Category Archives: England

Cornwall, Carlyon Bay and the quilted hills

14 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in Cornwall, Cornwall, England, paintings, Travel, Uncategorized

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One of the first spots outside of the London area I visited in England with My Beloved Brit after we were first married was Cornwall.  His cousin lives there, who is like the brother he never had, and we drove the few hours west from Heathrow to visit.

I was groggy from jet lag (MBB had come over early to do some racing so he was my chauffeur), but I do remember the drive and the beautiful quilted hills. That was my name for those multicolored fields that were criss-crossed with hedgerows and pressed by endless sky.

It was home to MBB, and even when I woke up enough to register my astonishment that we had just driven past Stonehenge, he was rather unimpressed.  To him, it was just a familiar distance marker on the many trips he had made in his life from London to Cornwall.

We ended up in an area near St. Austell called Carlyon Bay where the hills finally met the sea.  From the tall bluffs you could look across the hydrangeas and see the rolling hills.  The cliffs were dotted with small inns and hotels, and we found a charming one called Porth Avallen Country House Hotel overlooking St. Austell Bay.

Perched on the sea road,  it was friendly and relaxed.  The labyrinth of hallways and staircases only added to the old fashioned charm, and we were perfectly happy.  Even more perfect, as soon as you walked outside, you could see the most amazing views.

The colors were beautiful and no matter which way you walked along the seaside road, the views were a painting waiting to happen.

But finally I saw the one that really held my interest. It was lovely.

That lone house on the edge of all those gorgeous hills.  There was something so isolated about it and yet, it was totally connected with its surroundings. You could just imagine curling up in one of it’s windowseats with a good book and a quilt.

I painted it hoping to capture that feeling, and now I love that painting.  It means domestic bliss in a wild world.

all photos and painting by me.

 

 

 

The Grey Country?

10 Saturday Dec 2011

Posted by in Art, British Virgin Islands, Cornwall, England, Sailing, Travel, Uncategorized

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A small cay near the British Virgin Islands, pastel drawing by me

It is a grey (or the American version– gray) December day, and this is often when our thoughts return to those warm days we spent on the British Virgin Islands. Several of My Beloved Brit’s English mates have been chatting with him this week (on Skype, of course) about heading to warm places for a few weeks to beat the winter chill of England. I know it brings back memories for him of his years on Tortola, and sailing into the sunsets…or getting ready to race across the seas.

MBB getting ready for a race on the British Virgin Islands in past glory

The shores of England have a totally different feel, I know.  But they have always had their own special appeal to me.

"By The Cornish Sea", pastel by me

I often think I would like to spend some real time in England getting to know that country on an intimate basis.  My Beloved Brit, on the other hand, grew up there, and although he misses it terribly (especially his family and his mates) he fondly calls it the “grey country” and hesitates to think of moving back to those cold wet days and early dark nights of a very long winter season.

It amuses me sometimes how much climate dictates our decisions about where we move. Of course being the gypsies that we are, there is always another shore to explore, but MBB prefers it to be a warm one. England? Chances are slim for a more permanent move to those misty shores, but at least we get a chance to visit during the lovely summer months.

 

 

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Flotilla

28 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by in England, Sailing, The Royal Family, Travel, Uncategorized

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There is a major press event this evening (Monday 11/28) – a reception hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace for journalists expected to cover the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next year.

According to the UK Press Association release, “In honour of the guests the palace’s East Gallery will be renamed the Tweet Suite for the night – for those who want to post online messages – and the space will also contain displays about the Queen’s Golden and Silver Jubilees.”  A Tweet Suite. You’ve got to love it! It’s a new age.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to attend and mingle with the press.

June 2012 is the celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in honor of her 60 year reign. There are many special events planned, but the one that I feel has the potential to be the most memorable will be the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant at high water on the afternoon of June 3rd.

Photo by Azeri

As the London mayor’s press release reveals, the Queen will lead a massive flotilla of up to one thousand boats beautifully dressed in streamers and union jacks. The boats will be assembled from across the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world.  The event organizers are planning for well over one million people lining the banks of the Thames to join in the celebration and witness the grand parade of boats.

Canaletto, "Westminster Bridge from the north on Lord Mayor's Day" oil painting, 1746

The flotilla is expected to measure 7.5 miles from end to end and will be one of the major focal points of the celebration during the special Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend. The plan is that there will be a diverse mix of historic and modern; from rowed boats to sailing ships, steamers to wooden launches and larger motorized craft.The flotilla specially aims to “capture the diversity of Britain and the Commonwealth’s proud maritime history”.

