New paintings and regular art updates.
My planter painted up for the Stoke BID Art-trail. It’s based on the Goss works Falcon plaque on the outside of a derelict pottery in Bath Street, Stoke-upon-trent, Stoke-on-Trent.
Several artists were given these potbank shaped planters to be painted up for the BID project. They should be on display this summer, all I need to do now is varnish it x
Walking up our hill there is a section of unadopted road that has a massive pothole. Someone has filled it in with old bricks and stones and bits of pottery shards. As I looked at it today I thought it had filled up with snow. But no, it was pink blossom nestled in the dips and dents. I reminded me of things floating in a river. I’ve taken this photo because it was an interesting juxtaposition of material, soft and hard, dark and light, natural and man made…
Theatrical mask made by a friend for 2019’s Penkhull Mystery play. Strange that sux months later we had to wear real masks! I painted this up with my hubbies features. He had to sit still at a potters wheel and pretend to be a mannequin until the cast were transported back in time. Then he took it off and became Thomas Doodey, Master Potter.
To be honest I really miss the fun we had on that day. Crowds of people watching the action. Molly dancers, a hurdy hurdy man, Punch and Judy, and a maypole. Lots of stalls.
This year we are going to do a virtual Mystery play. I’m hoping to do a copy of the Mona Lisa I an hour and a half. Numerous other ideas are being considered.
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Two years ago we were visiting the Gladstone Pottery museum in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. I saw this design for a red dragon and took a photo. I think it was a panel explaining the glazing techniques for getting the red colouration. I believe reds are quite difficult to produce?
Red dragons are the symbol for 🏴 Wales, but this does not look like it. At the moment I’m trying to create a map for a maze/garden and this is another possibility to base it on. We will see…
Digital drawing I did a few years ago. It’s a ceramic bottle that we unearthed in the garden if I remember correctly. I like the train symbol on the front. It might be something g to do with the name, or the place it was made? But because it is old I’m nor sure. I really like the image on it. I guess it’s transfer printed.
Painted three years ago. Another favourite painting I did a few years ago… Its based on the Willow Pattern which was a design produced by a lot of British potteries. There are lots of variations but most of them contain love birds and mountains, fishermen and priests on a bridge. Pine trees and the iconic Willow tree. I’ve painted it on a canvas and also as part of the scenery for a play.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was food so I chose to draw some fruit on a calico pattern Burleigh plate. As I’m not feeling like cooking this was the easiest option….
A couple of paintings I did two years ago? They were on display in the waiting room gallery at Longport. These are paintings of the Falcon Works behind Portmeirion pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. A lot of these buildings are either falling down or just sitting empty. I wish some of them could be restored. There is a wonderful place called the Black Country Museum in Dudley I think in Central England. They have rebuilt many old buildings on the site so you can visit and see the history of industry and businesses in England. There are some museums in Stoke-on-Trent which are smaller versions. For example the Gladstone pottery museum. It’s a real shame that so many old buildings are being allowed to fall into rack and ruin.
Bibendum is the name of the iconic symbol for Michelin tyres. There was a large factory near us run by Michelin. Sadly the factory has mostly closed now, its mostly a training facility. The one improvement is that the smell of vulcanising rubber no longer hangs over the city. Like many of the factories and manufacturing in Stoke-on-Trent the jobs have gone. Potteries have been badly affected. Steel manufacturers have gone and other jobs like coal mining went in the 1980’s. Northern areas of the United Kingdom have been badly affected over the years of the late twentieth century and twenty first.
A cheerful, colourful, square pot I have a Christmas cactus in. It was outside earlier in the year, but I noticed the glaze was coming off the other one so I bought it in (I think frost and rain got to them). This one’s a bit messy round the back, but then I just have the good side facing out. You can make anything nice if you position it well, even if its cheap and cheerful.
