Getting Ready

The little watercolour above is of my son-in-law and grandson playing football on the beach. For some strange reason our son and one of our daughters both married Irish Partners. I did make a suggestion as to the reason but it got me a slap. They are both very warm and effusive and a great part of a large family. The only problems arise during the Six Nations when there is some friendly rivalry.




I am pretty well covered now for our next exhibition, which is in June at Aberglasney.

I have enough new work to ensure that at least 70 % + has not been shown there before. I will of course keep painting and finalise our choice nearer the date. Not all the paintings I have done will be mounted and framed; some may be stored and retrieved later or eventually disposed of.

Alex has the big job of preparing the mouldings, frames and putting them all together along with publicising the exhibition. To be fair Aberglasney are excellent at marketing and publicising so for that exhibition there isn’t much to do other than notify our usual customers and friends of the date.

Today I did some sketching, which was quite relaxing.

Triumph Daytona

Here are some more figures on the beach at Llansteffan. A typical windy damp day but great for a walk. Here is Alex with two of the grandchildren.


Alex is the holder of a full motorcycle licence, as am I. Before we had our children it was our main form of transport. My first motorcycle was a 250cc Royal Enfield, I also had an Ariel Colt LH 200cc and an Ariel NG. We had several other motorcycles after.

We got about quite a bit and travelled light. We toured Scotland for a fortnight with Alex on the back of my Triumph Daytona 500cc with just a one-man tent, a small wash bag and sleeping bag. Today it takes a week to pack the camper for a day trip to the seaside!

I remember pulling into one campsite and the lady said “No bikers I am afraid.”

We eventually persuaded her that we were two respectable if a little smelly travellers and she agreed to let us stay if we “Promised to behave!”

We went to Kilchoan the most westerly village in mainland Great Britain. Until about 1900 it was accessible only by sea. Unfortunatley the bike fell off its stand and bent the right hand handlebar to near vertical. We rode home about 450 miles in the rain with my right hand in some sort of paintful salute.

The scenery was spectacular and we have promised ourselves to return to Scotland to tour in the van when we get the opportunity. I suppose we should go anyway as my grandfather‘s family were from Ayrshire.

Boatyard

The painting above is one of a boatyard on the Island of Corfu. Much of the work is done as it has been for many years. Boats are pulled out of the water on wooden slips and worked on in the open air.


As Alex has worked in a Boatyard as a marine engineer she is always interested in these places. I find them fascinating for the shapes and contrast they bring to the landscape. I painted this picture is an Impressionistic Style because I thought the light suited it. I put a ground of sienna and crimson over first and then painted over it fairly quickly. Ther isn’t much attention to detail only really in the areas of the shape of the boats and the shadow.


Today I did a watercolour and Alex read for a change.

Dylan ~ Laugharne

The watercolour above shows the Town Hall in Laugharne.


Laugharne is pretty unique in that it was granted a granted by Sir Guido de Brion the Younger in the 1290s. The Charter allows for the Town to be run by a Corporation of Burgesses. The Charter gave the Burgesses of the Town the right to choose a Portreeve every six months, to act as a magistrate and to receive the tolls. The Corporation still exists to this day.

Laugharne is of course more famous for the Poet Dylan Thomas. I am, as I have previously state not a big fan of Dylan Thomas. On the other hand I do like the other poet and songwriter Bob Dylan. I feel I have more of an affinity to Bob Dylan and I can understand what he is talking about (for the most part).

It’s hard not to have sympathy with a straight forward lyric like:

“If you see your neighbour struggling, help him with his load,
And don’t go mistaking paradise for that home across the road.”

Can't argue with that! Today I walked the dog and did some sketching.

Pride comes before a fall

Here are some more people on the beach withtheir bundle of fun.

I was talking in my post yesterday about our first dog Pluto. We took him to Montgomery Castle one day with a French Lad who had turned up on the doorstep, I am still not really sure who he was as he didn't speak much English.
Anyway we walked up to the Castle and crossed the wooden Bridge into the Keep (the main part) of the Castle which stands on a rock overlooking the County of Mongomery. Pluto was quite well trained and would walk to heel normally . He was therefore off  his lead. We wandered about and Pluto jumped over a few low walls and then we noticed he had disappeared.
I asked the French man where he was and he made a sign with his hand like a wave or swallow. He had obviously lept over the walls until he came to the end curtain wall and jumped over that.

I looked over certain that he had met his maker only  to see him running around on the rocks below. I have looked at the pictures of the castle now and can say with certainty he must have fallen at least 40 feet. He had cut his tongue and had a few scrapes but the vet confirmed he was fine. In fact he lived to be a lovely grumpy 15year old.

Pluto

Here is a little watercolour sketch I did of Alex on the beach with Paddy the dog!
Paddy is a golden retriever belonging to our daughter and son-in -law. He is honestly not very interesting and doesn't do a lot. His one main feature is he smells, quite badly. He stays with us from time to time and it is on those occasions I realise I am blessed for not having a great sense of smell due to an operation on my nose as a child.

When we were first married we had a sheep dog puppy which we called for want of an original name "Pluto". He was a bit of a scamp. We rarely had meat in those early days other than sausage or sometimes liver. When my Mother-in-Law came to visit withher mother we saved up and bought a joint of lamb.
The inevitable happened and we found the joint buried in the garden. Unperturbed Alex fought the dog for it and won. She then cleaned up the remnants and cooked it. It was a little smaller than it had started but no-one seemd to notice.

Llanddew ~ St David's day

Here is a watercolour I did of Llanddew Church. I thought it was appropriate for St. David’s Day. ( Llanddew meaning St David’s Church). Llanddew is just outside Brecon and is a lovely little community.


For me watercolours are best when they are simple. Everything is synthesised or reduced to the minimum whilst retaining the whole essence of the scene.

Hopefully the watercolour above achieves this.

We used to live in Brecon and so we feel a great affection for the area. It remains as yet unspoilt but I am not holding my breath.

Today we have the grand children and shopping along with some domestic chores and I feel it is unlikely I will have the opportunity to pick up a brush.