Well, I uploaded some pictures including a terrible one, the 'Itsuki' picture that just wouldn't go right, no matter how long and hard I tried (it was on my easel for the last two years, while drawings came and went). But it was a great idea to be brave because I've already had a suggestion for how to improve it. That's what I need - a bit of help and advice, and hopefully truthful stuff but not harsh. I think this site is wonderful - a place to meet other people who paint and a place to find out what's going on. I've already found Steph Salt who has organised an exhibition in Burton on Trent, near where I grew up, and I'm going tomorrow to see it. Looking at pictures for real rather than prints or online makes such a difference, I think. I've recently come back from Leipzig where I went to see an exhibition by Wolfgang Mattheuer (he died in 2004 unfortunately). His pictures in books don't look anything much, but in real life, they were stunning. I've never liked landscapes that much - I prefer portraits, abstracts, Lucian Freud etc. - but I was amazed. Mattheuer painted mist so I could almost feel it. And I've never seen snow like that before. Leipzig was great all together, but more of that another time. I must go and work now. Hope somebody from Leeds gets in touch sooner or later. I keep wondering whether or not to include my email address in this blog, but then I worry in case it's misused. Maybe tomorrow I'll get even braver, or Sunday - tomorrow I'm going to Steph's exhibition in Burton on Trent.