First, in reply to a PM - my gallery can be found by going to the Gallery page, and just typing Robert Jones in the search box on the bottom right: I know some have had trouble, because I couldn't actually find myself when searching on the new postings gallery page. I hope this makes sense, the reason it might not is that I have been driven up the wall over these last few weeks by financial problems - won't bore you with the reasons, suffice it to say that a transfer that should have been made into my account wasn't! - and cervical spondylosis, ie arthritis in the neck: the consequence of this is headache, neck, shoulder and upper back ache, and a feeling of heaviness in the hands and fingers. So any cures, on a postcard please. Now this also means that the small self-portrait competition which Raymond Ellis and I tried to kick off has not been graced by any representation of my handsome face on these pages: I can call it a handsome face. Until you see it, I can call it anything.... I have (just about) finished a new painting, but haven't tackled the portrait because I just didn't feel up to it. But I shall. Let us not be daunted by mere aches and pains, but march, ever onwards, to the sunlit uplands... There have been quite a few self-portraits posted recently, but let us make this a real "competition" (no prizes), if only informally, and have a few more! I haven't tried one for a very long time - but I'm sure it would be a real challenge, and for some of us a complete change of direction: and they're always good. I much enjoyed Béatrice Cloake's, and I know I'm not going to be able to approach its sheer warmth, delightful colour, and superb proportions; but then I'm not going to match Rembrandt, either: even so, let's have a bash. Diana Hudson has contributed hers, Ray Ellis his, Matthew Ormiston had already posted a couple of his monochrome studies in gouache - all we need now is our resident pastellist, whose name has Alan in it somewhere but age and decay has temporarily driven the rest of it from my head, to have a go. But please: not undraped. One can only stand so much. Alan Stevens, he of Alan's Shed. Of course. And I forgot his name even though we are both weskit and watch-chain wearers .... oh senile, senile..