New paintings and regular art updates.
Gorgeous window at All Saints church on Leek Road Stoke-on-Trent. The colours really are bright and spectacular. This is at the rear of the church (but on the left hand side looking from the road). It’s such a busy road, it’s surprising how clean it looks. Whether it was washed for the ceramics festival, I don’t know.
Interesting shapes made by old lights. Collaged symmetrical patterns. An old church can create fascinating shapes. Dark shadows and dark wooden beams add contrast with the pale cream vaults
I thought I’d show you the other photo of the church floor I took last night. It’s a bit blurry but this is the main block of minton? tiles. It’s hard to tell what the central section depicts. I love the contrasting blues, oranges and terracotta colours. Using complementary colours makes the image pop even with using only blue and orange.
I was rehearsing for our Christmas concert (we are doing it to fund another pantomime in 2025). I saw these tiles up by the altar. I think they are Minton tiles. I also think the church was designed by Pugin?
The acoustics are very good in there and we had great fun trying to get the right harmonies for silent night. The concert is due to happen on the evening of December 15th this year. As well as traditional carols there will be rock and roll songs and some solos and duets. There may also be recitals of poetry.
There are other tiles in the church, so it might be an idea to listen to the concert and have a good look round.
A few weeks ago we visited Rode Hall and the church across the road from it. I was running out of battery power so only took this photo. I just decided to look at it again because I like the colours in the glass. Blues, reds and whites highlight the figures and the textiles and architecture. The detail of the pattern at the top and base of the window panes help link each panel together. Just cutting the glass pieces out must have been so difficult and time consuming. Using lead to hold the glass in place. How do artists manage to do this? I’m full of admiration.
One of the stained glass church windows at Odd Rode, it’s opposite the exit from Rode Hall. We came out of the Hall Gardens because the queue for the tea room was too long. The church was open for refreshments. We popped in and were made very welcome. The church was designed by Gilbert Scott. The same architect designed St Thomas Church in Penkhull. Sorry I forgot to make a note of the name of this church. We called in for scones and coffee. Very nice and friendly.
St Giles Church Tower, the oldest part of the church.
Saxon Stone, discovered at an excavation site at Blackfriars Abbey. It preceded St Giles. The Abbey was on the site of the church apparently.
Part of the ancient stones from archaeological digs are laid out on the ground next to one side of the tower, round the back of the church.
Walking back towards Newcastle-under-Lyme Town center after our visit to the church (I didn’t take any photos inside as it was open for prayers for the death of Prince Philip).
Pump in the church yard. This was implicated in an outbreak of cholera. The bodies in the churchyard were very shallow lying, only nine inches deep in places, and and fluids carrying cholera leeched into the ground water.
In the corner by the porch of a church. I wondered why? The colours caught my eye as we walked past yesterday.
Perhaps it was a child leaving it to remember a lost pet? Or just a painted stone left to brighten a dark corner.
It made me think of ancient and modern. How long will the stone remain unblemished, unfaded. Is it varnished? The paint will flake as the cold invades it. Moisture then ice will affect it. But at least it will remain for a while….
I did a quick sketch from a photo I took today. Wish it was drawn from real life but I was walking so I didn’t get the chance to sit and draw….St Thomas’s Church, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent. The Wassail starts out from the village hall which I’d just across the road to the right of the church. At the top of Trent Valley Road. #bandofsketchers today’s prompt was religious building..
Yellow Church spire
In the valley
River runs below
Snow above on the hills
Yorkshire view
Deep country
Saltaire splendour.
Photo courtesy of my friend Tim Hargreaves.
Mallaband-Brown