Two names were mentioned in yesterday's post on the subject of feng shui - Adze Mixxie and Howard Thorne. Both men, now dead, played a very important part in my life.

I met them in West Chester, Pennsylvania at a critical time in my own life. Recently divorced I was living and working in my studio. Viewed has having gone mad by many of the locals, the fact was I had gone 'sane' for the first time in my life:)

West Chester, Pennsylvania was a very conservative town. Governed by the 'good old boy republican contingent', it was very wary of anything or anyone who was different! Today it has opened up in many ways, including the fact that my dear friend Carolyn Comitta is now the first female, democrat mayor of the town, ever!

Adze Mixxie was a gifted astrologer. Way ahead of his time, he was the first person I knew to talk about the importance of the internet, antioxidants, feng shui and much more. He practised tai chi every morning, and all in all was a fascinating human being.

I painted this oil on canvas of Adze about twenty years ago - 1.8m x 1.2 m. After his death in 1996 I lost track of where the portrait was. Then about six months ago it was shipped to me in London:)

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Howard Thorne was a fantastic 'sign painter' of the old school. His original signs must be worth a great deal of money today. He had been a war artist in WW2, and was making installations long before it became the vogue, as well as being a prolific painter and all round creative.

For years I would observe Howard and his work from afar. I always felt too nervous to introduce myself to him. Then one day when I was living in my studio with no heat and running water, - a day when I almost thought I could give up the ghost, a letter was put under the door.

It simply said - 'I have just seen some of your portraits, and whatever you do never stop painting!' signed Howard Thorne! Even as I write this I am moved. That letter came at exactly the right time and heralded the beginning of a wonderful friendship, which continued to his death in 1995.

Before I left the United States to return home in 1993, Howard asked me to paint his portrait. I was the only aritst he had ever allowed to do this. I painted the portrait in his studio with one of his contemporary canvases behind him. A very special moment for me.

Howard died in 1995, and had left all his body parts to the University of Pennsylvania medical school. At the funeral, which my son Jarrod attended in my absence, was the portrait of Howard draped with the American flag to honour his time as a war artist in WW2.

The portrait is an oil on canvas approximately, 1.2 x 1 m

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I am so grateful that both of these men played such an important part in my life.

I looks like yet another beautiful day in London.

A Bientot