Painting over things - illustrations - book covers - acupuncture - pain

I was looking for a painting recently that someone saw on line at my website davidabse.com but I couldn't find it for a while, and I wondered if I'd painted over it. I don't remember exactly, but I remember my wife not liking it at all and not being that keen on it myself, so I though it was entirely possible I'd painted over it. But while I was looking through my stock of paintings I came across loads of other old paintings of mine that really I don't like. They don't exist on my website, but still do on other websites, so I have always been reluctant to paint over them - just in case! I did sell a painting last year that I'd forgotten about and didn't like - and that made me a few hundred quid, so I have been reluctant to paint over them. But no more!

What they generally are is failed abstract compositions that just don't work as far as I am concerned. There are some I have that haven't been sold, haven't ever been liked by many people but are significant to me, so I'm leaving them alone. But this pile - about 15 canvases in total, none of them very big (except one which I will get to another time) to me are all no good as they stand - but offer something to me in terms of background work. I am probably too interested in Jim Dine's hearts at the moment but anyway, I'm going to see what happens.

Meanwhile I have been working on black and white illustrations for a new book by Paul Gogarty based on his travel writing experiences over the last 25 years or so. Here's a couple to keep you interested - I think the book is out later in the year.

Whilst on the subject of books, one of my recent paintings "Revolutions" features on the cover of Jeremy Robson's new book of poems, to be launched in March by Smokestack Books. Here it is: 

Finally, I should add that the Parsonage-Turner Syndrome (PTS) hasn't departed. I am only able to draw or paint a couple of hours a day before descending into horrible shoulder and arm pain. None of the drugs they have given me have worked, unfortunately, so I am trying acupuncture. I had my first session yesterday - and as I was warned, today I am in bad pain. Mostly I am just trying to get along with my life, but pain is bloody tiring! Ah well, I hope that the acupuncture starts to take effect soon. Or at all. Or the bloody PTS just goes away!!