Monthly Archives: July 2012

Mountain House

24 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Art, paintings, sketching

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This time of year is special when I get to meet up with my dear BFF who is an art teacher in LA at her family’s mountain cabin in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. We have known each other for decades, and it is still precious when we get to spend time together.

Me and BFF Donna on a walk down the mountain road. photo by Cathy

The cabin is rustic, but wonderful, and we manage to leave the men behind

Gathering flowers and taking photos. Two of our favorite pastimes at Mountain House. Photo by me.

…and gather as artists in the little house on the hill.

Early morning at Mountain House. Photo by me

This year there are only three of us for this first night, but it makes it all the nicer to share a quiet porch in the late afternoon.

Rockers ready. Photo by me

I have created art here before,

Mountain Dogwood, conte on paper, art and photo by me

…and this time I managed some time sketching on my new city series.

Hard at work. Photo by Cathy

I have been spending long hours in the studio working and it is thrilling and scary to be back hard at work on my art after weeks of travel and thinking about what to work on next.

The beginning of a “Cities” painting…boules in Paris. photo by me

This was a nice break with artist friends…

BFF and sister Cathy creating art at Mountain House. Photo by me

…and although I miss My Beloved Brit, he understands my escaping for a few days with fellow artists in the woods.

Queen Anne’s Lace…a mountain classic. Photo by me

And with no air-conditioning or TV, he really has no desire to join us in this peaceful oasis.

Mountain House near Bryson City, NC. Photo by me

Sometimes it is nice to take a separate path, and have lots of stories to tell when we get back together.

White Cliffs and P&O: Dover

22 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in cars, England, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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My beloved Brit and I took  break from the beautiful gardens of Kent when we were in England this summer to drive down to The White Cliffs of Dover and have a visit with his aunt and uncle who have lived in that area for years.

The White Cliffs loom above the coast everywhere. Photo by me

We went right down to the seafront to a classic hotel we knew from past visits for a lunch overlooking the English Channel. We could watch the huge ferries come and go between Dover and France over our leek and potato soup. Perfect for a chilly rainy day in England.

The old Churchill hotel is now a Best Western, beautifully redone. Photo by me.

We lingered over lunch as we watched the ferry traffic come and go outside the window.

 

It was a bit rainy during parts of the day (how unusual) and still the trucks lined up in great ques beneath the White Cliffs waiting to take their place on the massive boats that came and went through the sea wall with frightening regularity.  It was great fun.

MBB’s uncle, and aunt, had worked on, and with, the ships for decades, including the P&O Line, better known as the “Pooh Line”.  His uncle, who had worked for years with Dover Port Authority, told us over lunch that some of these boats carried more than 500-1300 cars and lorries per trip, plus cargo, and explained some of the navigational intricacies of the crossing which only takes a bit over an hour to cross to France.

It was a fascinating couple of hours, and we left with a reconfirmation of just what it meant to be a huge island nation.

The coast of Dover, England’s border on the English Channel. Photo by me.

The rest of the world is always across a stretch of sea, and you are connected to the outside world in many ways, but one of the most important in England is boats in all shapes and sizes.

The Torch Has Arrived In London!

20 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by in England, London, Olympics, Uncategorized

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The Olympic Torch arrived in London! The torch was carried by Royal Marine Martyn Williams as he rappelled down into the Tower of London from a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter July 20th. Read the story in The Washington Post here.

Photo by Jae C. Hong from The Washington Post article.

Crowds lined the banks of the River Thames as the torch arrived, and word has it that the 2012 Olympic medals are safely stowed away at The Tower of London ready for the winners.

Let the games begin! The countdown begins to the final week.

A path to explore

18 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, England, London, paintings, sketching, Travel, Uncategorized

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It is always good going to my gallery in Rehoboth Beach.  I get to see the other work…

Santo Mirabile (mobile) and Rose Minetti (painting) at Gallery 50, photo by me

 

…and discuss with Jay (the owner of Gallery 50 Contemporary Art) my thoughts on my art.  This trip has confirmed a thought  process I had been having about exploring cities in a social context.  The gallery sold one of my favorite new small paintings, “Gallery View”, the week before My Beloved Brit and I arrived.

“Gallery View”, oil painting by me

I had been giving a lot of thought, after all my travels, that I wanted to explore social interaction in three major cities…NYC, London and Paris (3 of my favorites) and see what they had in common and what made them unique.

Cy Twombly at Tate Modern, London

The Louvre, Paris, photo by me

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, photo by me

The blending of location and culture has always intrigued me, and this was an interesting progression to take in my art. I’ve looked at cities before, and the interaction of their inhabitants.

