New paintings and regular art updates.
Happy bottle oven day! 29.8.23. It’s celebrated every year. I think there are only 47 bottle ovens left from the thousands that used to be in Stoke on Trent. A lot of them are deteriorating but hopefully the heritage of them will be preserved. The potteries, with their bottle ovens were the creative heart of the city.
Somewhere I’d like to visit again. We haven’t been this year and I miss it.
Biddulph Grange garden is run by the National Trust and is a garden built on a slope that is made up of seperate areas… The Japanese garden, Egyptian garden, Swiss cottage, China area and other sections. The Daliah walk should be in full bloom. There is also a lovely tea room within the Grange building, although it can be quite busy.
It’s one of many attractions that are within a short distance of the city of Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire. So if you are in the area check out its visiting times and prices. Worth a day out.
Watercolour painting done today, mostly of the roof of Ford Green Hall. I started over to one side so it’s a bit squashed up on the left. I was just finishing as the rain started to come down so we went inside the cafe there for a brew and a cake.
This was a plein aire (spelling?) with the Orme Art Group. Our last session until we start up again in September.
I really enjoyed being out in the fresh air, although there was a noisy motorbike (2 stroke) zooming around and being very annoying. Ford Green Hall was built in the 15th century. Brilliant place to visit and there is a nature reserve at the back.
If you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?
I would invite all my artist friends from over the years. Plus all my family. I would go to the Leopard Hotel in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. It would be fully restored (it was destroyed in a fire) and all my murals would still be there.
We would chat about the old days, and what they had been doing. Find out about where they had lived after I lost touch with them. I would lay on a good meal for them depending on what food they liked. I don’t remember what they used to eat? How could I after 40 years or more in some cases… But to know their life has gone well and hopefully they have been successful.
Who wouldn’t I invite? Famous people. I would be in awe and unable to talk. Can it be possible to meet someone who is important and speak with them at their level? I just don’t know.
Questions like this trouble my imagination. It’s wonderful to think of great people, but I would be too nervous and shy!
Richter scale
/ˈrɪktə/
noun
GEOLOGY
Last night around 8pm there was a small earthquake near Tean in Staffordshire. It registered 3.3 on the richter scale, and houses near to it felt a jolt and their windows rattled.
My friend just asked if we felt anything? No, we didn’t feel a thing. We probably get more shaking from traffic driving past our house. Apparently the UK gets about a thousand earthquake s or tremors a year, and most are only 1 or 2 on the richter scale (or 30 or 900? times smaller). So although 3.3 is high in the UK it’s not bad. I think we may have had a 5 a few years ago.
I couldn’t find an image to use so I drew a ‘geological’ abstract instead, trying to draw something like a fracture or fault moving in the rocks below us….
I haven’t got the hang of social media food posting. I either take photos of the plates before I get the food or after I’ve eaten it!
We’ve just been for a birthday meal at Sawadee Thai taste in Stoke. It’s becoming a redular thing. Tonight we had starters of athai fishcakes and spare ribs, then red duck curry and jasmine rice. We used to have more food but I’m trying to be good as its all too nice but too filling! Plus I had some mango and pineapple pieces for afters. Full up and sleepy now…
I may be wrong, but I think this plants colloquial name is Fox and Cubs? I think you get a main flower then a number of smaller flowers around it. I’ve seen it growing as a weed, with dandelion style seed heads? But I may be completely wrong and it could be a different plant entirely? If anyone knows please tell me. I think we saw these plants at the Dorothy Clive garden last year when we visited in the summer.
Current lightning over us. It’s gone dark and rumbly above us. Although the main storms seem to be swirling around Congleton and Stone tonight. The map is from Blitzortung.org and I hope I’m not breaching their copyright. I can hardly see its gone so dark, cumulus clouds boiling above us. I’m glad we live at the bottom of the hill, I think we are less likely to get hit! God’s certainly moving a lot of furniture!
We went to Etruria canal festival today. It was a brilliant sunny day, huge crowds (that made me anxious) (I still haven’t learnt to feel safe again after the pandemic). But there was lots to see and some incredible exhibits. There were hawks and snakes and a puppet theatre which made huge insect puppets. Lots about climate change and Morris dancers too! The industrial museum was open for free to the public and there was a massive queue for the cafe. B’arts were involved in a lot of the work and Etruria Artists had a stall there using clay to create objects children could take home with them. @ladybirdsu had her little caravan there and was running a little print workshop. You could print on cards that have wild flower seeds pressed into the paper. You literally plant them to grow wild flowers…
Overall it was an enjoyable experience, although I did tear up for a while. Something set me off and I needed a hug. Life can sometimes jump out on you when you’re not looking and hit you between the eyes!
Anyway, the photo is of a lovely steam punk, (I think he’s with the Doomsday Morris who were performing at the festival).
It’s quiet at the moment, I hope I get some interest!
Nuffield health gym by Bet365 stadium Stoke-on-Trent, today, here till 3 x
Mallaband-Brown