Terry Johnson's Life and Times

Anybody out there?

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 08:12:00 +0000

I know, I know, I crawled under a stone and everybody went away with their own business.

But I'm thinking I might come back and carry on with my ramblings...what do you think?

Where did that Year go?

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 08:32:00 +0000

On my last post I left out the word Year, but didn't realise it until now! Furthermore I left it out twice, and still didn't notice it!! I even had a kindly response and still the penny didn't drop!!!

Call it a senior moment, call it a gremlin. Call it whatever you like, I lost a year and didn't even notice it. There's not many people that can say that on Jan 2.

Hey, just thought, here's a different spin. You may call it a year, others may call it something else. So whatever your New is, enjoy it.

And it's a Happy New from him and a Happy New from me!

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:11:00 +0000

Sea gulls dancing in a snowy scene

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:13:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:39:00 +0000

A Happy Christmas, and very possibly white Christmas, to everyone

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:38:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:32:00 +0000

Man catching mackerel, 1985, Laura Ford

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:19:00 +0000

On a snowy Saturday morning in 1985 I went to a temporary gallery in Islington, London and bought this pastel drawing by Laura Ford. It was unframed, so I took it to the Brompton Gallery and had a hand painted frame specially made for it. I also bought a sculpture by her partner Andrew Sabin, which, sadly we no longer have.

The point of all of this is that the picture must now be moved from the wall it has adorned for many years. Where will it go? Can we still keep it?

You can't keep a good poet down...

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:25:00 +0000

Or so the newly published letters of T.S. Eliot seem to show (The Letters of T.S. Eliot Volume 2 1922-1925, published by Faber & Faber). He came under intolerable pressures during this period yet he still managed to write some of the best poetry of the 20th century (not withstanding Ezra Pound who is, in my opinion, the giant among them all). If you are unfamiliar with his work, start with The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock. Here's the first stanza to give you a taste:

Let us go then, you and I,

When the evening is spread out against the sky

Like a patient etherised upon a table;

Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,

The muttering retreats

Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels

And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:

Streets that follow like a tedious argument

Of insidious intent

To lead you to an overwhelming question ...

Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?'

Let us go and make our visit.

And so it goes on beautifully, atmospherically; this, by the way, is the poem that has the famous line:

In the room the women come and go

Talking of Michelangelo.

Enjoy Eliot, he is proof, if proof were needed, that pleasure comes from pain: in this case our pleasure, his pain!

Happy halloween everyone!

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:14:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Wild Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:29:00 +0000

Great news for fans of great sculpture. At The Royal Academy of Arts, in London, from Oct 24 to Jan 24, is an exhibition called WILD THING featuring Epstein, Gaudier-Brzeska (see example above) and Gill. Can't wait.

If you know me well enough you know that I constantly sing the praises of Henri Gaudier-Brzeska as one of the greatest sculptors of the twentieth century; tragically killed in the 1st World War in his early twenties. If he had lived on he would have towered over his contempories Epstein and Gill; as it is he stands shoulder to shoulder with them; and as you glory at his work remember it was Ezra Pound that made sure the world knew of Henri, another reason why I have greatly admire Pound for what he did for poetry and the arts in general.

Go to this exhibition it will open your eyes like no Hirst or Emin can ever do.

Hilary Mantel - I remember you well

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Congratulations to Hilary for winning the Man Booker Prize with her book: Wolf Hall.

When we had our bookshop (The Old Butchers Bookshop & Gallery) in Cley, Norfolk, Hilary regularly came in when she was visiting our part of the country. We used to chat and I never felt then that I was in the company of someone with such imagination and writing ability. Her looks and demeanor beguile her enormous talent.

I have enjoyed many of her books and Wolf Hall is one of them, although being such a might tome I am only part way through it. One of her books I can heartily recommend, and is not very often mentioned, is The Giant, O'Brien. A ripping good yarn.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:17:00 +0000

Barry Flanagan hare no more

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:16:00 +0000

I was a great fan of Barry Flanagan who died on 31st August. He was renowned for his hares that graced many a public space. I remember once going into his gallery in London (Waddington in Cork Street) and seeing a very unlike sculpture of his; a marble amorphous shape which rather took my fancy. On enquiring the price I was told it was 3,500 pounds. Some years later I was passing the gallery and thought I'd go in and ask about the piece once more. After much scurrying around they asked me to go down into the dungeons of the building and identify the piece. This I did and found it looking rather sorry for itself but still wonderful in my eyes. Again, I enquired the price: 7,000 pounds they formally said. I think I tried to negotiate but they were having none of it. Unfortunately I didn't give in to my desires, on that occasion. It probably is still in the bowels of the Waddington Gallery; if they read this they can contact me if they want to do a deal.

