New paintings and regular art updates.
Bit of a bad photo but I had some good news today!
Great to hear I’ve sold this which was on exhibition at Etruria Industrial museum. It was only a small painting of the governor on the Princess beam engine at Jessie Shirley’s bone and flint mill at Etruria, Stoke on Trent. I took another painting up which was also based on a photograph that I’d taken at Etruria at its last steaming event.
Trent and Mersey canal with a thin metal bench. It’s not the most picturesque view I’m afraid, but I’m a member of a bench appreciation group, so I keep an eye out for them. It’s sometimes nice to find a beautiful place with a comfortable bench, but more than likely it’s a seat in not a nice place.
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!
Mother and baby macaque Monkey sculpted from an old tree stump. This is at the entrance to the Trentham Monkey Forest. We went a couple of weeks ago and saw a few babies, a bit older than this one. They were swinging off branches and twigs and learning to climb. I think the guide said there have been eight babies born so far this year.
They are happy in our climate because they originate high up in the mountains in North Africa so they are used to wide temperature variations. The monkey forest is part of a group of parks, the rest are in France, and they are working to conserve the Macaque population. Worth a visit.
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…
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!
Macaque Monkey at Trentham Monkey Forest. We visited today.
The monkeys live in a forested area south of Trentham Gardens on the A34 in Staffordshire. It’s near the city of Stoke on Trent.
Two troops of Barbary Macaque monkeys live in the enclosure. They are being raised to support the species which is in decline in North Africa. The climate here is equivalent to there natural home which is the Atlas mountains I think.
This year they have had eight babies. They are thriving. You can walk around in the enclosure but you have to follow strict rules, getting no closer than 2 meters, not trying to feed them, not touching them, not taking food into the enclosure.
We really enjoyed it despite the heat of the day. Seeing a baby that was less than a month old climbing up branches was amazing. It was a god walk up and down hills and along a stream in the cool of the forest.
Seen today
Green trike, eagle head
On front mudguard
Long and low
Tandem seats
Lying back
How do you see
The road?
Chrome, black and green.
Hubby gazing across the canal at Etruria festival today. I should have used two pages to show what he was gazing at! But he moved too much so I just got a quick sketch in…Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was gaze.
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).
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