Postcard Archives - Salcombe Art

11 February 2019 In Art

Postcard from Milton Keynes: Woughton House

We travel up to Milton Keynes once or twice a year to visit family. We can’t stay with the family – no room – but we found this wonderful hotel, perfect for our needs.

Woughton House

MGallery Woughton House is a beautiful country house surrounded by green fields and parkland. It’s so beautiful, I’ve taken many photos and produced this watercolour sketch.

It was a clear day, early in January, with the house bathed in sunshine. How could I resist?

MGallery Woughton House

But the hotel also boasts a gallery and has a splendid display of hundreds of paintings and prints. This collection is at the foot of the stairs. The book on the chest, left casually there, is an ornament – a box fashioned to look like a book.

Walking up the stairs, the walls are packed with images. There’s no space for any more.

And this is the view from the top.

Even the corridors are decorated with a variety of plaques.

Where is Woughton House?

The hotel seems like it’s in the middle of nowhere but is only a few minutes or so from the A5 and the M1 – and very easy to find.

If you have reason to travel to Milton Keynes, eg to visit Bletchley Park, I can heartily recommend this hotel.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling. My previous postcard discussed the Magic of Manrique, and his house which Anne and I visited when MV Ventura stopped for one day in Lanzarote.

4 February 2019 In Art

Postcard from Lanzarote: The Magic of Manrique

Imagine: a fourteen-day cruise with stops at Lisbon, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Tenerife, and Madeira … each one with tours to take you ashore and show you the local sights and delights.

When the MV Ventura stopped for one day in Lanzarote, Anne and I took advantage of an excursion to discover the Magic of César Manrique, the Spanish artist, sculptor, architect and activist.

The visit included entrance to the César Manrique Foundation, situated in Manrique’s former home, Taro de Tahíche.

Outside the house, visible from far away, is this statue: Monumento al Campesino (a monument to the peasant). It’s constructed from scrap parts and stands tall above the coach park.

Monumento al Campesino

César Manrique was passionate about the landscape, keen to make use of it, to blend buildings in with it. He chose to site his house on the solidified lava rock created by an 18th-century volcanic eruption that transformed the Lanzarote terrain; he made use of the bubbles which naturally form when the volcano erupts.

The top of the first bubble is visible as you walk through the gates and into what we might call the front garden.

Garden | Postcard from Lanzarotte: The Magic of Manrique

Looking down into it, you see the room below.

Top of bubble | Postcard from Lanzarotte: The Magic of Manrique

The sculpture you can glimpse from up here … is within a room below and is indicative of his style. His sculptures appear all over Lanzarote, especially on the islands in the middle of the many roundabouts.

Red sculpture | Postcard from Lanzarotte: The Magic of Manrique

The decor of the rooms, cut into the volcanic earth, is simple, with single colour schemes. White …

White room | Postcard from Lanzarotte: The Magic of Manrique

And yellow …

Yellow room | Postcard from Lanzarotte: The Magic of Manrique

The emphasis is on clear cut lines. No fuss.

The paintings of César Manrique

There’s not enough space here to share all the paintings on show. His, and those of many famous artists of his generation, like Picasso, adorn the walls.

Anne liked this one the best – for its simplicity.

Line drawing | Postcard from Lanzarotte: The Magic of Manrique

His geometric lines are to be seen in the garden too.

Rainbow wall | Postcard from Lanzarotte: The Magic of Manrique

When you are inside the house, you are acutely aware of the outside – the view across the volcanic black earth to the sky through massive windows. Within the space, a pool is cut into the rock and the black volcanic rock painted white. Even the man-made structures are made to look natural.

Pool | Postcard from Lanzarotte: The Magic of Manrique

If ever you are in Lanzarote, take time out to visit the César Manrique Foundation. Rather than taking a coach tour, which limits you on time, make your own way there and enjoy every part of the experience to the full.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling. My previous postcard focused on the sketching I did while aboard MV Ventura.

Next week’s blog shares the art we discovered when we returned to the UK.

28 January 2019 In Art, Postcard from ...

Postcard from MV Ventura: Sketching at sea

Whenever we go travelling, I pack my watercolour kit and various sketchbooks of various sizes and make time for sketching.

