The sketch above is of Waterloo Place in London near the Mall Galleries. I know the column is a bit wonky but it was a five-minute sketch and I was a bit under pressure. (Alex had run out of shops to visit and it was starting to rain). I just felt the need to record the scene.

We like to visit London once or twice a year to go to the galleries but I am quite happy when we are on the train home. I would hate to live there. It’s too busy, noisy and fast. Everyone seems in a rush. We tend to stay overnight in a hotel to make the most of the visit.

A couple of years ago our daughter and son-in-law went to London for their wedding anniversary. He booked them into the Ritz as a special occasion. As usual they were rushing and late setting off. My daughter apparently had just washed her hair and some clothing. She didn’t have time to dry the clothes so she put them on the back seat of the car to dry on the way.
They apparently pulled up outside the Ritz in their very tatty 10 year old Vauxhall Vectra with underwear all over the back seat and rear window. The doorman took a lot of convincing that Scooby Doo and Scrappy Doo had come to the right hotel but was very sweet afterwards. The Ritz is actually a very nice Hotel. It does have high standards but the staff are very good and not in the least condescending.
I was sorry to hear recently it had been identified as a target for terrorists.
As I write the Grandchildren have gone home and we are now restoring the house to its former glory.

The watercolour sketch above is from my sketch book and shows Bathurst Estate.
Up at half five this morning walked the dog then Alex and I went to Origin Dyfed to make a few trips in the car to collect furniture and remove signs. We had breakfast before Alex went shopping for her mother’s birthday party tonight. We have the grandchildren here for the weekend so it’s pretty chaotic. I put in some trunking for my mothers shower then found time to stretch some watercolour paper on board.

I have changed the slide show on this blog today as the previous one would not save after editing which was a shame. It took me a while to remember how to edit and replace a new slide show but we got there in the end. I did initially put music on it but it slows things down so I got rid of it.
Now its walk the dog cut the lawn…

Llansaint

I went to Llansaint this morning and had a stroll around the village before doing the sketch above of the church. I included the gentleman waiting for the bus although I may leave him out of any painting.

I was shown the Ogham stones (Early Medieval alphabet used to write the Old Celtic/ Irish language) in the wall of the Church. I would probably never have found them otherwise. I also went to see a friend for a chat.
So a pleasant morning.

I walked the dog then did some work in my mom’s garden putting up trellis etc. before a couple came to look at their painting and choose a frame for it.

Series 2 Landrover

I did the painting above last week. It is of a Series 2 Landrover. Alex and I used to have a similar vehicle. It was good fun and useful but cost a fortune in petrol. We could do pretty well all the work on it as it is big and straightforward. We changed the head on the engine and converted it to unleaded fuel before reluctantly getting rid of it.

It’s been a bit a manic the last few days. The plumbers took out my mother’s old shower and I had to re tile so they could put up a new one. I have done work in Origin Dyfed Shop Painting and removing fittings. I have been in the Gallery. I spent an hour in the dentists chair this morning. I still found time to do 3 paintings. This afternoon I am helping remove the empty safe from Origin. I have been working out costings for international mail and I have spent a frustrating couple of hours trying to sort out some images on the computer and am on the point of giving up. Painting is so much easier and enjoyable. I have to find time to go and do some sketching for a watercolour in the next couple of days. Time for lunch and take the dog out.

Part and Parcel

I chose the picture above because it is appropriate to the post today.

I have had several jobs over the years. At one time I worked for the Railways.

One of the stations I worked at was Bordersley Green. I would turn up at 8pm and clock on.

I would then wait for the foreman to arrive. When he arrived we would go as a group out of the gates and over the road to a small pub. We would then sit by the fire and drink for about two hours not forgetting to buy the foreman a drink. At midnight we would be back in the station and make our way to the platform. The platform had a loading dock in the middle where post office vans would reverse. We would then empty the contents onto the platform. A goods train would pull in and our job was empty the platform by loading the mailbags into the wagons. Each wagon had a separate destination.
By about half past twelve we would have a mountain of bags and a 100yard train to load. We would start off with a bag and traipse along the line of wagons until we found the destination then throw the bag in. The downside to this system was we only had 20 minutes to load the train. With five minutes to go we would still have half the bags on the platform. The only solution was to load everything on to the nearest wagons. Inevitably Newton Abbot or some such station would receive a mountain of bags for every destination in the country while a wagon at the end of the train for London would have only two bags.
An hour later the system would start all over again. What amazed me apart from the fact that anybody ever got their parcels was that no one ever questioned the system.
We clocked on 2 hours before the first train and it was physically impossible to load the train correctly in the time allowed.

