#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...