My First Journal-London.

My first trip away from the United States after moving there from Malaysia was in 1978 when I had the opportunity to do an independent study through the University of Wisconsin Green Bay (UWGB) to be carried out in London. I was a part of a group of students who had similar 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 in the historical aspect of the building where so much had taken place that had shaped the Historical Landsape of the world.

"Pardon me, ma'am, 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 ask 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 style of  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 this sketch of the Buckingham Palace Monument while waiting for the changing 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 January 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 tremendous collections of master Pieces were just so astonishing that it is sinful to just wander past them irreverently. One cannot help but feel the awesome presence of greatness in the works of such great artists as 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 Trafalgar Square is a whole experience in itself. These birds are pretty smart because 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 a 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 landmarks in the world is the London Bridge. I took 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 Greenwich and saw the Cutty Sark, the British flagship of Nelson? 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 lifetime by Ruskin with a passionate fervour that few artists have succeeded 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. In April 1775, the son of a barber. Started painting at an early age - the earliest painting dates 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 what this major is all about, as they had 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 license plate 'HUBRIS' while parked in the CUBS FOODS parking lot on the East Side of Green Bay - How far away the Tate is. Those days spent at the Victoria and  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, I'm a legal alien, I'm a Malaysian in London...."

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

                                                  Look at those Planes, Sam. They just sit there!