I enjoyed the job and company, and it payed well.

Today I did a painting in the gallery and Alex mounted some prints.

River Towy

The painting above is the picture I did yesterday and finished this morning. It is a view of the River Towy half a mile to the East of Carmarthen.

Alex and I went to the swimming baths (okay leisure centre is the modern term) this morning to take our grandchildren to a swimming lesson. Afterwards they had sweets and drinks. Our grandchildren had more sweets today than I saw in 6 months as a child. It reminds me of when I used to go swimming as a young boy a gang of us would go. Now you have to be accompanied by an adult. I used to go to Saltley Swimming Baths. As I recall it was built on the site of the old police station in the 1920s and was basically a small rectangular pool with cubicles all around the outside. It could also be boarded over for dances. The tiles were dark gloss green and it had a high arched ceiling. It was always pretty busy and I guess for many of the kids in the area it was the only time their bodies saw water. The new council houses had indoor baths and toilets but for the many these were new luxuries. As for me I was bathed in a tin bath in front of the fire and our toilet was outside.

Oh yes the good old days!

Tomorrow I am in the gallery and I have yet to decide what paint.

Sayings

Sometimes you are limited to what you can actually draw or paint. Being on a campsite ensure there are always plenty of caravans and motorhomes to draw.
The picture above is from Cirencester site. It’s not very thrilling but its all-good practice.
Paul Gaugin said “I shut my eyes in order to see.” This for me is how I paint.

No! I don’t shut my eyes when I paint thank you. I need to have a clear vision of the finished painting before I set to work on it. I then think about the process how I will paint it, what order to lay down colours etc.
In the words of Jesse Jackson, “If my mind can conceive it, my heart can believe it then I can achieve it.” Yes you have to believe you can paint it. Confidence is essential.
Today I did a painting of The River Towy near Carmarthen. It is a scene on the East of the Town and you can just make out the County Hall in the distance. I also spent 5 hours in Origin Dyfed painting walls and making good the property before we hand it back over.
Alex has done a good job with the accounts and breaking it down with analysis of our areas of income and expenditure. Tomorrow we have the grandchildren.

Burford

The sketch above is of Burford Church. We went there last week for the first time. It is a pleasant village in the Cotswolds and has much to offer the artist. My Grandfather went to school at Burford during1900’s. So I was interested to see the place. It can’t have changed that much over the last 100 years although I am sure the number of visitors would have surprised him. I know he used to swim in the Windrush, the river that runs though Burford on its way to the Thames.
He was a watercolourist although his main occupation was that of a joiner carpenter. I have his lovely boxwood watercolour paint box dated 1912. I use it to keep watercolour tubes in but don’t actually take it out and use it.

Towy Valley

The oil painting above shows the Towy Valley looking across to Llangunnor. It is the commission I have been working on. Today has been busy so far. Walked the dog twice, tweaked the painting above, cut the lawns, trimmed the hedge, strimmed the vegetable patch, painted the shed, made a wooden dog for our grandson, and later we will be moving paintings.

Last night we went to see Oliver at the Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen. We took one of the grandchildren who thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a very good production and I enjoyed it myself. I am as I have said before a big fan of Charles Dickens, a very overlooked author these days. When we were away in the Cotswolds I read the two volumes of Dickens "Our Mutual Friend" (along with the latest Baldacci and several John Grisham books). I read pretty quickly and can normally finish a novel in a day.

Even so if I start a book and don’t get into it by the second chapter I ditch it. I don’t like wasting my time reading or doing anything that is unproductive or rewarding.

Carmarthen Quay

The painting above shows Carmarthen Quay and sold this week. I finished the commission I was working on today, took the dog out then went to a meeting of Carmarthen Hospice Appeal. They are going to be the beneficiaries of the December Exhibition. In the meantime I have managed to keep track of the cricket which has been very entertaining today. David Cowdrey also called in with a nice bottle of wine for us.
Tomorrow we have to remove our work from Origin.