Our ritual, as soon as we arrive at a new place, somewhere we will be staying long enough for Anne to write and me to paint, is to set up the space to suit us both. Our cabin aboard MV Ventura was perfect for our needs. And what a view!

Our cabin | Postcard from MV Ventura: Sketching at sea

Anne bagged the ‘dressing table’ as her office space, and I took over the ‘lounge’ area. Some shelving beneath the TV held all my equipment and I used the small coffee table for my palette and to rest my sketchbook.

We were aboard MV Ventura for fourteen days and seven of those were at sea. This gave me plenty of time for sketching.

Water, water, all around …

For the first two days, crossing from Southampton to Lisbon. all we saw from our balcony was the sea. And ships. And even more ships and drilling rigs whenever we went into port. With my marine insurance background, I found this fascinating and took many photos. So much resource material, so much inspiration for my sketching, but never enough hours to paint everything!

Drilling rig | Postcard from MV Ventura: Sketching at sea

However, I did sketch a few cruise ships and captured the landscape when we were in port.

Sketching Queen Victoria

One of Anne’s friends cruises regularly. We met her and her husband for lunch in Madeira a few years ago. We were staying in Funchal over Christmas and New Year; they were due to arrive on New Year’s Eve, in time to see the fireworks that night. This time, they were aboard Queen Victoria and – because our itineraries had us both in Madeira on 31 December, we planned to meet up at the same restaurant for a catch-up. Imagine our surprise to wake up the day before, to see their ship just across from ours.

Cunard moored | Postcard from MV Ventura: Sketching at sea

As it turned out, we should have made the effort to meet that day. Once we got to Madeira, they were moored off and the sea was too rough for them to be allowed ashore on the tenders.

This sketch is of Queen Victoria sailing off into the sunset.

Cunard sailing away | Postcard from MV Ventura: Sketching at sea

Sketching in Tenerife

We’ve visited Tenerife before and we were not inclined to go ashore that day. The sky above the mountains was black, and we’d not been attracted by the various tours on offer. Instead, we enjoyed relative peace and quiet aboard ship. Anne did lots of writing and when I wasn’t taking photos, I was sketching . Bliss!

Tenerife | Postcard from MV Ventura: Sketching at sea

Sketching in Madeira

We’ve also visited Madeira many times but never aboard a cruise ship. The day we arrived (31 December), it was a full house.

Madeira | Postcard from MV Ventura: Sketching at sea

We walked ashore in the morning and returned to the ship in time to avoid a downpour. As you will have seen from a previous post, the rain abated, almost, and the New Year’s Eve fireworks were spectacular.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling. My previous postcard focused on edible art.

Next week’s blog shares more of the art we discovered ashore. If cruising appeals to you, visit the P&O website.

21 January 2019 In Art

Postcard from MV Ventura: Art good enough to eat

The cruise aboard MV Ventura was a gastronomic delight.

Breakfast delivered to our cabin every morning
A five-course meal every night
Food available at almost any other time you might feel peckish

Each evening, as we approached the dining table, we’d be impressed by the table decorations. They changed from day to day, and were always set as if for a feast. Which it always was!

Balloons, glitter, sparkling glassware, shining plates, and cutlery. And the menus were similarly artfully crafted.

Getting into the festive spirit

Replete, we’d wander back to our cabin noticing the small touches: tiny Christmas trees (fake!) at every turn, and Christmas decorations adorning alternate cabin doors.

As if that wasn’t enough, we would return to our cabin to find gifts on an almost daily basis.

A bottle of fizz and a box of chocolates on arrival day
A (small but still too big for us two) Christmas cake
Bowls of fruit
Tins of biscuits
More chocolates …

We were surrounded by temptation and, if that wasn’t enough, there were artistic displays of food – although no one was allowed to touch these, let alone eat them.

Christmas cakes galore

This first display must have taken many hours to produce. More than a dozen beautifully decorated Christmas cakes.

Christmas cakes | Postcard from MV Ventura: Art good enough to eat

They featured the usual images: Father Christmas, holly, snow …

Gingerbread galore

The second display had a gingerbread theme: houses of all shapes and sizes and lots of snow.

