Wednesday 30 April 2014

158 Tobacco Jar

This is the most characterfull tobacco jar you will ever see. Fact. 


Tuesday 29 April 2014

157 Reading Lamp

So, I have been painting objects from Cheltenhams museum, The Wilson, for over two months now and I am still finding things I could have put in the final painting (which is on show from this Saturday at The Wilson (www.thewilson.org)

This reading lamp by Gordon Russell is a wonderful thing, I could have draped some material over it or piled up a Staffordshire figurine of top of it... Next time!






Monday 28 April 2014

156 Dowdeswell Pike

Help me.

 I can't stop painting things from Cheltenham's art gallery and museums collection.... You will pleased to hear That finished I 'the Wilson Still life'last night (this morning actually about 4 ish!) and the private view for the show in which it hangs is this Friday. If you are within reaching distance I reccomend getting yourselves along to see The Open West over May at The Wilson in Cheltenham.

For now here is a big fish they pulled out of the reservoir and then stuffed.


Sunday 27 April 2014

155 Morris Dancers

Can't talk, painting. I will let you know all about it tomorrow... For now, here are some Morris men!


Friday 25 April 2014

153 Brooch

I've spent a large part of today painting brooches onto a zinc chimney sweep sign. You'll see.


Thursday 24 April 2014

152 Charger

This beauty is painted by Alfred powell, I may have scaled it down to fit in the painting, don't tell anyone...


151 Shoe

I am writing really quickly to try and post before midnight.... This is a shoe.


Tuesday 22 April 2014

150 Ebony and Holly inlay

These are on display at the Wilson and I love them! They are only small but as an amateur guitar builder I am fascinated by wood contrasts. I have made this drawing to remind me to paint them into the final Wilson Still Life which is coming together rather nicely. 




Monday 21 April 2014

149 The Muffin man of Cheltenham

In the 1800's you could buy a muffin from this little fellow who used to sell muffins from his basket on Cheltenham high street. Today I included him in my big painting nailed to a very nice chest of drawers!





148 Marquetry pattern

Damnation! I was 17 minutes late in posting today's painting (this is my Easter Day effort) I have been caught up with this pattern today and it may have re wired my brain!


Saturday 19 April 2014

147 Smoking cap

Yes that's right from back in the days when you had a special hat and jacket for smoking! 


Friday 18 April 2014

146 Two Boxers

I need to go back to the museum and do more research on these two. I just love them I think they are hilarious and I must find out more about the fight that is being commemorated here.



Thursday 17 April 2014

145 Vase by Pilkintons

I needed a blue vase. This is it. 

You may notice the 'brief' daily paintings at the minute... That's because I am hard at work on the finished 'Wilson still life' painting...


Wednesday 16 April 2014

144 Post Coach horn

This was the horn used to warn pedestrians to get out of the way of the postmans coach. Or you will get run over..


Tuesday 15 April 2014

143 Anti Gas Ointment

I spent a morning with The Wilson Collection today, I love the idea of this anti gas ointment, (from WW1) not sure how effective it was.


Monday 14 April 2014

142 Duelling Pistol

A duelling pistol.  Made by William Sydney Hollis, who established the Cheltenham Gun Manufactory. A strange investment buying duelling pistols... 


Sunday 13 April 2014

141 Portrait Minature -

This a portrait of johns Boles Watson, who was the theatre manager of Cheltenham theatre in 1812.


Saturday 12 April 2014

140 Shoe

This is a shoe from cheltenhams famous shoe emporium - Slades.


Friday 11 April 2014

139 Cheltenhma Spa water

I'm not feeling on top of the world at the minute (I believe I am suffering from 'the lurgy') so, I should probably partake of the spa waters.


Thursday 10 April 2014

138 Money bag

This is a leather money bag from the st james station in Cheltenham. Now a Waitrose store.


Wednesday 9 April 2014

137 Uniform - watercolour and pencil

Cheltenham was a popular location for army officers to retire to, primarily because of the spa waters. For my purposes the red dye on the uniforms is both local produced and a wonderful splash of colour for my painting.


Tuesday 8 April 2014

136 Weighing Chair

This is one of the very first objects in the Cheltenham museum now 'The Wilson', it was first situated in one of cheltenhams private libraries and patrons could have themselves weighed for a small fee and would receive a little printed ticket with their wieght. None of these tickets seem to have survived. 

I am currently trying to shoehorn the chair into the final painting, I wonder what it might be weighing....

Monday 7 April 2014

135 Fan -pencil and watercolour

I love this fan it is 18 century, the hieght of fan use, and it depicts a few famous buildings in Cheltenham. It also has a crazy almost modern pattern on it.


Sunday 6 April 2014

134 Cheltenham Toy - watercolour and pencil

This is one of the first souvenirs that you could buy from Cheltenham in the 18th century. They are snuff boxes and other types feature little paintings of Cheltenham. But... Toy?


Saturday 5 April 2014

133 Embroidered Glove

It says in the catalogue entry for this glove that it might be made from chicken skin..... Now, I have gloves I use for cleaning the chickens house out but that is slightly different. I would not have thought chicken skin would be strong enough but I imagine it makes for a fine delicate glove.


This is a perfect candidate for sticking on a pole in the painting like people do in parks....

Thursday 3 April 2014

131 three handled vase - pencil and watercolour

As a huge Giorgio Morandi fan I love various sized and shaped vases. The Wilson's collection is thankfully full of 'em....


Wednesday 2 April 2014

130 Dr Edward Jenners Pen? - pencil

I love the story that goes with this object from the Wilson's collection. It was gifted to the museum in 1943, but the only documentation is a letter from the curator thanking the donor for the gift of 'Dr Jenners pen' hence the Question mark. Being a bit of an optimist I choose to believe it is the good Dr's pen and that he wrote something very clever about vaccination with it. His house used to stand not that far from where I live and paint. Cheltenham does seem to have attracted some noteworthy bods, Edward Jenner, Gustav Holst, William Pitt, August Rodin, Brian Jones and Dan Young....

I have chosen to draw this doctors implement because Debbie has had carpel tunnel surgery today, it will also definitely make it in to the final composition for that very reason.


Tuesday 1 April 2014