This last few days saw Barry and Keith Waterhouse depart this mortal world. Both great characters of their generation. Keith was of the write, drink and socialise generation; a wonderful set of characters who used to expend their creative energies all morning and expand their physical girths all afternoon (I remember it well!). Where are the new characters? Out there I hope, if so, let me know.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 07:57:00 +0000

I'm still here...

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 07:16:00 +0000

are you still there?

In the time that it takes to brush the cobwebs from the eyes

a world collides.

Images of night, bruises of day.

Peter Blake comes into Holt

on his touring bus;

the sixties have returned.

We enter a sandcastle competition

and create a dreamy landscape of

sand, pebbles, green and brown seaweed;

someone calls it 'the best in the competition'

but we don't win

and the sea washes it all away.

In another room

sounds of laughter

in the covers of warmth

in the sheets of love.

I open the lid

I look in the box:

deep in the darkness

a slight turn produces colour

a further turn sends shapes flying

flying, flying,

into that which is beyond:

dreams, hopes, memories.

Are you still there?

Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:14:00 +0000

It was Father's Day today and time, therefore, to think of my father - did you think of yours?

My father was a mountain, a colossus, a beacon; actually he was none of these, but as more time passes the more he becomes so in my mind.

As he is not here to hug and honour, I need him more and more.

I hope you enjoyed your Father's Day; whatever they are to you, they are you.

Vined sculpture

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 17 May 2009 10:49:00 +0000

And the vine climbed and caressed the sleeping face
till the face was covered
and the sleep was no more.

Happy birthday Faber & Faber

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 17 May 2009 08:14:00 +0000

The famous publishing house, that sired such names as Ezra Pound and Ted Hughes, is just about to celebrate its 80th birthday!

Still a privately owned company (50% by T S Eliot's wife), still in the mecca of publishing in Bloomsbury, still maintaining standards of writing that has marked the twentieth century in British publishing as epoch making.

For me, it is a personal kneeling at the altar because I have worshipped, Eliot, Pound, Plath, Auden, Larkin, Heaney, et al since I first worked near Faber & Faber's offices in Russell Square in the 1960s.

If you have not delved into the treasure trove that is F & F, do so. If you, like me, you can't get enough, go to: www.timesonline.co.uk/books

Should I stand for Parliament?

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sat, 16 May 2009 07:32:00 +0000

What a week it's been.

The great institution we call The Palace of Westminster was mired in scandal the like of which has not been seen for many a year.

So where do we go from here? Austin Mitchell, a well respected Labour MP, admitted that he didn't know; so may I suggest we start all over again?

WANTED. POTENTIAL MPs - NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED!

Hence, I put my hand up.

I've experienced the world of human experience in all it's complexities, but I've never been a politician. Even in the office I was pretty rubbish at telling tales and fiddling the expenses!

So vote for me, I promise to:

Tell it the way it is
Respect the privilege of being voted-in
Represent my constituents on a Twitter basis
Publish all my expense claims on my blog before they are claimed - you approve them, not the institution

Opera's loss is recital's gain

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:31:00 +0000

See: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/opera/article6244932.ece

Jose Carreras has today announced in The Times that he is retiring from Opera singing and concentrating on recitals.

We had the privilege in March of listening to Jose at a recital in Marin Arts Centre in California and it was wonderful.

I have today written to The Times sharing my experience of Jose with their readers.

We understand that Jose is soon to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Brits Classics; well deserved we say.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:54:00 +0000

Rodin by the roomful

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:47:00 +0000

San Francisco has a great collection of work by Rodin at the Legion of Honour Museum in the Golden Gate Park. Here's a taster. Check it out if you're in the area.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Johnson) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:38:00 +0000