The Diamond Jubilee River Pageant will have music, and fireworks and special effects. The flotilla will be made up of 5 special sections, each separated by a “herald barge” the first of which will be a floating belfry of eight new bells.  Their peals will be answered and echoed by chimes from riverbank churches along the route. There are even plans for special daytime fireworks and a mechanical flame spitting dragon. Yikes! What fun!

It promises to be a spectacular event, and even though the deadline for boat entries passed on October 31st, it makes me want to find a boat and join in the excitement. Maybe we’ll have to settle for a spot on the shore.

If you want information on this extraordinary, historical event, go to the Thames Diamond Jubilee pageant site for full details.

But is it cod?

19 Saturday Nov 2011

Posted by in Cornwall, England, Food, Uncategorized

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Whenever we go to the seaside town of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to deliver my art to the gallery that represents me there,  we always have to stop for fish and chips at Go Fish.

photo by me

My Beloved Brit is very particular about his Fish and Chips.  Once we’ve searched it out in any area we visit, the first question as he gazes at the menu is “Is it Cod?” If not, it’s just not the same thing.

When we met his cousins in Cornwall and went to the historic seaport of Fowey, we stopped for lunch.  They had the puffiest, biggest center cut pieces of cod, along with spectacular mushy peas (you don’t want to know) and of course chips (fries to us yanks).  His cousins looked in horror as I opened the puffed golden fried batter and ate the white moist fish out of the center.  It was fabulous, but honestly, they just couldn’t see the point.

And yes, Go Fish has lovely cod for their fish and chips, and the friendly British accents to go with it.

 

 

 

 

My 4 favorite art materials

14 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by in Art, England, Grasmere, paintings, sketching, Uncategorized

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Of course you should know by now, if you have been following this blog, that I love to make “pictures”.  I am driven.  Put a pencil in my hand and somehow I start drawing wobbly lines.

I have always thought it is curious that people who don’t think they can create art say “I can’t draw a straight line”. Neither can I.  My lines swirl and gash and streak, but very rarely go straight.  Every once in awhile I do a piece featuring architecture and have to concentrate on edges and angles,

Metropolitan Spring, oil on canvas, private collection

…but more often than not, the lines move in waves and swirl around the paper or canvas in organized abandon.

Wave #9, oil on canvas, artist's collection.

Finding my inspiration in England is perfect for my style of movement and emotion.  The whole countryside seems to swirl with energy.  I am never more pleased than walking in the country with a breeze blowing and a faint mist in the air.  Of course those days of pure sunshine in England are also nice, and I have experienced my fair share of those.

An early morning walk in the Lake District near Grasmere

I have created art for more years than I can count, and I thought it might be of interest to talk about why I chose the mediums I do to work with.  We fine artists all have our personal favorites, and like old friends we become very comfortable with them knowing their strengths and accepting their weaknesses.

1. Oil Paint – this has to be my all time favorite.  I am sure one of the reasons is that the oil painting studio is where I spent the majority of my artistic time at University.  I must admit I never did well with stretching the canvases, but I loved the glistening, smooth paints gliding over the surface.

My paint box in sweet disarray

The variety of color is inspirational, and if I add a touch of linseed oil, I can layer the pigment in a way that bits of color from each layer shimmer through.  It dries slowly so at different stages I can either mix other colors through the layer if it is still wet, or put a sheer layer over the dry so it comes through. It is such a forgiving process.  I can change my mind a thousand times, I can stroke it or scrape it or pile it on. (See my post Art on the Move to see how that works)

Metropolitan Spring in the studio

Everytime I look at a display of those tubes of paint in a store or catalogue or online, I am like a child in a candy store with too many choices.  One of my favorite parts of beginning a painting is choosing the colors. Sometimes wanting to try a unique color palette will drive my subject choice.

2. Pastels  – I was in Yosemite National Park in California on holiday by myself many years ago (before MBB) and I decided this was just too good to pass up, art-wise.  I had no art materials with me (I have since learned and never go on holiday without at least a good sketch pen) so I went in to the art supply store in the center of this gorgeous valley.  How considerate of them to sell art supplies right in the park! There on the shelf, right next to the Ansel Adams calendars, was a set of pastels and a small sketch book which I thought would be easy to put in my pack.

My current pastel box. The choices of color are limitless with blending!

