Mary comments

Firstly, congrats. I am so impressed how brave you have been. You have worked on this piece, I tihnk, longer than any other. Added to that you seem to believe, and I think I agree, that its your best. That dedication of time and attachment to its quality means that making any alteration takes bravery. To totally alter sections of the painting shows you are prepared to push into the unknown, to step over the edge. The success or failure of that move is actually not to important, the fact your prepared to do it is key I think.

I think you have be rewarded. I think it is a far better picture. My gut instinct says it has a colouristic clarity and weight which was lacking before. Without seeing it in the flesh that is hard to elaborate on.

The change to Mary's face is fantastic (i think). From actual specific character to a more mysterious, mask, ethereal embodiment of a wider concept. She is more challenging, more obrassive... she causes a greater interuption in the visual spectacle. The weight of focus has shifted.

The dog seems better, or am I going mad. It seems better painted and even wittier because of it. I see wit as a growing concern in my own work and soemthing you seem to be finding with great ease at the moment. Your own personal dark wit has filtered into areas of your painting. Long may it continue, as long as it remains uncontrived.

The floor is great. I love the unreality of it. It works in terms of spatial depth but then denies total entry. It seems capable of falling apart, its very construction revealed. Christ knows what I mean, its excellent though.

I am actually shattered and so therefore incoherent. I have a load of blogs to write but no time. I wanted to make sure I wrote this one tonight though, so apologies for lack of quality.

I am jealous as I think this is a really good painting.

On another point. I think I might have finished my best two paintings to date tonight. I might wake up in the morning and think they are shit.

I still need to finish drummer boy, I have a feeling he will continue to frustrate me. Particuarly as it is the closest (in style not quality) to your work, and I will feel inadequate whatever. Oh well. 'Happy days' (as my friend Tim Snaith says)

brave- impressed. willing to stand on the edge. The success or failure is actually unimportant, its that bravery that is key.

conception of the painting is the same, so I wont comment to much there

the masked face- its great. It turns her from an actual specific character to a more mysterious, ethereal emobodiment of something wider.