Patrick Robertson

I painted this a few years ago, when I was practising doing watercolour portraits. It's of my father, Patrick, who died on 9th April 2009 after complications following a stroke.

He designed sets for nearly 200 plays and operas, mostly in the '60s, 70s and 80s - his best-known being The Cunning Little Vixen at Glyndebourne, Jumpers at the National and Turn of the Screw and Rigoletto at the ENO.

He taught me loads about painting, as well as sewing, knitting and cooking (a man ahead of his time) and everyone remembers him for his warmth, hugs and home-made wine. It's an honour to have been his daughter!

Protheroe boys

A surprise birthday present from 'the demolition crew's mother (her phrase!) to the boys' father, end March 09

New Charleston Picture

Last year I painted an exterior of Charleston House for the Charleston Fund (to raise money to keep artworks there). This time I've done an interior of Vanessa Bell's bedroom. 

Last year's painting led to a commission from one of the bidders for a painting of her brownstone in New York (see earlier blog) and a lovely email correspondence. I am now putting new cupboards in my kitchen and generally dragging house up from complete scruff to more habitable because we're going to do a house swap this summer between our house in London and the one I painted in New York.

New Card Designs

Illustrations for British Council Global Partnerships

For most of March I worked on pictures for the British Council for an online course. This will be live soon and is aimed at teachers wanting to set up global school partnerships between schools in the UK and the developing world.