Category: Criticism

Exhibition

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Photo of a glass case with small linocuts inside

It’s been forty years since I had a solo exhibition. At this rate I’ll be 103 when the next one starts. Maybe I’ll have finished some more drawings by then.

Venue: Pembroke Dock Library SA72 6DW. Open 10 a.m – 4 p.m on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m – 1 on Thursday; 10 a.m – 12.30 on Saturday. Exhibition is there until the last day of April 2026.

Four watercolours on display boards
Two watercolour skies exhibited within view of a window
Linocut white poppy

The white poppy has been a symbol of pacifism for decades. The Peace Pledge Union has promoted nonviolent alternatives to violence since 1934.

It’s a family friendly exhibition, with nothing to upset anyone. However, the pictures could be propaganda for a better environment. Viewers so far have been pleased with the light and shadows in the trees. Showing pictures of an ideal world is easier than nagging everyone to plant more trees to keep flooding at bay.

A watercolour and a linocut on display
Linocuts and watercolours

Reformation

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Refute, blue and grey graphite on cardboard

This is the fastest protest sign I’ve ever made. It’s not particularly successful. Nobody will have changed their minds after seeing it.

We went to a place where a Reform group was meeting. They’re popular here because voters feel let down by other political parties. The people were mostly friendly on arrival, some were pleased to see protesters. Others were blatantly hostile and are clearly professional narrow minded bigots.

A couple of elections ago there was a chart showing the similarities between seemingly different types of voters. Everyone wants their children to have a better education than they had. Everyone hopes to be in good health, with access to relevant medical care if they become ill. Many people are suspicious of anyone who seems different. Reform fans claim they are not racist but they don’t like incomers. This is often said by people who have retired here from elsewhere.

Slimming World poster

We might have been in the wrong place. It could really have been an evening about eating more salads and stretching the muscles more often.

Smoking

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GP to patient

Llandrindod Wells, 1994.

Doctor: “You MUST give up smoking!”
Pregnant patient: “But I don’t smoke!!!”


Doctor: “No buts! Smoking is harmful to your baby!”
P: “But I can’t give up a habit I don’t have…”
D: “That’s a feeble attitude!!!”

This conversation repeated for months. She didn’t listen to anything anyone else said. It was recommended that I should attend a course for people who find giving up smoking very difficult. No appointment arrived so I didn’t think about that, as it wasn’t relevant anyway. The doctor criticised me for not going. I pointed out that she would look ridiculous for sending a non-smoker along.
“I’d only smoke if I was on fire…”
“Well that’s why you must stop!!!”

I mentioned to the midwife that this constant nagging increased my blood pressure.
“Do I really need to come here every week?”

“No…”
I was able to stop visiting the Dr, as I wasn’t ill. The appointments didn’t fit the bus timetable so that was a useful detail. Being visited by the midwife instead was far better for everyone.

In today’s news I heard that pregnant smokers are being given £400 as an incentive to stop. Obviously I would have accepted this offer before miraculously giving up my non-existent puffing…