Art for a Day

I had the greatest of pleasures yesterday. I joined a merry band of dealers, exhibiting their wares, amidst the delightful surroundings of Gloucestershire.

The effervescent dealer Jo Eveleigh, from MastheadArt.co.uk, along with Gloucestershire based art dealer Mary Keane, hosted a one day art sale that was neatly titled, “Art for a Day“.

It really was a day for everyone – art, in all shapes and sizes, was on sale with prices ranging from just £5 to £695. Surely, something there for everyone? I think so!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a little snap to capture the mood of the room!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art fairs happen most days of the week, across the world. But, in this humble little room, held at the Bear of Rodborough Hotel near Minchinhampton, something quite special was happening… people were really enjoying looking at the pictures on show and buying them too!

There was literally everything from an 18th century Dutch Still Life oil on panel, through to very much alive contemporary artists selling their freshly painted canvas’s.

It felt relaxed, calm and enjoyable. There was no sales pressure  - first time buyers felt relaxed alongside seasoned collectors. It was how buying art should be – fun, relaxing and for everyone! Plus, the hotel bar provided a rather delicious distraction at half time

Well done Jo and Mary for organising such a great day out for everyone. It is very much hoped for a repeat performance before Christmas – so if you are looking for a unique pressie – “Art for a Day” should be the perfect place to find it!

Vincent van Gogh and Starry Night

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh is not my favourite painting. Nor is it my favourite painting by van Gogh.

Don’t get me wrong – I do love the painting. Its twirls and movements are electrifying and one becomes completely absorbed by looking into it. I also love the story behind it.

For example, I was intrigued to learn that it was actually painted from memory – not with the artist perched at his easel gazing into the stars, as the more romantic amongst us (mainly me) might have imagined. In fact, it was painted during the day. Yes, Starry Night was painted during the day!

What else have I found out about it? Well, to save you reading any more, the following quick little video might just tell you a bit more.

Hope you like it!
Monty

How to Sell a Million eBooks in 5 Months!

Cover via Amazon

As some of my loyal readers will know, I have recently started an online publishing business, in partnership with my good friend Joe Pelissier.

We have called it – The MoJo Guides. Each book is in digital and downloadable format and is available to purchase via the online store Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.

You can see them here: The MoJo Guides

Last week, we received an email from Amazon – a general newsletter sent out to all publishers on their site. One of the articles stood out – “How to Sell a Million eBooks in 5 Months!”. Naturally, I read on.

It tells the incredible story about the author John Locke and his incredible success self-publishing on Amazon. In fact, he is now the 8th person ever to pass the million books sold on Kindle – and what is more staggering, he achieved this in just under 6 months! Now, bless him, he has written a book telling us just how he did it. I bought it. Here it is: http://t.co/SDMp014

He’s a good bloke – he doesn’t assure us it will work for everyone – but it worked for him and with those kinds of sales figures, its impossible to ignore!

So, if you are keen to publish your own work on Amazon, I share this to inspire you that anyone really can do it. Hopefully, even me!

Bye for now and get writing

Claude Monet gets his MoJo

The MoJo Guide to Monet is out!

Perhaps heralded as one of the greatest artists to have picked up a paint brush, Claude Monet is a true legend. Especially when it comes to beautiful water lilies.But, what do we really know about the man behind the beard?

Was he a nice chap? Why do his paintings fetch so many millions? What happened to Giverny after he died?

Well, we attempt to answer all these things and many more, in the latest work to join the shelf in the MoJo Guides.

Here it is: http://amzn.to/lMECUg

Its a great insight into this legendary artists life – all within a snapshot and you can enjoy it in under 30 minutes!

Camille Pissarro and MoJo.

The French Impressionists are everywhere. They grace tea-towels, post cards, coffee cups and pillow cases.

Together, they changed the art world forever and left an indelible stamp on our lives.

There’s also lots and lots of books out there you can read about them. So, why have we written another?!

