158 Tobacco Jar

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

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!

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.

155 Morris Dancers

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

154 Brooch

Another bauble! 

153 Brooch

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

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.

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. 

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!

147 Smoking cap

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

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.

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...

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..

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.

142 Duelling Pistol

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

141 Portrait Minature -

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

140 Shoe

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

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.

138 Money bag

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

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.

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....

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.

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?

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....

132 model of a Gloster-whittle E28/39

This is a model of Britains first jet propelled aircraft.

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....

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.

129 Cheltenham Ales tray - Sharpie marker

This is a big blue tray, very useful to a painter you know....