Addition to the desk

One way or another, it has been a very artistic week. We rounded it off by visiting the exhibition of John Bellany's work in the National Gallery Complex (in Edinburgh). His 70th birthday provides a welcome opportunity for a retrospective.

There can't have been many who thought he would see this birthday. He has been through alcoholism, a liver transplant and a heart attack! And it is there in his paintings.

The exhibition is incredibly well presented and you follow the work (and life) of the artist from art school days to recent times. His work is always challenging with heavy use of symbolism so you need to put some effort in. We quickly walked from the final room which has a contented, settled feel to the painting back to the first room of the first paintings and the start of his exploration. There was a life in between.

My favourite is his portrait of his father which is on the desk wall. I bought another print 'Queen Street Cafe' for the same wall and I'll put it up soon.

An enriching week.