I spent the entire vacation trying to figure out how to use the things, and finally realized if I layered the colors like I did the oils and blended it with finger, eraser or other tool, it had a wonderful effect. Pastels have become a true friend.

A wild color study of a flamboyant tree done in pastels, collection of the artist

3. Conté – this is a intriguing mixture of compressed charcoal or graphite mixed with a wax base. Conté crayons are most commonly found in black, white, and sanguine tones ( a blood red that is perfect for accenting areas).

It is harder than chalk (almost like a soft pencil), but can blend like pastel.  I remembered using it in school when quite young, and when I noticed it on a shelf of an art supply store, I thought this would be fun.

Pineapple, private collection

It works, again, with the same layering and blending technique I use with oils and pastels. I can build up my layers, blend them on the paper with the edge of my eraser, and then easily add sharper detail on top.

a conte drawing on colored paper

4. Pen & Ink: If you read my post, The Art of Sailing, you can understand why I love pen & ink.  With a small sketch book in my pocket and a pen, I can capture the world as I walk through the countryside. It is perfect for those English days when a camera is best kept in your pocket.

I have always used pen & ink as a sketching tool, a way to recall what I have seen rather than a finished medium, but I keep thinking I will explore it more one day.  It recalls Rembrandt and Durer, and I am always surprised how one small innocent tool can create such a variety of effects with marks and cross hatches and swooshes (a technical term for letting your hand go wild with pen on paper).

If you’ve ever thought you’d like to experience making art, just try it.  There are so many materials to explore.  And, who knows, you just may find a new way to express yourself and make friends with your own favorite material.

Look at my website for more of my art.

 

The Royal Tour

08 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in England, London, The Royal Family, Travel, Uncategorized

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Thank you Visit Britain for putting together a great tour with a list of royal attractions to see in Britain. Just in case you’re planning a royal themed trip, here they are. I’ve realized I’ve only seen 6 of the 12 so far, so I need to get to work.

12 Best Royal Experiences in the UK

1). Westminster Abbey – A royal trip to Britain would not be complete without visiting the historic Westminster Abbey which has served as the venue for coronations since 1066, and the wedding of Prince William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, in April, 2011, was held here. Visitors to Westminster Abbey can see the graves of 17 monarchs, as well as memorials to many notable figures in British history. In addition, the Coronation Chair is part of the Abbey’s museum, along with pieces of art, stained glass, textiles and more. The Abbey is open to the public six days a week and an adult ticket costs £16.00.

2). Buckingham Palace – not only a London landmark but the official London residence of the British monarch. The palace has 19 state rooms that are open for public viewing each summer, from late July to early October, with complimentary audio tours. The Changing of the Guard takes place every other day, and daily in the summer, in front of the palace.

3). Windsor Castle – Just a quick train ride from London, Windsor Castle is the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, one of the Queen’s official residences, and where she spends most weekends. Open year-round, an adult ticket costs £16.50 which gives visitors access to the State Apartments, St. George’s Chapel, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, and special exhibitions: throughout 2012 there will be an exhibition entitled “The Queen: Sixty Photographs for Sixty Years”.

4). Isle of Anglesey – Now the place that Prince William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, call home, the Isle of Anglesey is known for its natural beauty. Visitors to the Isle of Anglesey can enjoy a visit to one of its many beaches or stroll along one of the coastal footpaths for a wonderful view of the Welsh coastline. For a tasty lunch, travellers can track down The Flaming Grill, a food truck that Prince William frequented during his training at the Royal Air Force Academy. Prince William was so impressed by that he gave it a royal seal of approval.

5). The Royal Yacht Britannia – a wonderful attraction to visit straight out of a royal fairy tale – this is where the Prince of Wales and Princess Diana honeymooned in 1981. During the 44 years that this ship served its country, The Royal Yacht Britannia carried the Royal Family on 968 official voyages all over the world. Now the ship is permanently docked in Edinburgh, where visitors can tour five of the ship’s decks. An adult ticket costs £11.00 and includes an audio tour.

6). Tower of London – Visitors wishing to see the Crown Jewels can do so at the Tower of London, where the 23,578 gems that make up the Crown Jewels, including the glistening Imperial State Crown, are housed. The Tower is steeped in history, having been used as a royal residence, military fortress and prison. Today, visitors enjoy touring the grounds and seeing The White Tower, Medieval Palace, prisoners’ exhibition and more, as well as keeping an eye out for the ghost of Queen Anne Boleyn, who is buried in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.

