Believe it or not, but I am now seventy five years old: it was my birthday yesterday; so Liz as usual, gave me a super present. She scooted me off to Sidmouth and Beer in South Devon, with her in tow, for a few days. We were there for three nights at our favorite hotel, the Kingswood, right in the middle  of the Esplanade, on the sea front, it was all rather plush, polite, shiny and fancy; we had a lovely time. The food was rather splendid. On the first full day, Saturday, I was told to go away and sketch or paint in Sidmouth, before we went to the theatre in the evening, so being a good little boy that is what I did.

I thought how can this be a little different and still be good fun?  So. the usual paper, A3 sized was used, with the usual pen; the difference being to sketch very loosely using the whole A3 page, which is quite large for a sketch. 

So off I went with my stool and did four sketches; they were such fun to draw, working almost in a slap dashish manner; each drawing took about forty minuets to produce.. After drawing sketch number two I stopped for tea in a quaint old word tea room, before getting on with number three. People were so pleasant, the town center was busy and everybody was in  holiday mood, the sun was shining  and it was lovely and warm; lots of people stopped and chatted, and they were all respectful and enjoying nattering with me ( I think), so, all in all, it was a rather pleasant few hours.

I love being an art6ist.

 

 A few blogs back, it was mentioned that I had a clear out and offered a painting of Nigh Neb near Sheffield to a good home, well it was snapped up very quickly by an old student from Sheffield university. 

At the same time a large file (about forty) paintings of Filey, Yorkshire also appeared; Above is one of them. This is a lovely ink drawing and not necessarily looking for a good free home, of the Coble Landing. At Filey there is a long concrete ramp down to the beach and in the past this is where the fishing boats were dragged up on to, in order that they were safe from the sea. I was fortunate some years ago to be able to make friends with many of these fishermen, spending time on the Coble Landing (as they call this concrete ramp) in order to make a fairly comprehensive record of their work. I haven't been able to return to Filey for bout twenty years, but when I was last there, they were reaching the point when it would not be possible to operate boats from the Landing. I must try to get back there to see what is happening.

At the same time another file on Lincoln cathedral appeared. The scanning and digitalising of the Filey work is now done, next in line is to do the same to the new Lincoln file. Its a good job that I like what I do.

This morning iIwant to talk about not taking yourself to seriously.

Yesterday was great fun, as my wife and myself were working at a family weekend scout camp, of nealy two hundred persons in lovely wooded Surrey, at Beechmeer scout camp site.

Liz was providing drinks, whilst I was organising an all day art workshop.

I saw in an art shop the other day a packet of about sixty coloured biro type pens at a give away price and thought, "They look like good fun for some youngsters". As the workshop started several of the youngsters wanted to see me paint something. So I took the childrens pens (all were awfully bright and clashing colurs) and said what do you want me to draw; a surgestion of a boat was shouted back, so a boat it was to be. Then using the childrens gaudly coloured pens the above was created. I started with a gold pen, changing to other bright colours as it went on. Suprisingly the colours calmed down as the work progerssed.

Not a great work of art, but fun and the kids and families enjoyed it as well.  By not being pompous about correct materials and that sort of thing, everybody was very open to me and two things happened.

1   Everybody of all abilities had a good time, then amazingly;

2  Two adults who were present, showed remarkable artistic ability, which they were not previously aware of. Both intend to take up art as a future addition within their lives.

So don't be pompous, occasionally, when appropiate bcome a child again and enjoy playing. It is healthy and good for you.

 

Some days are better than others; today was better than most.

This morning was bits and bobs, work , then dashing here and there; we managed to be finnished by eleven thirty, so a picnic was quickly packed and off we went.

A favorite walk of ours is along Green Lane at Clandon, then going round in a circle to the north by Send prison so that we returned back actross the fields, see above; rather special. the flowere were beautuful, keeping the bees busy, the breeze warm, keeping Liz happy nd comfortableish logs were found to sit on, could have been better, for lunch. The best bit was seeing a kingfisher as we crossed over a small wooded stream, that was very special indeed.

Just short of three miles, Liz did well. After a rest I produced a chilli for supper, Liz said that it was a little on the hot side; oh dear! Still I fail to get everything right.
 

I hope that you all had as good a Jubilee extended weekend which we had. Each day involved at least two functions of some sort or other; meals out at friends, meals at home with friends, meals in a pub, trip to the cinema, beacons being lit, street parties and friends staying over, then being dropped at the staion by 7.30 am, they are off on a walking holiday; we are exhausted, but we did have a rather good time of it all. Then this morning one of our sons has turned up and is at this moment shampooing all our carpets for us; he has a big beast of a shampooer. In the midst all, time was found to paint; the above was finnish just an hour ago, it is of a hedgerow near Fairoaks airfield. So we had a super time, enjoyed friends, were thankfull for the Queen and appreciated having super sons. I even managed to fit in a letter to our local MP, lucky chappie.

I think my favorite bit of the festivities was her tea party with Paddington; that was inspirational.

So now, in a short while we will take Micheal out for lunch before he goes home. Then maybe nothing at all for a few days.