Gingerbread houses | Postcard from MV Ventura: Art good enough to eat

Before this cruise, despite being forced to watch Bake-Off, I’d never thought about baking as an art form. The chefs aboard MV Ventura proved me wrong…

If cruising aboard one of P&O liners appeals to you, check them out. They go all over the world.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling. My previous postcard was all about art on the stairs.

Next week’s blog shares more of the art we discovered aboard MV Ventura, and ashore too.

17 September 2018 In Art

Postcard from Stratford-upon-Avon: Castle Fine Art Gallery

During our trip to the historic Stratford-upon-Avon to see Macbeth, Anne and I had some free time the next morning to explore.

We took a boat trip and then wandered the streets … which is where we discovered the Castle Fine Art Gallery.

Where is the Castle Fine Art Gallery?

Located in the centre of town, this gallery is situated in state-of-the-art premises on Wood Street and was the first-ever Castle gallery to open in 1995.

We were on foot but if you are coming by car, the nearest car park is on Rother Street and has the same postcode as the gallery: CV37 6JP.

We were given a great welcome by Jason Lawson, offered coffee (which we declined as we were still in recovery having consumed an enormous full-English breakfast) and allowed to wander around and admire the displays.

At the Castle Fine Art Gallery: Like kids in a candy shop!

There was so much on display, a huge array of talent, it was difficult to choose what to mention in this blog post. However, space dictates and we selected two artists: Peter Smith and John Wilson.

Peter Smith’s work is fun

L2R: Our House (£495) and You’re My Cup of Tea (£495)

Peter’s talents as a surveyor, a computer programmer and a graphic artist in the fashion industry combine to produce work in 3D (above) and 2D (below), and both are clear and brightly coloured.

Clockwise from top left: Fizzy Rascals (£450), Size Matters (£495), Kinda Care, Kinda Don’t (£395) and Sip, Sip, Hooray! (£450)

His ‘trademark’ is the Impossimal, a strange character with a long nose and big eyes (which can be altered to mimic friends and colleagues) and their stripes.

Don’t miss John Wilson at the Castle Fine Art Gallery: 22 September

The 3D illusions created by John Wilson are so clever. Not until you are inches away is it clear that it’s on a 2D surface.

Loving Vincent (£850)

John Wilson is at The Stratford Castle Gallery on 22 September from 1pm until 3pm.

Contact the Castle Gallery at stratford@castlefineart.com or on 01789 262031 or on their Facebook page.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling.

16 July 2018 In Art

Postcard from Grange-over-Sands: The Fishing Hut

Photo: Roger Emmott

Anne and I had occasion recently to drive north to Grange-over-Sands to attend the annual dinner of my Old Boys’ Association.

The event should have happened in March – when we were snowed in and couldn’t have attended – but, luckily, it was postponed and the weather, and therefore driving conditions, couldn’t have been better.

Positively palatial …

We stayed at the Netherwood Hotel, a magnificent building set in beautiful grounds, only minutes walk from the Promenade.

Our room was the one just above the main entrance, to the right. It was positively palatial …

This annual event is held in various parts of the UK, according to the wishes of the incoming President. When it was my turn, we chose Leamington Spa, hoping its position would attract OMs from all parts of the UK.

Photo: Roger Emmott

It’s quite a trek from Devon to Grange-over-Sands; over 7 hours driving, but worth it to meet up with old friends and to welcome the new President of the Association.

This is us, surrounded by friends at the dinner on Saturday evening.

And as the photo shows, the hotel was the perfect setting for a dinner for so many of us. The men would normally have been wearing their suit jackets but, in the heat, the President suggested we removed them. The ladies just glowed …

In search of art

Because we arrived mid-afternoon on Friday and ventured out with little time to spare, we only managed to discover an amazing tea shop – Hazelmere – where we indulged ourselves with a posh afternoon tea.

If you are ever passing, make a point of dropping in. They serve wonderful sausage rolls and their millionaire’s shortbread is delicious.

But what about the art?

Art on the Promenade

On Saturday morning, we set off, determined to see the sights and find out what happens art-wise in Grange-over-Sands.