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes like to sit for hours and hours and read pages upon pages of information about the life of an artist. I like to know exactly what he or she was doing on a Monday morning at precisely 10.45am in the year of 1874. But other times, perhaps when relaxing with a coffee or hopping on a train or perched on the loo even, I like to know the juicy nuggets of an artists life – in a nutshell. I sometimes just want to know the bits I need to know. And that is why, together with my good friend Joe Pelissier, we have created The MoJo Guides.

The MoJo Guides will cover an exciting range of subjects from art and books, travel and adventure, food and wine, whisky and many other lovely things. We will cover city guides, leisure guides and even fashion (might get a guest writer in for that one). But one thing you can be assured of – each one will be bursting with life, vibrancy and joie de vivre. We want to give you all you need to know in under 30 minutes. After you’ve read it, you won’t need to bluff or stagger your way through a subject – you’ll be armed with your MoJo and raring to go!

Because we love art and have spent our lives saturated in it, we’ve kicked off with that very subject and what better place to start than the French Impressionists. So, here’s one of them.

http://amzn.to/k2RJYB

You download it from Amazon and can read on all types of devices, be it a Kindle, iPhone or computer.

We aim to bring a new title out each week, so please enjoy and spread the word!

Thank you.

Send your festive messages in a digital stocking to deserving, brave children like Drew this Christmas

Send your festive messages in a digital stocking to deserving, brave children like Drew this Christmas.

Mountain Climbing

Image via Wikipedia

I don’t like mountain climbing. Or put another way, I don’t like climbing mountains.

I am, of course, referring to mountains within ones life – not the large and hilly things that pop up all around the world and offer lovely views. I like those mountains.

Life’s mountains are a very different kind of Everest. I have never been a great conqueror and completely shy away from any kind of activity involving pain. I am a runner –  I run from things, if you will excuse the marathon pun.

It has always been this way. I remember as a child suffering terrible toothache but kept it a secret because I did not want to face the pain of going to the dentist. And as we all know – going to the dentists is not that bad really and the nice man in the white coat is actually there to relieve our pain and we leave feeling human again (and vowing that we will never delay going to the dentists again…).

I could go on. But, I won’t because by this stage you, my loyal reader, are probably thinking what on earth is old Monty on about this time! And, you are probably right. I do prattle on somewhat. I am building up to the point I am laboriously trying to get to…

This evening I was faced with one such mountain. Well, mountain might be a tad strong – more of a grassy hillock, really; but it was a lump of grass all the same. I’d had a stinker of a day – we all have them – was feeling sorry for myself, desperately pining my usual post-office snifter of single malt that I have given up and quite frankly the last thing in the entire world I felt like doing was donning my old tatty Dunlop Green Flash’s and pounding the streets, huffing and puffing and generally causing normal folk to cross the street when they see me.

I had a mountain to climb. Decision time – do I really want to do this? Do I really want to conquer this and climb this mountain? Or shall I just give in and flop on the sofa, stare at Lord Sugar giving someone the sack and quaffing a very fine Burgundy. I can’t quite believe that after 10 days of training I had reached this question…I don’t think it was the ‘wall’ but certainly a brick!

Anyway, I did pull on the trainers and made my allocated run. And a bit like going to the dentists, as soon as I had done it I felt a million times better and raring to go. Phew…

Every single one of us has a mountain to climb – mine seem pathetic and ridiculous compared to some peoples. Some of the people that the British Red Cross work with really know what mountains are. Their mountains are will they find food today, will they sleep tonight…will they be alive tomorrow.

Their mountains put mine into perspective and so my marathon keeps going. I head to my beloved Provence on Friday and am very much looking forward jogging through its beautiful countryside; although not its hills!

Have a lovely rest of the week and I look forward to bringing you the next exciting installment at the weekend – I might even attempt a photo or two to spice things up!

