A Postcard re-imagined

Another experiment in the book is a figure - seen through a mask/window

The footballer

And with a mask

55 - A shoal of (colourful) fish

54 Some cutouts

53 - outside in February

From outside

A view across Green