Stained glass

Posted on August 1, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Architecture, Design, Fenton, Memory, Stained glass, Stoke-on trent, town hall, Windows1 Comment

Not in a church, but in Fenton Town Hall. In Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.

History of the hall from Google : Fenton Town Hall is 138 years old. It was built in Albert Square between 1888 and 1889 by local architect Robert Scrivener and financed by pottery magnate William Meath Baker.

I love the fact that municipal buildings can be beautiful and subtle too. Just because they are used for local political work or council business does not mean they have to be brutalist (although more modern buildings can be very ugly). I guess you have to balance cost and utility. But I love beautiful architectural design.

Shall I finish this?

Posted on July 20, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Blue, Brown, Design, Fine Art, Memory, Parkinsons, Pottery, Teapot, Wood, Work in progress2 Comments

I’ve struggled with this for 2 years. I do a bit and get fed up. I’m making the design up and it’s fiddly, my hands shake and it’s hard to get it right. The base of the pot curve is not right. Maybe I’ll get it finished once this hot spell of weather is over? So it’s a WIP.

My friend painted this

Posted on April 22, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged acrylic on cardboard, Art, creepy cave, Design, Fun, Painting, Play, Scenery, Sign1 Comment

I really like this, my friend Julie painted this sign for part of the scenery for the play we are doing in May. It definitely gives a feeling of rusty metal, although it’s just painted in acrylics on a piece of cardboard. She’s definitely given it a spooky feel.

Sheepish

Posted on April 17, 2026April 17, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Black and white, courtesy, Design, Life, Patterns, Photography, Sheep, Spirals, Stone1 Comment

Courtesy of my friend…

I like the swirls that make up the wool on the stone sculpture. It’s funny how patterns affect me. I get bored of plain, sleek lines, but I don’t like overly fussy patterns either. Greek Key patterns, yes, and Paisley patterns, and spirals. But if the shapes are disjointed, like things are either too big or small, then I’m not as keen on it.

I also like the black and white filter on the picture, it makes the picture bolder. The bright sunlight bleaching out some of the detail adds to the effect.

Award winner is..

Posted on February 23, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged 80s, Art, award, CV, Design, History, Memory, Poster, proud, recruitment, WinnerLeave a comment

Yes, many years ago, in the 80s, I won an award for something I designed. It was a recruitment poster. I don’t think anything was done about actually using it. It’s probably stuck on top of an old cupboard somewhere? But for a short while I had the frisson of winning something.

I don’t think my name was even engraved on the shield, I think the place I was studying didn’t think a poster was serious enough. Not proper research, which is why I’m not going into detail. But for a while it was firmly on my CV.

Cat window

Posted on January 10, 2026 Posted in Cat, Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Black and white cat, Cat, Colour, Design, ginger cat, Life, Memory, Stained glass, Window1 Comment

I don’t notice this everyday, but this is a ginger cat window that I designed soon after we moved into our house. My friend, who was actually a carpenter, made this leaded glass window for us. It’s a really unique piece of art and I love it on a sunny day when it really sparkles. It’s about 30 years old now.

If I could I would design another window to sit in the window at the top of the stairs. I like the idea of a really gothic idea with vine leaves and a black and white cat stari6out of the window. Perhaps I will draw or paint the idea.

Upgrade

Posted on November 20, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Art, Computer, Cost, Design, Digital art, Happy, Memory, Poem, Poetry, refurbished, Thinking, Time8 Comments

I’m biting the bullet

Not chewing the fat…

Buying a ‘puter

That’s not as fat

Slimmed down and sleek

But reconditioned too

Saving me money

Not brand new

Might do more art

For a start.

You need hands

Posted on July 22, 2025 Posted in UncategorizedTagged B'arts, clothes rail, Coat hanger, Design, Hands, hat stand, Life, Memories, Photo1 Comment

I saw this today, a clothes rail that had hand shapes to hook coats or hats on. I spoke to our choir leader at teatime and as we were chatting I mentioned I liked the funky design…. Turned out her ex husband had made it years ago! It was a commission made for a business man, but when his firm closed it came back to the Barts building and is used for costumes.

My question, how on earth did I pick up on this link without ever knowing about it intuition?

Witches head

Posted on June 30, 2025 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Black and white paint, Design, Life, pointed hat, pointed head, Props, sketched design, symbols, WitchLeave a comment

Or will my hat fit over that?

Prop to act as the top of the witches head in the Mystery Play. When she takes her hat off to go to bed it reveals a scary bald head covered in witchy symbols, stars, comets and crescent moons.

We just wanted to give the idea that the hat is pointed because the witches head is also pointed. Silly but fun!

A warped cave

Posted on June 25, 2025 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 2 by 1, Art, Cave, Design, Life, Painting, preparation, reinforcement, Scenery, Support, WoodLeave a comment

We had to reinforce the scenery for the play because it’s only made of hardboard and it is stored in a shed leaning up against other props and developed an shape. The wood needs overpainting but I think I can sort it out. X

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Design