My First Journal-London.

My first trip away from the United States after moving there from Malaysia was in 1978 whenI had the opportunity to do an independant studythrough the Univesity of Wisconsin Green Bay (UWGB) to be carried out in London. I was a part of a group of students who had simmilar projects in their own disciplines.

I was not overly impressed with the City of London but was more intrigued by the fact that there were so many Art galleries and Muziums to visit and most of my days were spent in these places either gawking at the artworks or letting my mind explore all the exhibits that were just too much to take in in one visit.

The House of Parliarment on the river Thames was awesome and as i sat doing the sketch my mind was lost into the historical aspect of the building where so much had taken place that had shaped the Historical Landsape of the world.

"Pardon me Mam, which station is closest to Portobello Market??"

Ticket Collector,"Yes, take the Circle Line and get off at Notting Hill."

"Thank you, Mam."

"Wait a second, let me see where you have your wallet."

Showed her the back pocket.

"No! No! Put it where it is safe, Yes in the front pocket, Yes!"

"Thanks again Mam!"

A customer, " What does this belt cost?, Could i take it to my girlfriend, she is over there, I will aske her if she likes it, if she does i will buy it."

The vendor, "No mate, you bring the Luv. over here."54

The Glory of Leche House then and now is the Half-timbered front which in the words of mr. Simpson may safely be included among the best specimens of the old Cheshire stylef Architecture still remaining in the City. The carving is elaborate, original and unrestored. It shows a running vine and bunches of grapes,Dentels cut out of soild oak,Pilasters surmounted by grotesque heads of animals, naked human figures, scroll leaf, thistle leaf, Fleur de lis, Tudor roses and in the center of the gable at the top, a carved finial surmounted by Fleur de lis.

Did thios sketch of the Buckingham Palace Monument while waiting for the change of the guards. For one reason or another her majesty the Queen had cancelled the change of the guards for that day. We did catch a glimpse of the Queen's horsemen however.

Diplodicus Carnegii, standing tall in the hall of the Museum of Natural History on the 24th. of Jan 1978 while i was doing this sketch, is it still there I wonder. I was engrossed with the number of school children running all over the place too.

The National Gallery is a place where a one day visit is not enough, (esp. if you are an artist).The trementdous collections of master Pieces were just so astonishing that it is sinful to just wander apst them irreverently. One cannot but feel the awesom prescence of greatness in the works of such great artists like Monet and Seurat or Turner and Van Gogh. The sketch of the Main gallery is a sort of tribute to this feeling I felt.

Feeding the pigeons at Tralfalgar Square is a whole experience in itself. These birds are pretty smart for they know who is out to feed them and talk about posing for a picture. These birds would make you look like St. Francis. However there is the slight catch with these guys, they have the propensity of offloading their droppings just when they are about to land on your shoulder.

9th.Jan 1978.

One of the most famous landmark in the world is the London BridgeTook a river boat trip up the Thames,(or was it down?) and saw all the Bridges of London through the foggy window panes. Traveled all the way to Greenych and saw the Cutty Shark, the british Flagship or Nelson's? Also visited the Observatory and Maritime Museum. It was a privillage to be able to straddle the international dateline.

8th. Jan.1978

The Tate Gallery has the largest collection of Turner's oil paintings, covering his works from the time he first began to exhibit to the year before his death. His importance as a landscape painter was proclaimed in his life-time by Ruskin with a passionate fervour that few artist has succeded in arousing among their contemporaties. He not only satisfied the romantic taste of his day, but anticipated the genralized vision of the impressionists and, however different his aims, even arrived at something like mid-twentieth century abstract- impressionism in the oil sketches.

Tate now has five rooms, built by Sir Joseph Duveen in 1908-10, temporaryly hung with the best of the oil paintings in the collection numbering around 275 in all.

Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in London on 23rd. April 1775, The son of a barber. Started painting at an early age - the earliest painting dated dated when he was only twelve.

Also on exhibition at the tate are works by John Constable, William Blake, Samuel Scott (1702-1772) and John Stubbs (1724 - 1806 ).

12th.Jan. 1978.

Reflections:The trip to England was my first trip out of Green Bay, Wisconsin. This is my first travel- journal done too. It was a beginning for me as far as the approach to my artistic style is concern- after this trip my trip to Colombia and Equador followed. Later I took a trip through New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado and was later followed by my trip back to revisit Malaysia - after nine years of having left my country and living in the USA.

All these trips were undertaken while i was a Fine Arts student at the UWGB. It was done through a program called the 'UNiversity Without Walls" and I graduated from the University in 1981 with a BA in a 'Personal Concentration Major'. I had great difficulties in getting my master's degree done as most places i applied to demanded to know aht this major is all about as they never heard of it. However i can safely say that i have had the best five years of of school life while going to college in Green Bay.

I sit now writing this while in the driver's seat of a Honda Accord with the liscence plate 'HUBRIS' while parked in the CUBS FOODS parkin lot on the East Side of Green Bay - How far away the Tate is. Those days spent at the Victoria Albert Museum watching school children running from one exhibit to another in awe and excitement!!

Who says Dreams do not come True?

Who says Miracles do not Happen?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!....JAN 1ST. 1984.

'OH Oh! I am an Alien, I1m a legal alien, I'm a Malaysian in London...."

....... to the tune of Sting's "Englishman in New York