13 THE ART OBSERVER May 2008 In the last Art Observer the Howard family  were get- ting ready for their family exhibition at Wendy J Levy Art Gallery. We caught up with them last month… 2007 was a busy year for the Howard family and it hasn’t slowed down so far in 2008 - do they ever stop? As well as having a fascinating and successful exhibition at the gallery last July, Ghislaine, Michael and Cordelia have been immersed in their different projects - Ghislaine working on her commission to paint a large canvas of the Empty Tomb now on show at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral as part of Liverpool Capital of Culture celebrations. It’s a powerful subject - not only as religious subject but one that goes beyond that to make a more universal statement about homelessness and loss. The paint- ing has been informed by the small panels that she has been producing on a daily basis each of which is taken from a news photograph from her daily paper. There are now more than four hundred of them and an exhibition of 365 is scheduled to take place at the Imperial War Museum in early 2009. The high seriousness of these projects is counter-balanced by her more intimate work - she has been producing a series of life-affirming prints based on the colourful Indian miniatures of the Karma Sutra! Cordelia - well-known to the Manchester scene as Beat Girl: singer/song-writer performer of wonderfully imaginative songs somewhat reminiscent of Jacques Brel and Kate Bush is also a painter of great sensitivity - her portraits of herself and her friends were well-received at the family show at the gallery. Michael, who lectures at the Manchester School of Art is an art historian who was also trained as a painter, his paintings are half-playful, half-serious homages to his favourite painters, Cézanne, Matisse and Picasso. He has recently published a beautiful and unique book on Monet for the Musée Marmottan Paris - an Englishman being asked by a French museum to write a major book on one of their favourite artists is quite a coup! - the book is extraor- dinary incorporating maps, facsimile  drawings and letters; pages fold out to reveal the full span of one of the wonderful water-lily paintings of Monet’s late years. As if this wasn’t enough last December Michael curated an exhibition at the Lowry dedicated to one of Lowry’s large industrial landscapes. Their son, Max a recent graduate from UEA where he stud- ied creative writing, may not be a painter, but he is currently researching for a radio play he’s writing on the painter Harry Ousey, a fascinating character who left the hurly-burly of the London 1960s art world to dedicate himself to painting sensitive abstracted water-colours influenced by the light and countryside of the south of France. (Read more about Harry Ousey on page 4) The family gave an entertaining, illuminating and informative talk to gallery visitors during One Family: Three Painters - it was an insight into what it must be like living in such a creative family! All their many skills are being called into service in their most recent venture which is a series of week- end courses which they have called ‘Be Inspired’ which incorporate art history, practical workshops, music and poetry based around the work of artists such as the French Impressionists, Cézanne, Matisse and Bonnard. Weekends that involve as much eating and drinking and general good fun as anything artistic! For more details contact the Wendy J Levy Gallery. One Family- Three Painters Ghislaine Howard and her family were guests at the unveiling   of   her   painting   ‘The   Empty   Tomb’   at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral here she tells us about the experience. “My painting was  unveiled at the   Easter Sunday service. It was an impressive, even a magical event, as my family - all twenty of us! - were invited to be part of the proceedings. As the music of the organ filled the massive space of the cathedral   the Bishop and his entourage   processed down the central aisle to the painting. At the apposite moment all fell silent and in a dramatic gesture the Bishop drew back the curtain to reveal the painting.   It was especially moving for me as an artist to   have the privilege   of producing a major work for such an amazingly impressive and significant space as the Cathedral during Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. The visitors comments have been wonderful - it is clear reading them that the painting speaks to   both a religious and   secular audience.” ‘The Empty Tomb’ remains on view throughout 2008.  For a review on The Capital of Culture exhibitions at Tate Liverpool turn to page 14. THE EMPTY TOMB ‘The Empty Tomb’ measures eight by four feet, is set in    an impressive steel reliquary designed and constructed by sculptor Brian Fell AT THE  Village Physio & Sport Injury Clinic director Billie Hall and her dedicated team deal with all sorts of aches and pains not just sports injuries. In fact they specialise in treating professional musicians, artists, computer users, arthritis sufferers, Mums to be, and, of course, sports enthusiasts. You could say whatever your aches and pains the Village Physio & Sporting Clinic has the means to relieve you of your agony and restore you and your body to their healthy well-being. The proactive and progressive approach to physiotherapy taken by Billie and her Physio Team is equally applied to their massage treatments - sports and  Mums to be - podiatry, and in their running of Pilates classes. These are intensive six week courses with the benefit of being small groups. Whatever your problem, your need, you will be offered a thorough assessment Talking to Billie from the point of view of the art business she says, in the main, it is back problems, arm pain that they encounter with artists particularly with sculptors. Billie says “Shoulder pain, elbow pain, wrist pain, can be very dis- tressing especially as it affects your whole life as an artist - the first thing to do is come in and get a diagnosis from us and begin treatment immediately. Early inter- vention is very important and will prevent other areas, such as your neck, becoming involved.” She tells us here of a particular client whom we will call Mr X. Mr X. attended for his first physiotherapy session in December 2007 complaining of severe pain over his whole wrist which was aggravated by sculpting work. Mr X. had tried anti-inflammatories and resting with no effect. Mr X. felt his days as a sculptor were at an end leaving him depressed and unmotivated. After assessment at the Physio Clinic he was diagnosed with severe tendonitis at the wrist with significant stiffness of the small wrist joints. Mr X. was advised on home exercises and guided through returning to his work. Mr X. is now totally pain free and has just taken his first new commission for six months.   The Village Physio & Sports Injury Clinic accept health insurance and offer pensioner and student discounts. The Village Physio & Sports Injury Clinic