Fergie

The painting above is a commission I finished last week. Today I have got on with an oil painting of Towy Valley. Alex has been sorting out the expenses and paper work for the tax returns.

I have managed to watch half an hour of the Test match but it is a bit slow so no real hardship missing it. I used to enjoy cricket as a boy we would go to the park nearly every fine day and play. I wasn’t much good as a batsman and I definitely didn’t like getting hit with the ball which happened a lot to me not having a great deal of hand eye co-ordination in ball sports. One of the lads Assif was a really good fast bowler and he often peppered me with the ball on the hands legs and arms until he hit the wicket. I sadly learnt the other day he died a couple of years ago.

Tomorrow I must finish the landscape and at the weekend move our paintings from Origin Dyfed as it closes for a while.

St Marys

The watercolour above is a commission I did this week. It shows St Mary’s Catholic Church in Carmarthen. I know it well as one of my children was married there. The priest used to be father Morty who was quite a character although I believe he has moved on now.
Today I did an oil painting based on a subject from Pontargothi Vintage Show. Alex is in Origin Dyfed today. It is the last week of trading for Origin in Blue Street as it is moving to King Street Carmarthen.
I received a newsletter through the post today and was surprised to see a very nice article on myself. I couldn’t have written it better myself. Thank you Robert.Tomorrow I have to continue working on an oil painting of the valley, which has been commissioned.

Cross Cirencester

The sketch above is of the Cross Cirencester outside St John the Baptist Church. Its strange how many times people stop and take pictures of Jac and I while I am sketching. It happened twice while I was sketching this picture and several other times during the two weeks. To be honest I think it is mainly Jac.
To continue the theme of yesterday, I was told this story by a Metropolitan Police Officer. A relatively wealthy man went to a London Dealer and bought a very expensive car for his wife. I cannot recall the make or model something like a BMW or Mercedes, Ferrari… It was one of only 6 in the UK and cost just under £200 thousand pounds.
A week after buying it he had a visit from an officer from the stolen car squad. He informed the gentleman that a gang of violent individuals had targeted the car for export. This team specialised in car jacking. (Stealing the car when the driver was present with the keys). They would use violence and would take the car but it was not known when. The man asked the officer what advice he could give him. He advised him to take it back and buy a less marketable car.
I know a man with an old Rolls Royce that is worth less than most new cars out of the show room but he cannot park it on the street because it gets deliberately scratched.
It’s sad but the reality is owning a valuable or unique item brings problems with it.

Yesterday Alex framed a couple of commissions and I did a watercolour. Today I have started another commission.

Great Works

The watercolour sketch above is of the Folly in Bathurst Estate done during our stay in the Cotswolds.
While I was in the van I noticed when we gave Jac a bone it worried him. He would wander up and down for ages looking for somewhere to hide his bone. His stress levels (if dogs have them) must have been very high. Without the bone he was fine.
This brings me to a theme. I have often been asked what painting I would like to own if I could have any. Truthfully I am more than happy to visit the National Gallery or the Ufizzi and look at these wonderful paintings. I wouldn’t however want the responsibility of owning one.
I was chatting to a ceramicist one day and he told me he did work for a certain well off person who had a large collection of impressionist works worth a fortune that was handed down to him along with a large house and grounds. The owner was a jovial pleasant chap. One day he went to the house to continue work on a bespoke bathroom and he found the owner to be a shadow of his former self and had aged overnight. Apparently the property had been robbed, paintings and furniture worth millions had been taken and staff assaulted. The police eventually recovered some property in a very damaged condition in a mine in North England. The owner was at the time virtually a broken man. So yes I love looking at great works of art. Do I want to own one? No. I am more than happy with a modest life style and what God has given me by way of a little talent.

Cirencester Corinium Museum

The sketch above is of Dollar Street in Cirencester. Cirencester was the second most important Town in Britain during Roman Times. I am interested in history and have been on archaeological digs many years ago. Cirencester has the Corinium museum, which I visited but it was a bit too much early learning for me that is it was mainly dummies dressed as Romans and rooms made up as a Roman Villa but not much off anything original. I am sure it is great for schoolchildren but I didn’t get a lot from a mock up of a Triclinia (a Roman dining room made up of three reclining couches). This was particularly so as there was only one couch and armchair?

