Wheel of Plymouth

On a recent trip to Plymouth I got the opportunity to go up on the Wheel

Husband and William waited for me - I got the capsule to myself so was able to photograph all around

Located on Plymouth Hoe the views are stunning - so please sit back and enjoy

across the City

across to Dartmoor

I managed to capture the shadow (I couldn't work out which one I was in though)

towards the inner harbour

and finally a video

I did swing it round a bit quick at first, sorry about that,  by the time

 it was near the top the capsule swung quite a bit - it isn't my hand shaking!

I did enjoy it and hopefully will get another go at some time

Someone I'm very proud of...

Here we are it's Sunday and I have been busy looking through some old family photographs.

I guess we have all heard about a film called War Horse, but for me it reminds me of my GreatGrandad (by the way, I was very fortunate to have known him up to my teen years).   I really felt like sharing this with you as I've come across this photograph of him at the end of WWI photographed still in France before they came back.

on the back of this photo it says: 'AJ Keen  France 1918'   -  He was always known as Jimmy Keen

(unfortunately I don't know the name of the horse)

a very proud and brave man but I think you will agree that his expression shows the strain of some of the things he must have seen.  I do know that on one occasion some of the horses got loose and he went out 'under fire' and got them back.  His Commanding Officer said he would get the highest military medal for that act, but sadly his CO was killed before he could make it official.

His love of horses had been with him from his boyhood years, born in Ireland and coming over to England at about the age of 12 he worked as a stable lad.  This is how he met my Great Granny, Angelina Burrell, as he worked as stable lad to her family, they fell in love and the rest is history as they say.  Great Grandad then got a job in racing yards.  I know at one time they were in Cranbourne (that was in 1905 when my Gran with born) and then back to Sussex in 1910 and the Downs Stable yard in Findon where he was Head Lad.  He was devoted to his family but also his horses which were so much a part of his life.  

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Clear Acetate

I don't know if anyone else does this, but some time ago I hit on the idea of clear acetate to help me with a painting.  At the time I had been considering whether or not to add something extra to a painting I had been working on....can't remember now what it was at the time, but it seemed very important back then.  I think it may have been something like:

1. do I add a thatched cottage or

2. do I add trees - anyway, it was something like that.  In the end I thought wouldn't it be great if I could do an overview - stand back and make a considered opinion.

Then I had a 'Eureka Moment' and thought how about drawing the subject on to clear acetate and putting that against the painting - that way I could step back and make a decision

I drew these with a Sharpie marker

This is what I am working on at the moment.  Obviously still some way to go, but have wondered if I should perhaps add some ponies or trees?

'Exmoor View'

I'm happy so far with the sky, but that does depend on the contrast with the land, so that

final decision has to wait

No, I won't be putting trees in mid-air!!  but do you see what I mean about moving the acetate pictures around the painting to get a good position

So, there it is, for now I will plug on with this painting. May even leave it alone for a while and come back to it again - there is no hurry - I may even end up deciding not to add any trees or horses at all and just let the landscape speak for itself!

 

Think I have a theme going here

well, over the past few weeks I do seem to have concentrated on paintings of Dartmoor and Exmoor, and why not - both beautiful places with some of the most dramatic views in this part of the West Country.  Again, I have used the Atelier Interactive Acrylics -

I have called this painting :   "Sunset against the Storm - Exmoor"

Measuring 16" x 16"

End of an Era

The last few days have seen the end of an era for the Collingwood Hotel in Ilfracombe.  It was bought back in 2007 by the Wetherspoons pub chain and has sat ever since waiting for the planners and developers to agree and decide its fate.  Eventually it has been agreed to rebuild it - still as a Hotel with a pub (for which Wetherspoons are best known)


During the years whilst planning was sought the Hotel has fallen into a sorry state

the side portion of the Hotel has already been taken down -

and the roof off another piece

and now they have started on the other side

they even have a machine that sprays water on it to keep the dust levels down

I'll follow this up with another post once the whole building is down.

I hope the site will be built on and not just left as an empty space but time will tell -

for now here's another photo of Ilfracombe

One of our rare sunny winter days

I've won a prize!

Yay....Thanks to Annie over at       Bohemiannieart    -
I have won a Bag Pattern specially designed by Annie herself

All I have to do now is find some suitable material - and I happen to have something in mind,

part of an old bed quilt that is in need of a revamp as a Bag

So as soon as I find the time - and my needles 

I'll get sewing!

Thanks Annie - I'm chuffed to bits with my prize!