128 peacock necklace - watercolour and pencil

I thought I would commemorate my neck treatment today with a necklace. I have had my neck pummelled to within an inch of its life. Coupled with an evening fever dreams where I thought I a was apiece  of electrical cable....all in all a strange day.

127 Candlesticks - pen

These were made from 'Maud's Elm' which was an elm tree that stood on Swindon road in Cheltenham near where I used to live and near where I currently work. These represent the only known pieces made from the tree when it was removed after it was struck by lightening in 1907.

126 Hair Comb

This comb almost has the appearance of stained glass, I am unsure what it is made from. But that blue will be very useful thank you!

125 Vase and Silver cup by George Hart - watercolour and pencil

I was planning on filling this up like last nights homage to Morandi. But I stopped after two. It just seemed right.

124 Vases - watercolour and pencil

I love Morandi. I think that is all I need to say.

123 Vase, glove, book and arrowhead

Here is an object pile up. I love gloves, they always make me think of my time as a window dresser.

#122 Sporting Cup - pencil and watercolour

I want to include all the 'classic' still life objects like silver, glass, stuffed animals is is a silver 'sporting' cup. Which seems apt for a sporting town like Cheltenham.

121 Pendant - pencil and watercolour

This painting of a pendant has got me thinking about how scale is very important in this still life I am planning, based on The Wilsons collection in Cheltenham. If I forget how big everything is I risk painting a massive pendant that is actually quite tiny, like this one. I must be aware of scale. note to self.

120 Pottery potter - pencil

This little chap needs to be carefully positioned so he looks like he is throwing his slab of clay at some precious glass piece from the Wilson collection!

119 Pig Puppet - pencil

I'm not sure where this gloucester old spot pig puppet is going in the finished painting, but I will find a home for it.

118 Layout - sharpie marker

So this is a nice clear drawing of where the painting is at the moment, I added the fox yesterday but this drawing will serve as a reminder while I am away in the homeland of Norfolk for the weekend. I may even use this to make some digital sketches....

To the east! While working on the Open West!

117 Brooch - watercolour

This emerald green butterfly was made by jewellers Child and Child in 1900/02 it is one of the most amazing coloured things inthe Wilson collection, I am looking forward to adding this to the finished painting. These little sketches are already proving extremely helpful in composing The Wilson Still Life.

116 Ladies Shoe - pencil and watercolour

This is a shoe from the seventies. When some of the very best things were made, red shoes, daily painters, flares.....

115 Pair of Ladies Shoes - watercolour and pencil

These have an amazing gold floral pattern on a green satin material that sings like you wouldn't believe. 1930's I think... 

114 Pair of ladies shoes - colours pencil and watercolour.

I bet these were pretty snazzy in 1725, but then they would be pretty snazzy today!

113 Chair back

This is a chair designed by Charles Francis Annesley Voysey and made by C.H.B. Quennell and painted by me, today!

112 Jelly Mould - pencil

There are a nice little selection of 18th century jelly moulds to choose from the Wilson Collection. I went for this one today, I think it would look great with something balanced on top of it....

#111 Fred Archer - Watercolour and pencil

Fred Archer was a famous jockey from Cheltenham. So, who better to use as today's subject matter for Gold Cup Day. This little ceramic figure in in the Wilson's Collection and I believe is a new acquisition. It has lovely colours too which wil work a treat in The Wilson Still Life.

110 Chair in a corner - oil on gesso

This 'pattern spectacular' is a little display in a corner of one of the regency galleries at The Wilson. I love this juxtaposition of colour and pattern.

109 Dowdeswell Pike - oil on canvas

The dowdeswell pike is famous pike caught in dowdeswell reservoir many moons ago (exact date forthcoming) isn't he a visious looking chappy.

108 Composition - graphite on newsprint

I've done a few of these very quick sketches, I feel like I am getting close.....

107 composition ideas - pencil

I am enjoying placing the sinister chimney sweep at the edge of the canvas...

106 Sketch - pencil

A lot of these things will be in the final painting but not necessarily in this order!

105 Chimney Sweep Sign - pencil

This metal chimney sweep sign was made around 1830 and was used above the house of chimney sweeps to denote that here lives the guy that can sort your chimney, friendly isn't he. It now hangs in The museum, high on the wall looking down at small children giving them nightmares. I have to find a way to fit him in the final painting, he must have scared so many children of Cheltenham!

104 Museum arrangement - pencil

A pike, a yellow bird, a tiara, a stuffed penguin, a mummified foot, and some other bits....

103 Fireplace in The Wilson - oil on gesso

I spent a fantastically inspiring morning at The Wilson today looking around the collection with Sophie, one of the curators there. I am now so overloaded with possibilities I'm not sure which way to go and a little giddy. So today I have made a straight painting of one the 'set ups' at the museum. I spent a bit of time thinking about the space that my still life will inhabit. Should it be the corner of the gallery that I have piled up lots of artifacts. Or maybe there should be so many things in the painting that the 'place' they are in is irrelevant... All I am prepared to say at this stage is that fireplaces are always good to put things on.

102 a Bowl, a Ladies shoe, and two axe heads - pencil

A quick draw, mostly because I crushed my thumb today so I am resting my hands. No 'bony damage' thankfully and it was my left hand so daily picture making isn't threatened in any way. It is interesting how quickly my mind thought 'at least it is your left thumb' just after I shouted a rude word. Sorry everyone. I think it was heard across the fine art and photography studios. And maybe beyond. 

101 oil sketch for 'The Wilson Still Life' - oil on gesso panel

So, here we have an African fertility figure a Bronze Age arrow head (I like arrowheads) a photo of Scott's tent in the Antarctic. And a red shawl. I might add a few more bits to this one when it is dry.

 

100 Fox Puppet - oil on gesso board

Yep, I am falling in love with puppets again.....I have always loved puppets and when I was at Norwich Art School we got taught by one of the spitting image puppeteers and worked with Norwich pellet theatre. Brilliant fun. This foxy puppet is by the same maker as the chicken in yesterday's painting. But this one is a marionette. I want to hang it from the top of the finished painting.

099 Oil sketch for 'The Wilson Still Life'

I love puppets. And I was so pleased to find the William George Simmonds puppets in the Wilson's collection. This chickens wings flap. The cup is Egyptian the little man is a discus thrower from Roman Britain and there is a 1920's silver spoon and a flint arrow head.

A taste of things to come....

098 pair of collaged 'stacks' - collage felt pen and pencil

These area Greta way to play around with stacking objects! Sketchbook funday...