18. Composition in Black and Brown (A Don’s Man)

‘Bemusement’ best sums up the reaction of the Tempest End on the unveiling of this particular work. It was possible to appreciate the delicate sepia work and to recognise and respond to the evocation of a time, not so long ago, when rattles were commonplace and when the thought of wearing of replica shirts and their associated gaudy advertising was laughable. But still the nagging thought occurred to most viewers – ‘What’s it all about? What are we looking at? Is it really suitable for a modern stadium? Is this really a typical Dons Man?

“A Dons Man? Actually he is the Dons man.” Fleydon recalled. “This flag is the result of an intense course of self-knowledge inner-therapy that I undertook at the Kingston Green Fair last year. The faintly aromatic woman who led me back into the depths of my sub conscious was able to elicit from me the evocation of my own spirit Guide, who I determined was called ‘Uncle Norman’. Under hypnosis I was able to produce this image. Apparently I laughed as I painted and when asked why informed my therapist that I had put joke tobacco in Uncle Norman’s pipe. We were just on our way to watch Wimbledon when he lit his bowl of finest shag. The resulting jet of flame singed his eyebrows but luckily Uncle Norman saw the funny side, ruffled my hair and off we went. The therapist was enchanted by the story and remarked that I was the most balanced and psychologically healthy person she had ever met. Truly I had won first prize in the lottery of life.”

Ever the pragmatist Fleydon declined to leave the result of his psychological musing behind. The title suggested itself and the addition of the crest legitimised it as a valid artwork in his own eyes, although producing an image far removed from his normal canon of work.

“It must be here in this exhibition though” remarked Fleydon “The sub-conscious is a powerful tool for an artist and beside, as the old song goes (and here he burst into a loud and raucous voice) “Uncle Norman is my mate, is my mate, is my mate…Uncle Norman is my mate, he hates Palace!!”

Fleydon gleefully chuckled, shook his head and led me on to the next flag.

Composition in Black and Brown (A Don’s Man) appears by kind permission of the Jungian Society of Great Britain