7). Balmoral Estate – One of the Queen’s favourite summertime retreats is Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire set amongst the magnificent scenery of Royal Deeside. Here, visitors might spot the Queen – as travellers can take up residence by renting a lovely cottage on the estate. The grounds, gardens and exhibitions are open to the public from April 1 to July 30.

8.) Enjoy a boat ride on the River Thames. – ahead of the Queen. On the afternoon of Sunday 3 June 2012, up to a thousand boats will muster on the River Thames in preparation for Her Majesty The Queen to lead the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. It will be one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river. Rowed boats and working boats and pleasure vessels of all shapes and sizes will be beautifully dressed with streamers and Union Jacks, their crews and passengers turned out in their finest rigs. The armed forces, fire, police, rescue and other services are all afloat and there are an exuberance of historic boats, wooden launches, steam vessels and other boats of note. However you don’t need to wait till next June – there are boat rides all year on the River Thames, from leisurely cruises, to quicker “commuter” trips and the high speed RIB journeys.

9.) The Palace of Holyroodhouse – The Queen’s official residence in Scotland. Situated at the end of the Royal Mile, in Edinburgh, the palace has many connections with Scotland’s turbulent past, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who lived there in the 16th century. An adult ticket costs £10.50 including audio guide, or for £6.00 you can visit the Queen’s Gallery: in 2012 the exhibition “Royal Treasures: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration” will bring together some of the finest treasures from the Royal Collection, with a selection of 100 outstanding works.

10.) Sandringham Estate – near Kings Lynn in Norfolk is one of the Queen’s most beloved retreats. It has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs since 1862, and the Queen visits the estate every year on the anniversary of her father’s death. Today, visitors are welcome to Sandringham House and can walk through the beautiful gardens during the summer.

11.) Beaumaris Castle on the Isle of Anglesey is the last and largest of King Edward I’s Welsh fortifications, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although construction was never completed, it is regarded as Wales’ finest castle.

12.) Kensington Palace – A royal residence in central London, Kensington Palace is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. It was also the official residence of the Duke’s mother, Princess Diana. The palace is currently undergoing a major transformation, to help visitors to better understand both the tales of the people that lived in the palace and its architectural and decorative schemes visitors can see the palace’s magnificent state apartments. The first of four planned exhibitions, on Queen Victoria, is due to open in time for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Meanwhile, visitors can experience the “Enchanted Palace” a series of installations offering a fascinating interpretation of the palace’s hidden stories.

Guests can also drink tea at The Orangery Restaurant next door to the palace, which has some of the finest selections of tea in London.

The Queen and I and New Technology

06 Sunday Nov 2011

Posted by in England, The Royal Family, Uncategorized

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I came across an article today about the Queen joining Flickr. I am so proud of myself as a blogging newbie learning the appropriate technology necessary to create accentBritain. It’s nice to know the British Monarchy feels the same way about trying new things…

The Queen signs up to Flickr

These aren’t your average family snapshots.

Queen Elizabeth II is joining other proud parents starting Monday in showing off and sharing her photo albums – and those of the House of Windsor – on the online Flickr photo site.

The launch of the British Monarchy Flickr account will beef up Buckingham Palace’s online presence, adding to its Twitter account and YouTube channel. The site will stream the latest images of royal engagements as well as contain historic photos from the archives, the palace said.

Here is a family with history. More than 600 photos will be available for viewing at the launch – and many stretch back into the glories of the ancestors.

There’s a sepia-toned wedding picture of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, their hands clasped, their faces turned to one another during a blissful moment in 1854. Another black and white picture captures Elizabeth’s parents – King George VI and the queen mother, gazing adoringly upon the fair, curly haired toddler who later became the monarch.

Browsing will be made easy with the images grouped under different themes.

Each family member has their own gallery – those who can’t get enough of say, Prince Harry, will find all his images in one handy folder. (There’s one for William fans, too.) Another gallery groups together snapshots of the queen’s recent visits to Canada and New York City. A “behind the scenes” collection shows the royal household at work during a state banquet.

The palace’s current website has a photo gallery, but it doesn’t have as many pictures and those available aren’t organized for such easy perusal.

But don’t even think about sharing any thoughts on the site about how Prince Charles might look in his diapers. Users won’t be able to leave comments on the photos.

However, people using Flickr can share and embed the royal photos in blogs and social media, officials said.

The Flickr account is just the latest step in the centuries-old monarchy’s efforts to keep up with modern technology.

