Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 9. Wall by Andy Goldsworthy at the Storm King Art Centre, New York Not a painting, but I drove all the way from Montreal to see this.

Good morning! Brighten your day... youtu.be/yaMO_tnV4V0?...

Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 8. The Capercaillie sings his love song by John Bellany, 1985. I saw this painting at York University and didn’t like it at all. But it intrigued me so I went to look at it often. Then I loved it and still do.

‘Ban on government contractors making asylum seekers use taxis for medical appointments comes into force.’ There, I’ve fixed your headline for you, BBC. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Happy birthday, old man. Gusto's eight today.

Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 7. Bridlington by John Thompson, c.1989 Purchased from the artist at his studio in Uppermill in 1990. 'How much is it?' 'How much do you think it's worth?' 'Well, I've only got £30 on me' 'I'll take 35.'

It's #WorldCancerDay. I was again confirmed in complete remission from leukemia just last week. Please consider registering as a stem cell donor with @anthonynolan.bsky.social or @dkms-uk.bsky.social. You could help save someone's life as the wonderful 19 year old Jemima did for me over 9 years ago.

I'm delighted to reveal that 'How Soon Is Now?' has been chosen by Amazon for promotion as a Kindle Monthly Deal for February. That means you can grab this epic tale of love, loss, time travel & redemption for just 99p throughout the month. Don't miss it! www.amazon.co.uk/How-Soon-Now... #BookSky

As a trainee librarian 40 years ago, I was taught how to conduct ‘reference interviews’. When you receive an answer to ‘What do you want?’ you then ask ‘What do you really want, and what do you want it for?’ Very nicely, of course. I’ve never seen AI chatbots do that. Is that why they’re so useless?

Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 6. Mark Rothko's Seagram Murals I first saw the Seagram Murals at Tate Liverpool in 1988. The first time I ever left a gallery walking three feet up in the air.

Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 5. Seated woman with raised knee by Egon Schiele, 1917 A poster on the wall of my first bedsit in Manchester in 1985

Sunny day in Pontburn Wood

Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 4. The Pietá by Michelangelo, 1498-99 A sculpture not a painting, but this made such a big impression on me as a teenager. The first art book I bought was a selection of Michelangelo's sculptures.

Brighten your day

Yes, I’m bored. The wait for 3pm on a Saturday always drags endlessly.

Starmer went all the way to China for this. Brilliant result. Well done. Labubu to open seven UK shops, after PM's China visit www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Algorithms on shopping websites are so useless. ‘Oh, I see you’ve just bought a mobile phone. Look at all these other mobile phones you could buy.’ ‘Your copy of Andrew Motion’s biography of Philip Larkin is on the way. While you’re waiting, here are many more copies of the same book to look at.’

Top marks to Culann for his bold trousers this morning #BlindDate

Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 3. Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach by Stanhope Forbes, 1885. I saw it often as a small boy in Plymouth Museum when I went there with friends to take our shoes off and slide around on the polished wooden floors.

It was a real pleasure to visit @maggiescentres.bsky.social in Newcastle again today and take them a copy of Elephant by @gillianshirreffs.bsky.social for their collection.

Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 2. The Painter with Mary (Paper Crowns) by Robert Lenkiewicz, late 1970s Lenkiewicz was a big presence in Plymouth when I was a teenager.

Phone call from the hospital: 'You're supposed to be here for your appointment' 'It's tomorrow' 'No, today. Now.' 'It's tomorrow, the 29th.' 'Today's the 29th.' 'Is it?' 'Yes.' What she didn't say: 'You're clearly too stupid to have an appointment.' What she did say: 'Come in tomorrow instead.'

Choose 20 paintings that have stayed with you or influenced you - one painting a day… 1. Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Breugel the elder, 1565 … an Athena poster on my bedroom wall in 1977

Beautiful montage. Wonderful tribute.

Please consider registering as a stem cell donor. Nine years ago a stranger saved my life when I had blood cancer. You could do the same. Only one known person in the world can save my life www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Revealing the title and cover of our very first anthology! Oaths and Offerings: A Carnyx anthology of folklore will be published this June, and will include folklore-inspired stories from writers across the North of England.

Look at this beautiful cover

One for @ceefaxisbetter.bsky.social

Paid a visit to the Laing Gallery in Newcastle today to see this painting. I'm sure it's a religious painting, but trying to get to the crux of it is very hard. That's why I find Stanley Spencer so fascinating.

thi wurd hour: Improvising New Writing. Online. Monday 2nd Feb 2026, 7-8pm (GMT). All writers welcome. Read about it here: www.thi-wurd.com/thi-wurd-hou...

Drop something watery if you feel like

Listening to these in order tonight. If you tell me there's a better sequence of four albums by anyone, I won't believe you.

One thing I’ve learned from working in a charity shop for a few months is that some people (particularly donors, but also customers) don’t just need thanks and appreciation from us. What they mostly need is a bit of love.

Amazingly I still have 694 followers on twitter. I wonder if they miss me.

Hey, cool cats! This is to let you know that A Personal Anthology is back, baby! Yes: back! Back! BACK! Today's anthology features a dozen favourite short stories picked and introduced by Mike Fox (@polyscribe70.bsky.social), and hits inboxes at 2pm. Sign up here, and RT if you already subscribe!

It's not really 'plotting in secret', is it, when a Tory defecting to Reform is as inevitable as a turd ending up in a sewer?

Such a fine painter. There's a must-see big exhibition of her work coming up at the Royal Academy in London in the spring.

Good news from Tyneside

Panic over. He’s back…

Where is the suit guy? @dieworkwear.bsky.social

Our classes start again this week on Tues, Wed & Sun. Full details here: thi-wurd.com/classes/

Favourite Bowie 10 (no order) Drive-in Saturday Conversation Piece Sound and Vision Joe the Lion Sweet Thing/Candidate Dollar Days Changes Up the Hill Backwards Jean Genie Ziggy Stardust

Post a pic of the venue where you saw your first concert and the band or artist

It’s a bargain at full price. Get extra copies now and give them to your friends.

This is the best blind date ever

This has occupied me for weeks. It insisted on being read slowly, one small scrap at a time. But what a journey - I don't think there's a more fascinating writer alive now. Thanks to @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social for bringing it to us in a fine English translation after all these years.

Top 10 all time favourite vocalists, off the top of my head… Captain Beefheart Laura Veirs David Byrne John Lennon Natalie Merchant Sam Cooke Leonard Cohen Francoise Hardy Jimmy Cliff Dory Previn

World's gone mad, I tell ya Connections Puzzle #943 🟦🟪🟪🟩 🟦🟦🟪🟩 🟪🟦🟩🟩 🟦🟩🟨🟦

These are the best writing classes, without doubt.

A song that you love but shouldn't youtu.be/8DNQRtmIMxk?...