We walked the length of the Promenade, enjoyed the views and took lots of photos. And, we found the Fishing Hut …

What is the Fishing Hut?

The Fishing Hut is a handcrafted travelling gallery shed, created by artists Hannah Fox and John Fox, and inspired by Morecambe Bay Partnership’s oral history project collecting memories of the Bay’s fishing industry for future generations.

By luck, it was at the Grange Promenade on that day and when we walked past, Hannah was in attendance.

Hannah invited us to step inside to enjoy a kaleidoscope of short animated films, small illustrated stories, and artifacts that explore and celebrate the culture and heritage of the Fishing communities around the Bay. On that very hot summer’s day, it was also a delight to retreat into the cool shaded interior!

Hannah explained the history of the Fishing Hut, and its purpose and we came away – cooler and wiser – with some treasures:

Three beautifully designed newspapers created by Morecambe artist Kate Drummond. They bring together stories and quotes from the archive with illustrations and fishing imagery.
Sets One and Two of John Fox’s illustrated stories.

The inspiration and source of material for these emanate from interviews conducted as part of Morecambe Bay Partnership’s oral history project 2015-18 collecting memories of the Bay’s fishing communities for future generations.

My favourite John Fox story is Salmon in the Pram.

Having just recently scattered the ashes of Anne’s Dad out to sea, the tale of Mrs Butterworth and the salmon as big as a submarine made us smile.

The Fishing Hut will appear at various coastal locations around Morecambe Bay.

Sunday 5 August at Make My Day Festival, Morecambe
Monday 6 August at Heysham Head

For more information about the Morecambe Bay Partnership, and the Fishing Hut, visit Hannah’s website www.hannahonthehill.co.uk.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling.

21 May 2018 In Art

Postcard from Madeira: The Botanical Garden

Anne and I first visited the Botanical Garden in Funchal on our honeymoon, nine years ago. It was March and very wet. I have photos, somewhere, of us: drenched, but still smiling.

Each time we return to Madeira, we make a point of taking the cable car and visiting either the Tropical Garden or, via a second cable car, the Botanical Garden.

This trip, in May, sunny and dry, it was the turn of the Botanical Garden again.

Travelling by cable car

You can take a taxi, or go by bus, but the best way to travel to the Botanical Garden is via the cable car.

The views from the cable car are spectacular, and I start taking photos straight away.

These are jacaranda mimosifolia trees – with the most beautiful purple flowers. They are to be seen a lot along the roadside in Funchal and elsewhere on the island.

In the Botanical Garden

Opened in 1960, the 20-acre site now known as Jardim Botânico da Madeira was previously part of an estate belonging to the family of William Reid, founder of the famous Reid’s hotel, where you can have afternoon tea in return for an arm and a leg!

Set on a steep hillside, the paths zigzag through various collections: Madeiran indigenous and endemic species, and arboretum, succulents, topiary, medicinal and aromatic plants, and palm trees of all shapes and sizes.

Frog Arriving by cable car, we made our first port of call about half way down, at the cafe. Set alongside ornamental ponds boasting hundreds of lily pads, we enjoyed a romantic snack, looking out across Funchal beneath us to the sea beyond, accompanied by the mating calls of frogs.

Suitably refreshed, we then set off to explore the gardens beneath us, starting with the indigenous and endemic species: a mass of brightly coloured flowers.

Slowly, we made our way down to the very bottom, taking photos of everything and anything we saw.

Madeiran indigenous and endemic species

Below the ornamental garden (the featured image above), there are these stunning ornamental grasses, swaying gently in the breeze. Grasses

Behind them you can see the greenhouses.

The cacti

Clearly the Madeira climate suits cacti. They grow to an enormous height.

The topiary

Who has the time for this artistry? Answer: the team of gardeners at the Botanical Garden!

The palms

In Madeira, we are staying at Pestana Palms, one of the group of Pestana hotels. The gardens are naturally full of palms … but, in the Botanical Garden, they are huge.

This photo includes me, seated on a hot stone bench, simply to demonstrate the size of the palm beside me.