After podcasting the annual Christmas queen’s speech for the first time in 2006, Buckingham Palace began broadcasting official videos on YouTube.

Last year, the monarchy even ventured into online social networking. The British Monarchy Twitter account now tweets regularly to update its nearly 50,000 followers on all the latest royal news.

It’s not clear, though, whether the 84-year-old queen herself is an eager Flickr user.

“We never comment on the queen’s personal use of technology,” a spokeswoman said, while speaking on condition of anonymity in line with palace policy.

A day in an English (or not) garden

04 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by in England, Gardens, Peak District, Uncategorized

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I spent the day working in my garden. I like to think that it has hints of a proper English garden.  It is the end of the season, and everything is in wild disarray.  It is the last burst of color before it all goes quiet for the winter.

My garden in autumn

My Beloved Brit wanted roses in our garden.  They remind him of England.  This variety is “Don Juan”, a climbing rose that blooms all through the summer and in to fall.

The last rose?

I know it is the end of summer when the white hydrangea blossoms turn purple and green.  I pick a big bouquet and put them in my favorite blue and white vase in my studio at this time of year. They slowly dry and last the winter. It keeps me hopeful that spring will come again.

The sage has gone wild this year and covers the garden path.

I love gardening. It is everything that I am most comfortable with…color, flow and composition.

I think gardening is just one of the many reasons that I have always felt a strong connection to England.  Residents of the UK take their gardens very seriously. It’s a personal point of pride, and no matter how large or small the outdoor space, you will probably find a garden tucked in. The gardens there are everywhere, and everyone has a lovely story about theirs.  Is it all the rain?  Everything is always so green and lush.

A small house garden in the village of Ashford-in-the-water

Maybe I should get a gnome?

A dear friend of ours in England has a small fisherman’s cottage where we have stayed while MBB was racing.  In the back courtyard she has the loveliest garden, and this particular summer it had the tallest sunflower I had ever seen. I believe it was involved in a friendly competition between neighbors.

Jo's garden, Burnham-on-Crouch

The next summer I saw a field of sunflowers near a farm market in the Hamptons on eastern Long Island while we were on holiday.  I couldn’t resist, and a series of conte crayon drawings was born.

It always amazes me how images stick in my brain, and float and tumble and fall out after many days (or even months) on to paper or canvas.

The studio wall

That sunflower in that English Garden on a far coast kept popping up when I thought of things to explore in my art.  Who would have thought the seed from that garden would transform into a field of sunflowers and be one of the first works on paper series that I had tried in ages.

I post all of my work on my personal art website, or you can visit the website for Gallery 50 where my “Sunflower Fields I-IV” are displayed. Gallery 50 is a tremendous gallery run by Jay Pastore in the ocean side town near Washington, DC, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, USA. If you get a chance, go by and see him and his gallery that never disappoints for its quality of art and its diversity of styles. Thank you Jay.

Cheering the sailors on, Burnham-on-Crouch

01 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Art, Burnham-on-Crouch, England, paintings, Sailing

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The first time I was introduced to racing in Burnham-on-Crouch on the east coast of England, it was a wonderful experience. My Beloved Brit was up early in the morning and down to the sailboat to join the rest of his crew. I packed up my camera and sketch book, and went out to watch.

I was told how to get the best vantage point to see the races.  It meant a walk (remember that means hike it Brit speak) down the shore of the Crouch River along the high grassy banks.

I made my way to the end of the seawall in town…

and headed out along the walkway to where the town ends and the fields begin.

This is how it looks on a quiet day.

And this is race day.

The people gather by the river.  They bring binoculars and snacks for the duration of the day of racing.  This is serious business.  There is much yelling and cheering for a favorite boat.

And across the water, you can hear the sailors screaming at each other and at other boats.  They have no voices left by the end of the day.

At one heated moment a boat trying to position itself for the start of the race got stuck in the mud. You are not allowed to motor off.  Everything is wind or man power.  One of the young men stripped off his clothes and jumped over the side to push the boat free. The cheers went up from the crowd on the shore. “Well done! Give ‘er a push then!” Within minutes the boat was free. the young crew member was back on he boat and dressed in his dry clothes, and they were off. Such drama. Such fun.

I spent the day out on the banks with the crowds of fans…

then slowly, end of day, walked back to Burnham.

The pastel I made of the day hangs in our bedroom.  I wake up to it every morning. Of course, MBB says his boat is first in the picture.  I keep reminding him he was actually in 3rd place at that moment. But I’m sure he won the race.