Still I guess I am just a grumpy old man, so Alex says anyway. Today I have been stretching paper for a couple of watercolours. The lawns need a scythe and the garden needs doing so plenty to do and painting tomorrow!

St John the Baptist Church Cirencester

We got back today from a couple of weeks away in Cirencester in the van. It was a very relaxing time. I did some sketching and reading. Alex mainly spent the time knitting or browsing the shops. Jac had a whale of a time, as we were next to Bathurst Estate some 3,000 acres of Parkland.
We also played chess on a daily basis that is Alex and I. Jac isn’t quite up to it as he gets bored easily. He also tends to knock over the pieces with his paws.
So having had a good relaxing time its time to get back to work as I have 3 commissions to do and also start thinking about the next exhibition in Newport, Gwent.The sketch above is of St John the Baptist Church in Cirencester. It is a real landmark and can be seen from most locations around the town. I am well used to sketching in the street with one arm holding the sketchbook and Jac’s lead while my canvas-sketching bag is over my shoulder and my pencils are in my mouth and other hand. I also use an aqua brush for colour. This all works quite well until a passer bye takes a shine to Jac and then Jac is all over the place, tail wagging and rolling over with my arm, sketchbook and pencil lines going everywhere. Still its all good fun and practice. It also whiles away the time that Alex is looking for the next bargain for the grandchildren.

Rapanui Sunset

We were talking about sunsets the other day and I was reminded of one very special one off Angle Point in the Haven Pembrokeshire. Alex and I were guests aboard our friends yacht “Rapanui” which they had brought back from New Zealand. We were anchored off the point and enjoyed a lovely evening of hospitality, good company and wine. To cap it all it was a clear evening with the sound of the tide going out through the rocks nearby. The sun was setting over St Annes Head and it was one of those perfect moments.

The picture is still in my head although it is probably exaggerated through the passage of time. I am tempted to paint it but I know I wouldn’t do it justice and it was one of those moments when you just had to be there.

Sadly Terry left this life early but he is still living on in our memories.
The sketch above shows a little cutter off the Point.

Reynard

The painting above is of a ketch going into St Annes Head and is sold.

We sat and watched a fox slowly meander across the field behind us while we were having breakfast this morning. I know that they are the farmers enemy and take chickens etc and I can understand why they are hunted but I like to see them and would be hard pushed to shoot one even if I kept hens. I recall coming across one in a field in Pembrey. We stood and looked at each other for a minute or so. I even had time to do a quick sketch.

Another day of paperwork today. Its a pain but it has to be done.

Tin Mine

Here is a painting of a tin mine at Roche. I haven't done anything with the painting although I may do in the future it was just one done when we were in Cornwall earlier this year.

If you havent noticed I have done a short introductory video on my website. I wasn't sure about doing it but decided to have a go. Alex was in absolute hysterics when I recorded it so I had to have a couple of goes to get rid of the laughing. Okay so a film career is out of the question unless its as the corpse in a geriatric movie!

Quiet day today a bit of work in the garden and a walk the dog.

"A Raft of Ducks"

Had a lovely walk through around the reservoir this morning with Jac. The heron was sat on an island in the middle being very patient. There was a raft of ducks in the lower reservoir with three of this years brood bobbing about with the adult ducks and all was peaceful except for the odd bark at a blackbird from Jac.

The painting above is a large view of Druidstone, a secluded beach in Pembrokeshire.
I have painted several views of this beach, which overlooks St Brides Bay. We often sailed across the bay to Solva, which is an inlet on the coastline shown in the distance of the painting.

Today I have been working on the next exhibition and Alex has been catching up on the paperwork.

Teaching an elephant to fly

Okay so not many elephants around here, only white elelphants but this was large painting which I did for a junior school where my daughter in law teaches.

I have mentioned before that I am not great with heights. Anyway many years ago in fact 35+ yrs I was given an opportunity to take this head on. Two of my friends decided to have a go at skydiving. I said I would go with them. It was a weekend course and not like now when you can go tandem you left the airplane by yourself.