Palms

We then trekked all the way up to the top of the gardens again. Caught the first cable car for our journey back home, walked uphill to the next cable car station … Hard work, but worth it …

PS The gardens also include a bird park (the Louro Bird Park) and a three-room Natural History Museum – neither of which we managed to visit this time.

Back at our apartment: painting

I’ve never painted a frog before, and probably never will again. but, it was fun to try!

Now, if you compare my sketch with the photo above, you’ll see that I’ve used artistic licence in my choice of greens. Indeed, one of the lily pads is more yellow than green.

Also, where there was shade, I’ve used violet. Why? Violet is the appropriate colour to use opposite yellow, according to the colour wheel.

And, I’ve used both yellow and violet on the frog’s back.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling.

14 May 2018 In Art

Postcard from Funchal, Madeira: Orchids and chocolates

orchids Orchids and chocolates?

Most of my paintings include the sea, the sky, and boats and are based on photographs taken close to my home town of Salcombe.

When I’m on holiday, I have different subjects at my disposal.

Anne and I are staying near Funchal in Madeira and were persuaded to join an excursion which boasted Chocolates and Orchids. How could we resist?

First stop: Orchids at Quinta da Boa Vista

Q orchids uinta da Boa Vista boasts the best orchid collection on show all year round and we were given a guided tour by our host, owner, Patrick through a greenhouse packed with hundreds of colourful varieties.

While he explained how to care for them (do not overwater!), we took photos. The featured image above is just one of many.

Here are some more.

The variety of colours and sizes was a feast for our eyes.

There were huge blooms, with no fragrance …

orchids And tiny blooms with an intense scent …

Both, tactics to attract insects for pollination purposes.

Some has a single magnificent flower – others were grouped on a single stem.

All of them were beautiful.

And then we enjoyed tea and cake in the delightful garden overlooking the town of Funchal.

Next stop: handcrafted colourful flavourful chocolates

T chocolates he next stop on our excursion was into the centre of Funchal, to Rua da Queimada de Baixo, nº 11 where the chocolatier UauCacau have a coffee shop and display their colourful chocolate selection.

We sat outside in the sunshine and were presented with a tasting tray of six exquisite chocolates, together with a glass of Madeira wine.

Our tour guide explained the methods used in the factory below the shop, and the origins of the delicious fillings: mango, banana, passion fruit, madeira rum, …

We were then invited into the chocolate coloured (dark!) interior to choose what we wanted to purchase.

chocolates A work of art! We were hard pressed to choose 20 to take back to our apartment.

Back at the apartment: painting!

Of all the orchids I’d captured on my camera, I chose this one to paint first.

orchids

Why?

colour wheel I chose a pink orchid because so much of the background was green and green is the complementary colour to pink.

This would, in theory, make the petals stand out better than for any other colour of orchid.

Here is another sketch.

The orchid is orange and note that I have used a blue wash in the background, blue being the complementary colour of orange on the colour wheel. orchids

It’s unlikely I’ll take the subject of orchids any further, although we are tempted to fill the house with these wonderful blooms once we are back home.

My ‘market’ back in Salcombe is the usual diet of sea and sailing – but it was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon … playing with my watercolour kit.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling.

7 May 2018 In Art

Postcard from Funchal, Madeira

We are on holiday in Madeira!

Anne and I arrived last week at one of our favourite destinations: Pestana Palms hotel on the island of Madeira. We first came here together for our honeymoon in 2009 and have returned several times since then. One of the main attractions is the ‘Cheers’ bar with its longstanding team of bar staff who always greet us with a smile as in the featured image above.

What do we do, while holidaying in Madeira?

We usually arrive tired and in need of a rest, so sleep is an essential ingredient of any holiday for us. But then, away from our usual routine, we make time for exercise.

Madeira Gaulo In Madeira, there are many lavada walks. These are paths that run alongside the network of waterways – narrow channels – that carry water from the mountains down to the coast.

On our honeymoon, we embraced these walks with a vengeance. Older and wiser, we now opt for the more gentle excursions.

Last Friday, for example, we visited the pretty village of Gaulo and, with the aid of excellent guide, enjoyed views of the countryside during a 60-minute stroll along the Lavada dos Tornos. I took lots of photos, and Anne took this shot of me.