“Metropolitan Spring”, painting by me

MBB and I have discovered, living in a more rural area, that we really are urban animals.  There is nothing I like more than the feel of hot pavement under my feet taking me to explore a great museum, or view an array of shop windows or wander into a park.

“The Voyeur”, painting by me from a park seen in England

A cafe in the Tuileries, Paris, photo by me

I will probably focus on the leisure activities of the cities…what people do when they just want to relax and unwind…and of course it will revolve a lot around what I do with my free time.  So as I explore museums and parks and walking around great cities, I imagine these new pieces will go in that direction.

Playing boules in The Tuileries, Paris. Photo by me

But that is the beauty of a new series.  I am never quite sure where it will take me.

Oxford

11 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in England, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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The new Inspector Lewis series has started back on Masterpiece Theater this past week on Sunday nights.  Oh joy!

I had driven through Oxford once before years ago, but never really had a chance to see it at any length. When we were in England last month, we decided to take the day and wander through the streets where Inspector Lewis, one of my favorite BBC characters, investigates crime.

Oxford University. Is the filming equipment set up for BBC’s Inspector Lewis? Photo by me.

Oxford is a big old university town.  The different schools and colleges are scattered throughout the city, from the historic to the more modern.  You can just feel the scholastic atmosphere everywhere you go, and we did get a chance to peek in to several of the college courtyards.

A college courtyard, hidden gems, scattered throughout the University. Photo by me.

It’s hard to tell where the school ends and the city begins. The main streets were filled with students on a particularly warm day, and every other building seemed to have some academic credential posted on it.

Everywhere you turned, you were made aware that this was a big college town. Photo by me.

You could see the students everywhere with their bicycles casually leaned against a wall while they lingered in a café or shop.

Bicycles were the key mode of transport. Photo by me.

Parking was next to impossible, so you saw bikes, and buses and people walking with backpacks everywhere.

Bicycles everywhere in Oxford. Photo by me

The gold-colored walls are the same as in the nearby Cotswolds, and the architecture was amazing. Around every corner was another gorgeous building in that beautiful stone.

The gold stone is reminiscent of the Cotswolds, which Oxford is really part of. Photo by me

It was fascinating to see how the old and new blended so seamlessly. And, I must admit, t was just fun to be in a city again after a weeks in the countryside.

The modern students walk the historic streets in Oxfords main downtown. Photo by me

So much of it seemed so very familiar.  Was the inspector nearby?

Houghton Hall, The Gardens

07 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by in England, Gardens, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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Houghton Hall, the early 18th century hall of Great Britain’s First Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, had two very distinct draws for my interest besides the main mansion.

One was the Deer Park, which I discussed in my last post.

The front lawns of Houghton Hall stretch for miles down to the deer park. Photo by me

The deer on the lawn. They certainly weren’t shy. Photo by me.

The other was the magnificent 5-acre walled garden. An area of the garden has been retained as a kitchen garden, but most has been laid out as a series of ornamental gardens in various styles.

The beginning of the walled gardens Photo by me

It was lovely, and had so many twists and turns, we weren’t sure where to begin. So we began in the middle.

Photo by me.

Down the center was a long alley with gorgeous borders. The wider north borders are planted with hot colors-reds and oranges-while the south borders are in cooler blues and whites.

At both ends are charming surprises that make you want to linger and enjoy the view

The Rustic Temple makes use of a collection of deer antlers found in the park. Photo by me.

I love when they have intimate surprises at the end of these long vistas of flowers.  It just makes you want to sit and take it all in.

At the other end of the long alley of flowers is the glasshouse. Photo by me

And in between, there are small garden rooms that strike off from the main aisle on paths behind the hedges.

Long passageways gave entry to the different garden areas. Photo by me

Each has its own personality.

A fountain that balances fire on top of the water – the Water Flame – is quite dramatic. Photo by me

One “room” featured some friendly bees in their hives. Photo by me.

Just when you thought you’d seen them all, you would discover one you had missed.

A resident in one of the garden rooms. Photo by me

Truly magnificent.

Another passageway. Photo by me

As we toured the main house you would catch glimpses of the lawn through the windows.  And as classically beautiful as the hall was with magnificent wall coverings and fabrics, I was happiest outside overlooking the park.

Houghton Hall, the home of the first prime minister, and still a politically active family. Photo by me

We even managed as we left the house to see a small white plane taking off from across the fields. Magic!

 

A small plane…

…takes off over the green.

 

and takes off in to the sky. Photos by me.

Houghton Hall, The Deer Park

05 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in England, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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Last but not least in Norfolk, we visited the large, beautiful estate of Houghton Hall.  We often found that these grand family estates had something that made it a twist different from the next, and this estate was no exception.

