My painting – on TV!

Posted on October 24, 2019October 24, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged ©, Burslem, Burslem witch, Copyright?, molly leigh, Murals, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, The Leopard Hotel, Theodore Gericault2 Comments

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I was just watching TV and saw this! My mural painting of the witch Molly Leigh who lived in Burslem and who is famous in the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The painting is based on a picture of a French peasant by Theodore Gericault. The cottage in the background is based on photos of her home.

It’s not the first time an image of one of my paintings has appeared in the media. A few months ago my painting of the Burslem riot was used in the sentinel paper, again without letting me know.

What can I do? How can I at least get recognition?

Red morning sky

Posted on October 22, 2019October 22, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Autumn, Dawn, Leaves, Life, Light, Northern hemisphere, Red, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Sun, Sunrise, Trees, YellowLeave a comment

I woke up to this red sky about half an hour ago. The sky is now more yellow and the sun is above the horizon. The light is streaming through the leaves and lighting them up. The red sky does not bode well for later on… Red sky in the morning shepherd’s warning (or sailors), but it certainly makes a breathtaking sight right in the heart of the city.

Rie’s little animals

Posted on October 21, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Ceramics, Design, Longport, Pottery, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Waiting room galleryLeave a comment

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These little animals are by my friend Rie. She’s also made pumpkins, and they are for sale at the Waiting room gallery in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent. Some of them are based on Egyptian gods, others look like cats, dogs and foxes.

I’ve already got a few of Rie’s pieces and I bought an animal from this collection. I think she might be making a chess set soon.

Badly drawn violinist

Posted on October 20, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Barn dance, Black and white, Dance, Drawing, Fun, Life, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, Penkhull Village Hall, Sketching, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Urban Sketchers2 Comments

I did these sketches tonight because I’m part of urban sketchers. These were drawn at the Mystery play barn dance up at Penkhull village hall. The band laying were called the Shropshire Hero’s and the barn dance caller was Baz Parkes.

It was excellent fun although I was helping behind the bar for part of it. Just watching people dance was great. Some do well, others make mistakes. The worst thing that happened was someone accidentally stood on my foot. But that was because I was drawing, and I think I was a bit in the way, so I wasn’t looking and got stood on. I was more worried because the dancer almost fell over me!

The other problem with drawing dancers? You guessed it.. They don’t stand still!

Making glass pieces

Posted on October 15, 2019October 15, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Art glass, Design, Fun, Glass, Jewellery, Spode, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, WorkshopLeave a comment

Just been making some more glass work. I used some more dichroic glass to add some sparkle and interesting effects. Now waiting to be fired by my friend Angela who ran the workshop. Hopefully they will come out nice and I can use them for jewellery. Each piece is about half the size of previous ones I’ve done.

Gossware falcon

Posted on October 14, 2019October 14, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Falcon works, Poems, Poetry, portmeirion, Pottery, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Sturgess StLeave a comment

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On the gable end of the Falcon Works. Visible from Sturgess Street in Stoke.

I see you, Falcon,

Goss Hawk, swooping.

Air sifting between stone feathers.

Built as a plaque of identity,

Goss ware, pottery, strong and sturdy.

History, trade mark, art, bird.

Bird of prey,

Snatching art from thin air,

Your claws knead the clay….

Finished paintings

Posted on October 13, 2019October 13, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Art for sale, Falcon works, Goss Hawk, Home is Where the Art is exhibition, Landscape, Longport, Paintings, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Waiting room gallery, Winter kilnsLeave a comment

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Finished paintings delivered to the Waiting room gallery today. They are going to be part of the “Home is Where the Art is” exhibition starting soon. Now I need to work on paintings for the Brampton Christmas sale exhibition. I’ve only got a week to get some appropriate work done. I might also find out about getting some cards made from my images.

Started painting Falcon works

Posted on October 12, 2019October 12, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Derelict pottery, Falcon works, Mr Goss, Portmeirion pottery, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trent, Sturgess Street, Work in progressLeave a comment

I’m in the middle of painting this nightmare of bricks! I’m also struggling with the perspective. I want to do more to it but I’m having a break for a bit. I’ve noticed that the windows are not lined up properly so I will have to over paint a section of it. Also, although the photo is quite dark I’m trying to get more shaping and brighter colours into the autumn leaves and I think I will try and lighten the bricks possibly by adding lines of paler mortar between the bricks. Anyway it’s a work in progress and it needs more work.

Old pottery

Posted on October 11, 2019October 11, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Falcon works, Life, Penkhull, Photos, portmeirion, Possible painting, Pottery, Research, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

I have a project for the weekend. Which of these should I paint? I wasn’t necessarily going to paint a bottle oven (these are at the Falcon works, with the Goss hawk at the end of the building). They are situated around the back of Portmeirion pottery. And I quite like the architecture. I might paint a negative image….

I have seen these buildings for years but didn’t investigate them much. I learned more about them and the owner today from a friend. Apparently the owner treated his work force very well and he even introduced a fire extinguishing system in the pottery to prevent fires.

Pottery results

Posted on October 9, 2019October 9, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, BCB, British ceramic biennial, China Halls, Design, Flat back, Ironic, Life, OMG, Pottery, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trent, Trump4 Comments

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These are my pottery pieces from the BCB, British Ceramic Biennial that is on at the China Halls at Spode until this weekend.

The two pieces are an ironic and unique take on staffordshire pottery flatware (with flat backs).

The first is a boat with Trumps head in it, feet in boots or socks heading in the other direction. There is a happy lion on the prow and the crucifixion at the top with people weeping on either side. Barrels and boxes are piled up at the stern where a white sale flaps in the wind. A monkey sits above the prow watching the scene. I named it Trump mania.

The second piece is called OMG, a couple stand caught in horror as something catches their eyes. Their hands over their mouthed in shock. I enjoyed adding details to the figures. I realise these are not the run of the mill figures, that is why it was even more fun.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Staffordshire