Our guide explained the history of the region, their dependence on water (hence the lavadas) and how they created the many terraces to make the most of the steep terrain.

It reminded us of the work we’ve had done at home, with 23 piles needed to stabilise our sloping rear garden, and a huge retaining wall of concrete to hold back a neighbour’s garden. For us, a small team of builders, with diggers, completed the work in a matter of months.

In Madeira, the construction of the terracing was painstaking work, done by hand, stone by stone, as the slopes were too steep for horses or donkeys, and the ground not accessible for machinery. All the men worked on the terracing and it took them years …

And then we had tea and cake – all traditional recipes – at the home of the guide. A wonderful half day excursion …

My holiday studio in Madeira

It’s not all relaxation. We have ‘work’ to do as well.

I’ve set up a ‘studio’ on the balcony already, and the sun is so bright, I’m in relief. I promise you, I am smiling.

Madeira balcony

Here is a close up of the table, set out with my essentials.

Madeira studio kit

Holidaying in Madeira: a time to sketch

The image above is of a particularly elegant craft that made its way out of Funchal, the capital of Madeira, past our balcony. I took many photos of its passage across a magnificent sky. Plus I have the sketch. When I return home, I may create a larger image of this scene.

I have two sketch books with me but, so far, I’ve only used the smaller of the two. The image below is of the hotel itself with the pool in the foreground.

Madeira sketch books

It’s wonderful to paint in the open air … for the temperatures to be high enough to be comfortable without having to apply sun screen every five minutes.

And to have, in the background, the sound of waves breaking on the seashore. Bliss!

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling.

18 September 2017 In Art, Postcard from ...

Postcard from Paris: Musée d’Orsay

During our recent trip to Paris, we visited the Musée d’Orsay – a first time for us – and what a delight!

What made us choose this venue?

The Musée d’Orsay comes recommended

While enjoying a lovely French dinner at the Au Pied de Cochon restaurant on the Monday evening, we fell into conversation with the couple at the next table.

Having discussed what we might order from the menu, talk turned to our plans for our two days. The Louvre is top our our list, I declared.

Central area with sculptures

No! They thought the Musée d’Orsay was much better.

Then the following morning, when we went to purchase our tickets, we discovered the Louvre doesn’t open on a Tuesday, so off we went to find the Musée d’Orsay.

At the Musée d’Orsay – so much to see?

As you walk through the entrance to the Musée d’Orsay, this huge exhibition space is what you see first: a central walk filled with sculptures.

It takes more than a moment to take in the layout of the building, but, having consulted the free tour guide, we identified the exhibitions and ‘rooms’ of most interest to us.

We were pleased to discover the lifts. Our first chosen exhibition – the Impressionists – was on the 5th floor!

En route, we walked through the cafe area. That was a masterpiece in itself, but we did not sample the delights.

Later, we were to explore all the rooms which led off from the left hand side of the upper corridor (level 2) of this enormous entrance hall area.

At the Musée d’Orsay – more Impressionists than you can shake a stick at!

Musée d'Orsay I have attended many Impressionist exhibitions in London but none compare with the one on at the Musée d’Orsay at the moment.

I saw more of the Impressionists in one day than I had in my entire life: Bazille, Caillebotte, Cassatt, Cézanne, Degas, Fantin-Latour, Manet, Monet, Morisot, Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley, Whistler.

It was a knock out!

The catalogue (at 14 euros) is a delight and is split into three historical sections.

Impressionism from 1863 to 1874
Impressionism from 1874 to 1886
Impressionism after 1886

If you are quick, you can see the Portraits by Cézanne exhibition – ends 24 September.

At the Musée d’Orsay – Les Régates à Molesey by Sisley

Musée d'Orsay One exhibit, I had never seen before, by Sisley, was Les Régates à Molesey (Boating at Molesey).

Painted in 1874, it shows a spot on the Thames, near to where I lived for many years.

Seeing that painting brought back memories …

I’m not sure if we were allowed to take photos in the Musée d’Orsay; certainly, the placement of the exhibits in relation to the windows didn’t encourage it!

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling. It’s the second one for this particular trip. The previous postcard was from Paradou, and the next is Paris again, at the Louvre.