It didn’t get off to a great start as we went in a moskovich van. That even in those days was the lowest of the low. What was worse I was in the back of the van. The load space was about 3ft high and it was like lying in a tin coffin. We got to the airfield and trained for the morning and afternoon. This basically was teaching you how to land softly and roll along with practicing exiting the aircraft.
Day two I again rolled around in the back of this van for 30 miles and then had the opportunity to try out this wonderful experience.
We were taken up in a Dragon Rapide bi-plane of 1930 vintage, which had no seats except for the pilot. At 2,000 ft over the airfield the pilot cut the engine and I had to climb out of the opening (there was no door as such) and climb on to the wing. To leave a perfectly good aircraft doesn’t seem that sensible at the time but the practice had drummed this manoeuvre into me. At some point I let go of the wing strut and threw myself back. I forgot all about checking my chute, as I was too busy praying until I was yanked up by it opening. The descent was pleasant but didn’t last that long. I realised afterwards I had been lied to. It was safe, really sadly there had been a fatality the week before we went and no one told me about that. The landing will be fine bend your knees and roll, I hit the ground like a sack of spuds cut my lip banged my head, admittedly it was the concrete runway I landed on not the grass as I had been advised. But would I have another go? Not on your life.

St Peters Carmarthen

The painting above is a watercolour of St Peters Church in Carmarthen. I like this little painting and feel it is quintessentially a British scene. Apparently it is recorded in the Chronicle of Battle Abbey. The current foundations dating from around 1100 although it is quite likely an earlier circular church was present before. If you get a chance to visit the Church it has several historiclly interesting items. It used to be open to the public on Wednesdays and Fridays plus of course fro Church services.

Today I have been drawing and Alex has been doing domestic chores.

Llanidloes Bowling Club

Sketch of the Bridge at Merthyr Mawr

Following on from my post yesterday. The bowling episode continued for a short period. Buoyed by our success in the club competition we entered into the County Championship. The day duly arrived when we were to play believe it or not the current and how many times County champions in the first round. The bowling club was a neutral ground and was Llanidloes. It was I recall a horrible day and when we arrived there was no one there. We were keen and very early so we thought we would have a practice. So we spent about half an hour getting to know the speed of the green and how it played then dried our woods and sat waiting for the opposition.
Shortly after the two arrived and after introductions we began as luck would have it on the same rink or bit of grass we had played on. To their astonishment and obvious frustration we won the first end. In the second we lost as they began to get the hang of the green and we were trounced in the third.
They congratulated us, (begrudgingly I thought) for I giving them a good run for their money particularly when they found out we had only being playing a couple of weeks.
It was then that we mentioned that we had practiced before they came. Oops, well it was as if we had been sick on their best carpet. Utterances were made of reporting us to the County Committee etc etc. And they had won! Unfortunately practicing on the green beforehand is apparently against the rules and high etiquette of the game. With hindsight you can see why. Anyway after our fast rise in the world of Bowls our demise was even faster. Better stick to painting.

Newtown Bowling Club ~ beginners luck

About 30 years ago I joined the bowling Club in Newtown with Mike a friend of mine.
Initially it seemed like a quiet place for a drink but we decided that bowls seemed like a good game without a lot of effort required. So we bought minimal equipment and being born optimists entered for the main competition of the year. The fact that the main prize involved bottles of whisky had nothing at all to do with it. We had a couple of games and then came the day of the competition.
To everyone else’s amazement we beat the opposition and got through to the final! We then had to play the club champions. Somehow we managed to beat them probably involving a lot of gamesman ship and the support of the entire club who thought it was hilarious. Every wood we put down was greeted with applause and cheers while the poor champions got “oh dear’s” and “never mind”. We did somehow win and suffered as the result of consuming the prize. Beginners Luck!
Today was spent sketching and reading.

Lawrenny

Here is another sketch this time it shows Sapphire our last yacht in Lawrenny Yard.
She was a very sea worthy vessel 32ft long and sailed beautifully. We brought her round from Swansea on our maiden voyage to Milford Haven. Despite fog which prevented us seeing anything from the Mumbles until we got inside the Haven we had a good passage.
We found our ground tackle had gone when we arrived in Angle so started to motor up to Lawrenny when I found 6 inches of water in the cabin. This was a little disconcerting.
Alex said as I was Captain it was my duty to go down with the boat. Thanks! Anyway we did trace the source of the water and all was well in the end.
Today I did a watercolour and Alex framed some prints.