Yours,
Monty

Monty English is taking part in the 2011 Virgin London Marathon and running on behalf of the British Red Cross.
You can donate directly through Virgin Money Giving by clicking here: www.bit.ly/montysmarathon . Thank you.

It’s been a week…

As the curtains draw the end of the week to a close, I find myself seated in a comfy armchair by a roaring fire and casting my mind back over the slightly extraordinary events of the past week.

Why? Oh my goodness me – WHY?!! I think the reality of the mammoth task suddenly drove up slap bang in front of me today and slapped me on both cheeks. It’s suddenly hit me – I’m running the marathon.

I wanted to run the marathon because I knew it would change my life. That’s quite a deep statement in it’s self and equally thought provoking. I still want to run it for that reason too.

And it’s that thought that drives me forward. Or that should read, “jogs” me forward. With each wretched step, with every drop of sweat that soaks my t shirt and every ache, cramp and blister – I focus on the end result. This will change my life.

So… I’m still going.

I’m also still going because I want to raise an absolute shed load of cash for a charity that I believe is worth doing this for. What I am enduring with my training is nothing but a droplet in the ocean compared with the sufferings they help relieve. They are the British Red Cross and I am enormously proud to be associated with them. They make lives better, they save lives, they quite simply get on and do it.

So for those two reasons and quite possibly for many more that are yet to be revealed to me, I look back on week one with a jaundiced eye but strangely find myself peeping through the keyhole of week 2 with a hint of determination that has surprised me and no doubt those who know me.

Yours,
Monty

The Next Day

Well, much to the amazement of anyone who knows me, my marathon training made it to day two. Incredible, I know.

To ensure proof was obtained that I was infact out jogging as opposed to a swift half in the local hostelry, my son had the pleasure of joining me and together we pounded the streets; a lion and his cub fighting their way through the urban jungle of sweat, tears and adventure…

The run was much boosted by the presence of an app that had been discovered on my iPhone. Gone, it would seem, are the days of needing to get in ones car and retrace steps with the milometer (as was the case on day one). Oh no, my friends! My marathon training has been injected with an invigorating dose of modern technology – the Runmeter app.

It’s the best £2.99 I have ever spent! I haven’t worked out how to get it actually running on my behalf yet, but i’m sure it’s just a matter of time. It measures distances, times, average times, plots ones route and location – which is vital if an ambulance needs to be summoned! I love it. Im sure it does much, much more but will look forward to finding that all out with each heavy stride and weary step.

Right – off for a hearty breakfast – am attempting a whole mile tonight, so keep praying

Day one…

Well. What can I say – apart from….HELP!!!

After an en exhausting weekend of training which involved watching the entire length of “Run Fat Boy Run” and gaining very useful tips, I thought today would make an excellent time to don the old trainers and hit the tarmac. Flippin heck!

After an exhaustive search for said trainers and old rag of a polo shirt were discovered, I emerged onto the streets, probably looking more scary than anything to be encountered this coming Halloween. Old ladies crossed the road, children hid behind wheelie bins, curtains not only twitched but were drawn and the lights turned off. Monty had begun his journey…

It seemed like I ran at least 10 miles. So as soon as I got in the front door and then picked myself up off the hall floor, I grabbed the car keys in order to retrace my steps and measure them on the car milometer. After quickly refuelling the tank with petrol, for this was to be a long drive and packing a flask of hot coffee incase the journey went on for more than one hour….I was slightly disheartened to discover I was back home slightly sooner than anticipated. The car trip milometer reading obviously was not working properly as it only read 000.8 miles. I did entertain the idea that possibly it had been round once already…? Maybe that was it…

So, with heaving chest and a large glass of chilled Rose to steady my quivering hand, day one has been completed. I have to say, I rather enjoyed it. Well, the first and last ten seconds at least. And the positive side is that I only have to multiply that distance by about 30 times and I will have completed the marathon.

Oh my goodness!