The gates to Houghton Hall. We were first in line. Photo by me

Houghton Hall is a beautiful country house built in the Palladian style and renowned for its many deer that roam the 1,000 acre estate.  Houghton actually has a purebred controlled breeding program of descendants from royal stock from Sweden and Denmark as well as other countries. And the deer were out in force, roaming the large sweeps of lawn.

These white deer are not albino, just a particular breed

Or they could be found hiding behind a grove of trees on the front lawn.  There are many species including European Red Deer, Chinese Water Deer as well as stock from India and Japan.

Shy Red Deer Photo by me

The perfect setting for them, they seem amazingly docile and tame, but i still managed to keep a bit of distance between us.

Roaming free, the happy deer of Houghton. Photo by me

Just wandering around the grand front parkland I walked down to see them hiding in the groves of trees…

Just having a bit of a rest under the trees. Photo by me.

The front view from the Deer Park. Photo by me

and as soon as I walked back to the house, they came out for a graze.  They were as interested in me as I in them.

The deer came out from the trees as soon as I moved away.

A beautiful spot for grazing.

Holkham, A Magical Place

01 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in England, Gardens, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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One very special discovery we had in Norfolk was Holkham, a huge privately owned estate, that also included a local village and beach.

Holkham is the center of an agricultural estate of over 25,000 acres. The owners are ancestors of the Earl of Leicester, and the current residents strive to keep it a viable working estate. Viscount Coke, his wife Polly and their four young children (Elizabeth, Edward, Hermione, and Juno) live in the Hall  and work constantly to maintain the property and its businesses.

We decided to go for the morning to explore.

The main hall at Holkham, an impressive estate. Photo by me.

We went on a particularly chilly day and were greeted by red deer at the entrance to the Deer Park.  The wind was picking up, but it didn’t seem to bother them at all.

The deer welcomed us to Holkham. Photo by me

We got to the main Hall before the ticket office officially opened, so we decided to explore the grounds a bit on our own. The lake looked a bit deserted for the day. It might have had something to do with the chilly day.

Boats awaited visitors on the lake at Holkham. Too cold today! Photo by me.

Still it was lovely, although the wind whipped along the open field.  There was a cricket pitch on the left for local matches, and the grounds seemed to go on forever. The estate has hosted major concerts in Britain, including Elton John and Girls Aloud.

Holkham Hall. Photo by me

Holkham is farmed by over 25 tenanted farmers.  We saw everything from wheat, to pigs to cows. Holkham’s ancestral residents were pioneers of rotation crop farming, and they have a large exhibition on it.

Farming tools at the museum. Photo by me

Some of Holkham’s happy tenants. Photo by me.

The estate is still privately owned and leases almost 300 houses to people who live and work locally, as well as two inns, The Victoria and The Globe, restaurants and a caravan park.  They also started, and run to this day, Holkham Linseed Paint.  It is its own little economy and fascinating to see how the family supports this massive estate.

Battered by the chilly breezes, we decided to go back to The Stables Cafe and get a hot cup of latte.

The empty garden, but the baked goods looked great in the cafe. Photo by me.

The tea garden was quite empty but inside it was warmer and very inviting. We bought our tickets to tour the complete grounds and the museum. Outside the cafe, we met a friendly guide who took us around the estate in his open tram, and ended up at the walled garden.  It was incredible.  They had been working on restoring the 6 1/2 acres of garden that had originally been laid out in the 1700s, for over three years,  and still had huge amounts of work to do.

In transition. I think my garden projects are overwhelming, but this is immense! Photo by me.

The boiler heating system had been fixed, and My Beloved Brit was fascinated with the system of pipe works bringing hot water to the outside walls.

My Beloved Brit was fascinated by the boiler and heating system for the glasshouses. There was a huge underground system. This is the chimney. Photo by me

It also heated the Victorian glasshouses which are still being restored.

The glasshouses have underground heating which has been reconnected. Photo by me

It is never-ending. There was garden room after garden room in various stages of restoration. It was interesting to see one of these great gardens going through the process of re-birth.  We’ve seen so many in England where the end results were on display.

The payoff for this chilly morning was the Bygones Museum and History of Farming back at the main house.   It had rooms and rooms of historic memorabilia from cooking utensils, to an old water pump.  And for MBB, the favorite were the cars.

The coutrtyard at the museum at Holkham, filled with all kinds of excellent old vehicles. Photo by me

Everyone who worked at Holkham seemed so happy to be there.  Our guide told us endless stories about how the family had changed the area for the better. Very refreshing to hear.

Time for a warming lunch at a pub on the way back to our Inn. Photo by me

It was another memorable day, even though our toes were numb, and our fingers blue. A perfect day in Norfolk.