Generic Paintings

The watercolour painting above is sold and is generic in that it depicts a rocky shore. I generally paint specific scenes. That is a readily identifiable place which people can associate with. This does have a marketting disadvantage in that in may restrict the number of people wanting to buy it. However it works for us.

Today I have been finishing off a commission I started yesterday. Some paintings I cannot show on here as they are presents or a surprise also on the odd occasion I cede copyright with the sale of the painting. This does not happen very often and there has to be a good reason but it does happen.

I am off now to walk the dog.

Laugharne

The watercolour painting above of Laugharne sold recently. Behind the Town Hall is the Stable Door Wine Bar and Restaurant. We have had dined there on a few occasions and had excellent food. Laugharne hit a bit of a quiet spot but hopefully with the re-opening of Browns Hotel things will pick up.

We have had a quiet day today. I have been sketching and Alex has been catching up on a few domestic chores.

Amelia Earhart

The painting above is of Amelia Earhart the famous aviator. Amelia landed in her orange seaplane called Friendship on June 18, 1928, at Burry Port on her transatlantic crossing. Amelia who was sadly lost in July 1937 trying to land at Howland Island in the Pacific.
The painting is also now also lost.

Superficial Chess

The painting above is of my Grandfather and Grandmother. We lived with them for a while when I was growing up. After my Grandmother died my Grandfather used to take me to the cricket at Edgbaston. Subject of a previous post.

In the evening I would play chess with him. I was about 9 at the time. If I beat him I would get a sweet. I rarely got a sweet but I enjoyed playing anyway. I played chess for some while and eventually got reasonably proficient. My brother and his son are both players as well. In fact my nephew was a County Player and I believe ranked in the top 200 for the UK.

Anyway I digress we took a chess set away with us last time we went in the camper and Alex let me beat her, at chess. So maybe we will play a bit more in the future. I am not really in to all the literature and studying previous games. I find that a bit anorak maybe a bit like discussing the meaning of a Salvador Dali Painting. (Not that I don’t quite like his work on a superficial basis and after all he could paint).Life is complicated enough without looking for hidden meanings. I tend to accept things for what they are. With me what you see is what you get.

Cilhwbert Brecon

The sketch above is of Cilhwbert near Brecon and is one I did on a walk with Alex and Jac.
I am not sure what is happening with the Small Picture Show in Brecon this year. I am told that there is likely to be a change in format and arrangements. The Show has been very successful in the past, certainly for us where we had a sell out one year and one left another.
Anyway I hope that a good Show comes out of it.
Yesterday I spent doing domestic chores and finished putting away the exhibition.
Today its walk the dog and maybe a watercolour.

Lost in fog

It is on bright sunny days like these that I miss having our boat. At anchor in a small bay like the one above near the entrance to Milford Haven. Spending the day sketching, or reading a book watching the shipping going in and out of the Haven. Then just to make life interesting a sea fog would roll in reducing visibility to 20yards with 5 minutes.

It would then be a decision of weather to make our way up river or stay at anchor where we were for the night. Of course often in the morning conditions would be no better. Frustatingly the sea fog would only be a couple of miles thick and bright conditions outside it.
Often we would plan a passage carefully sticking outside the channels of the large vessels whenever possible relying on the chart, compass and echo sounder.

Several times we heard the lifeboat launch to yachts that had become disoriented in the fog and lost their position.

I sympathise and note that life can be a bit like that a times too.

Putting it all to bed

Well that’s done for this year. Two weeks at Aberglasney a very good exhibition for us. Lots of nice comments and sales. A bit chaotic in the middle with the concert but nothing to worry about.

Yesterday went fine we had a phone call at home from a couple who had visited the exhibition gone home then decided they would like to buy 2 pictures so we have to get those in the mail today. We sold the painting of Mwnt above. I was surprised it didn’t sell before. It is pretty easy to tell which paintings are likely to go. As we have cards of most paintings the ones that go quickest tend to be the paintings that sell first.

In the afternoon a lady had a nasty fall on the steps just outside our window. I sat with her until the ambulance came and hopefully she is now recovering at home.Today is about putting paintings away in crates and the equipment, (mixed in with watching a bit of cricket on the TV).