Forgotten?

Posted on July 18, 2019July 18, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Carving, Church Yard, Death, Grave, Gravestones, Life, Local history, Penkhull, Photo, Pollution, Pottery, Sandstone, Smoke, St Thomas churchLeave a comment

Sandstone is a beautiful stone, soft and porous, it can be carved into fine shapes. But as this gravestone shows it also dissolves, especially in out acid rain environment. In this case the stone has turned black, probably from pollution, as Stoke-on-Trent was a very smoky place, due to the coal fired potteries. And yet the church is clean. I don’t know if it has been cleaned but it has had some restoration.

The lettering on the headstone is almost lost. Its almost as if a layer has peeled off. Gone but not forgotten? It depends on whether the family still exists, and whether they still live in the area.

Other stones in the graveyard are in worse or better condition. Some have been turned into steps, gradually wearing away under foot.

Bras

Posted on July 13, 2019July 13, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Africa, Bra, Bras, Breast cancer, Breast cancer research, Care, Charity, Environment, Penkhull, Penkhull Mystery Play stalls, SupportLeave a comment

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Bra Recycling

There is a charity collecting old bras that can be recycled and used for women in Africa (see the link). The charity gets money to combat breast cancer by collecting the bras and women in Africa who can’t afford them get a decent, useful, inexpensive bra that they can wear.

One of the stalls in the penkhull mystery play day did just this and collected Hundreds of bras. I’ve asked their permission to use their photo. Congratulations to them for taking the time to support the charity.

Harpers Titchy Theatre

Posted on July 13, 2019July 13, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Community, Creative writing, Entertainment, Fun, Harpers Titchy Theatre, Miniature theatre, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, TheatreLeave a comment

16 short stories and poems, 11 authors, 6 readers, 1 host. We all had fun listening to many and various tales this afternoon. I wrote three very short pieces which I think I have already posted on here. It’s great to hear people laughing at your jokes and punchlines.

More about the day to follow later.

Last rehearsal

Posted on July 12, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Design, Fun, Good day out, Mystery Play, Penkhull, Play, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, TheatreLeave a comment

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Almost done. Tomorrow we do the mystery play. Museum scene, travel back in time, work in a pottery, get thrown out of your house, end up in the workhouse. Escape to go to school. A Sunday school performance, finale. Songs, humour, tragedy, history.

Penkhull Mystery Play event, Saturday 13 July 2019. Free event, starts in the church at 10am then on the church green from 1pm. Stalls from 11am. Lots to see and do… Sorry to keep going on about it!

Last making session

Posted on July 11, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 1840's, Acrylic on board, Acrylic on calico, Art, Design, Painting, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, School, Sign, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, TiredLeave a comment

I’ve finished painting for the penkhull mystery play, here is the willow pattern backdrop together with a school sign (set in the 1840’s). Im not the only maker, this is my friend Mark. There are others but my phone is playing up so I can’t find the pictures . Mark did the, ‘do not touch display’ sign. ( the play starts in a museum in 2019). So having a rest for an hour.

The process of making a pretend thrown clay pot

Posted on July 9, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Design, Painting, Papier mache, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, Pretend pot, Props, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Throwing potsLeave a comment

Started with a large flowerpot covered in glue and paper (Papier-mache). Then painted it with a base coat of pale orange / brown acrylic paint when it was dry. I had put a slightly smaller pot inside to bulk up the sides and it gives a nice ridge around the top as if the Potter was starting to thin out the sides. I’ve painted light and dark bands as I wanted to give it texture, partly to hide the crinkly nature of the paper and also to make it look like he is putting ridges around it.

I’m not 100% sure of the colour, perhaps it should be darker, it’s like a pale terracotta I think.

Papier-mache pot

Posted on July 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Clay, Design, Fun, Papier mache, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, PropLeave a comment

In the play we are doing this weekend my partner has to pretend to throw a pot on a wheel. We don’t want anything big, heavy or breakable, so I’m Papier-macheing a black plastic flowerpot. I had to buy some pva glue but only wanted just enough, not a great big tub or a tiny bottle. So instead of the adult craft section I found a bottle of clear pva in the children’s section at a craft shop.

Got home and started ripping up newspaper. This is many layers later, I’ve added a few layers about two thirds up to give it a slight bulge. When it’s dry I will paint it white as a base coat then a pale brown “clay” colour with shading to make it look hand thrown. I’m hoping it will look reasonably realistic.

Props and costumes

Posted on July 7, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Costumes, Design, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, Play, Props, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, What's on, White paintLeave a comment

It takes a lot to put a play on. Not just scenery but props and costumes. We couldn’t do it without the efforts of people making things, painting things white, gluing tea pots to boards, finding jugs and tankards, the infinite number of things that just help. So instead of pretending you can have something physical, like a coin to pay someone. Props make acting easier.

Then there is costume. Lots of things get re used, cut down to size, have material let in to make it bigger. Hats are made or sometimes built. Members of the cast bring in their own clothes to enhance the look of the play.

We might only be doing something that lasts 40 minutes but it’s taken a few months of hard work and planning to bring it all together.

Mystery Music

Posted on July 7, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Accompanying music, Boatband, Clay Chorus, Free event, Fun, Life, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, What's on in StaffordshireLeave a comment

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Where would the mystery play be without the music. This year as always provided by the brilliant Boatband and Clay Chorus choir.

I don’t want to give away the music or plot too much. But the singing covers dramatic action in the play. I know Clay have been learning the songs for a couple of months now and there are some poignant pieces to illustrate the conditions in the first half of the nineteenth century. We don’t realise just how much things have improved for both adults and children.

I think the audience are in for a treat this year if we all keep our cool and get it right.

Last year’s scenery

Posted on July 7, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged A year ago, Acrylic on hardboard, Art, Fun, Life, Painting, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, Scenery, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

FB_IMG_1562490907053 this is the scenery I painted last year. Two eight by four boards attached together to make an eight foot square panel.

In some ways painting on calico is more difficult because of the way the paint sits on it. However at least I’m not struggling to line up the two sections. I do love doing this. It makes my year.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Penkhull