Queen Elizabeth the First

Posted on June 20, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1975, Drawing, History, Memory, Prompt, Queen Elizabeth the firstLeave a comment

Who is your favorite historical figure?

I wish I could share a picture of Queen Elizabeth 1st, but as I’ve previously explained my Internet is down.

I learnt about the Eliabethans at school, and became obsessed with their clothing. I loved trying to draw and paint the ruffs they wore round their necks and the splits the rich Eliabethans had in their clothes to show the underlying cloth.

I was interested in the history of the Queen too, not just her clothes. Her court of figures such as Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Frances Drake. She was monarch when King Philip of Spain tried to Invade England with the Spanish Armada but was beaten by Drake if I remember correctly.

She never married and was one of the longest reigning monarchs of Britain. She was known as the Virgin Queen. Shakespeare may have written plays for her. But I don’t know the actual facts.

Possible painting?

Posted on April 7, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Age, Buddlea, Cold, Erosion, History, Life, Memories, Ruins, spode works, Thinking, Time, WindowLeave a comment

There’s something fascinating about the old windows at Spode Works. I took this photo this week in my friend Amy’s studio. It looks out over the back of the ceramic halls that front onto Kingsway in Stoke. The dirt and grime is from the clay dust that still covers much of the site. The buildings are freezing in winter and stay cool in the summer, I think because of the thermal mass of the solid factory.

Time is gradually eroding and changing the structure of the buildings. Buddlea bushes have colonised one of the older parts of the factory and I wonder if they will make it crumble. It will feel strange not to go there anymore.

Memories

Posted on March 1, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, clinging on, Decades, Fine Art, History, Memory, Painting, Poem, Poetry, PortraitsLeave a comment

I’m finding old portraits

Portals to a previous time

Not photographic images

But paint on canvas

You made me smile

You made me laugh

And cry too

So I hold onto these

Small tokens of love

With all my strength.

Decay

Posted on February 29, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Building, Crumbling, deterioration, History, Industrial archeology, Life, Planning, Spode site, TimeLeave a comment

Some of the buildings on the old Spode works site continue to deteriorate while others next to them are being restored and reused.

My fear is that some, like this one, could literally crumble before they get any work on them.

Time moves on, plans have been made and then stopped because they did not fit in well with both the historical significance of Spode works and the surrounding town. The traffic management needs considering too. Meanwhile the buildings need protection and rebuilding.

Too many historical and unique buildings in the city of Stoke-on-Trent have disappeared recently. Destroyed because of disrepair or fire or vandalism. The industrial archeology of the city needs saving. Otherwise we will end up with warehouses or generic apartment buildings and lose our history.

Where Manchester used old Mills to create loft spaces and apartments, we seem hell bent on hollowing out our citys history.

He knew his tractors

Posted on February 16, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Fordson, History, Hubby, Life, Massey Ferguson, Memory, steam traction engine, Tractor, ZetaLeave a comment

If he saw this tractor he would have known exactly who the maker was. A Fordson , John Deere, Zeta, New Holland, Massey Ferguson?

He knew by their colours /livery., by their shape, by the setup of the wheels. Whether they were row-crop tractors, diesel, paraffin. So much knowledge.

I used to guess what sort they were and he would congratulate me or correct me. Now has gone, I can’t remember.

We would sometimes go to agricultural shows. Hubby would have a pint in the beer tent, avoiding wasps, have a bite to eat, and then watch the tractor or steam traction engine parades in the main show ring. Then a ride on the steam gallopers, or trying to win a teddy bear on the air gun shooting range.

Memories are what I have….

Blurry Summer Dream

Posted on January 24, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, Fine Art, History, Hubby, Life, Memory, narrative painting, Oil on canvas, Summer dream7 Comments

My hubby in about 1982/83, sorry the photos blurry the cat is the same one as in the other painting. It’s propped against the wall and the computer is in the way. The title is Summer Dream. It’s oil on canvas. There are standing stones at the top and a female figure with long hair blowing in the wind, (meant to be me). It’s supposed to be set in the west country.

Another narrative painting.

The Stars like dust

Posted on November 18, 2023 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Book, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2123, Fun, History, Issac Asimov, Memory, Old fashioned, Science fiction47 Comments

What book are you reading right now?

I’m reading an old Issac Asimov book. The stars like dust. It’s one I had in the 70s and haven’t read it since.

Asimov mainly wrote books about robots and formulated the three laws of robotics. But this book is about galactic intrigue and the attempts of a young man called Biron Farill, who is the main character of the book, to escape the Tyrrani who rule the Galaxy and are trying to assassinate him.

I have completely forgotten the story, it feels old fashioned but has intrigue. I can imagine watching an old film, some of the settings, seem clunky. But it’s worth reading, and I’m enjoying it.

New Horizons visit to Pluto

Posted on November 3, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 14 July 2015, Astronomy, Charon, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2108, History, new horizons, Pluto, Space, voyager 1, voyager 22 Comments

What historical event fascinates you the most?

It’s hard to believe it’s been eight years since the New Horizons space craft flew by the now minor planet Pluto and it’s moon Charon.

The rest of the solar system had already been explored over the previous decades by other probes sent out by NASA including Voyagers 1 and 2 which had undertaken a grand tour of the systems gas and ice giant planets. These are now over 18 light hours away.

When New Horizons arrived at Pluto on 14 July 2015 it found a tiny world with a heart shaped feature on its surface. The predominant colours are reds, whites and dark greys. The surface is mottled and pock marked in some places, and smooth in others. The photos of the encounter are spectacular and can be seen online. The Wikipedia page about New Horizons is very informative. I don’t propose to reiterate all the information here.

I chose this mission because it happened in my lifetime. I could have chosen other missions or historical events, but I wanted to chose something that represented the farthest influence or encounter that humanity has ever made. Hopefully we will continue to find out more about our solar system, our galaxy and the universe in the future.

Jobs not career

Posted on October 26, 2023 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged career, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2101, History, Interview, Life, Memories, Prompt, Time, Work2 Comments

What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?

I’m not a banker, politician, doctor, vet. I’ve done jobs that have lasted weeks, months or years, but none I would call a career. This is the Internet, so I’m not going into details. Why should I tell all and sundry? I did think of taking up a career, but it didnt work out (I failed the interview) I might be rich or at least well off. I didnt follow that path, so in ended up with a series of jobs.

But through it all I’ve been creative, I make art, it might not be the best, but I love painting and drawing, taking photos, making pottery, experimenting. Who needs a career if you have the freedom to be yourself?

Whatever you do, be open to chances, take care, I wish you luck

Train

Posted on September 22, 2023 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, ArtRage app, Design, Drawing, History, Life, possible screenprint, Sketching, snow plough, Steam trains, Stylus, TrainLeave a comment

Thursdays #bandofsketchers prompt was train. Train design, didn’t look at an image, just channelling a screen print idea. The Green light is on the front of an American style train with a snow plow sort of thing. Obviously based on steam trains. Maybe in a transport museum? Artrage app drawing.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: History