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The rumour that Court Painter was fired by his powerful and influential Press Attache A Hardon MacKay for creating a “hostile” and “dangerous” environment in the studio ,leaving unpaid studio interns fearing for their safety ; is close to being substantiated.

The original communique from the Court Painter Studio stated the studio was curtailing activities until further notice because of a condition described as “world weary” plus insufficient cash flow caused by  celebrity and politicial clients delinquent fee payments ; is now in question.

The July series of portraits was canceled for delivery to clients  because Court Painter kept raising pastel dust by slapping his thighs and in a fit of pique threw his book at unpaid studio interns  who were trying to put on his powdered wig, sources say. Enraged at the cancellation, he began “verbally abusing” the crew. They were “fearful for their safety,” said Press Attache AHM.

Court Painter is presently in Missoula USA and could not be reached for comment. His long suffering wife Mary did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Court Painter’s behaviour was unsettling at an earlier portrait sitting. Someone gave him a salad for breakfast and he threw it on the sawdust floor of the studio. He demanded Timbits and said the salad would be better on the floor with the studio rabbits than touching his rose bud lips.

He was frequently late for portrait sittings, sometimes up to two hours, AHM said. He refused to allow anyone to look at him during  painting sessions including the sitters. Although he had been introduced many times, sources claim he was never able to remember their names. During the painting sessions he was fed their names both by earpiece and  semaphore.

One of the sitters in white who distracted Court Painter

While taking up his usual spot at the Ship & Anchor bar he left “troubling, rambling, angry” voicemails to  AHM during the middle of the night. He also insisted that no one wear white in the studio because it “distracts me,” he said. When he was painting no one was allowed to move in the studio because that also distracted him.

As he painted away, he began to gain weight.He looked so chubby that an unpaid studio assistant called Court Painter’s Press Attache AHM for advice.

AHM said, “It sounds like he’s sneaking snacks in addition to his morning noon and night diet of TimBits,bit sized blasts of flavour that he regularly gorges by the dozens on a normal day!”

Anyway he allegedly threw ash trays, mirrors, combs and boxes of hairpins at the unpaid studio interns. He also pulled grey hairs out of his powdered wig because he wanted to look younger than his artist nemesis CC (name provided upon request).

Court Painter seen preparing to move on….

Press Attache AHM  finally knew he had to fire Court Painter when he was challenged to a duel at the Ship & Anchor.

That’s all we know at this time.