Latest News and Progress

21 January 2019

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.

14 January 2019

Postcard from MV Ventura: Art on the stairs

The MV Ventura has many decks (18) and many lifts, to save passengers from walking up and down stairs.

However, the staircases provided yet more art to enjoy. At every landing – halfway between the opportunities to board a lift – there were dramatic displays of works.

There were t0o many to show them all here, but I selected three artists whose works were particularly stunning.

Art on the stairs: Johnny Bull

Johnny Bull was born in 1949 and the work he has on display are a series of colourful images produced from photographs taken in various locations visited by MV Ventura. They are unique images: inkjet print on paper, mounted behind a lenticular lens. So, the image moves – comes alive – as you walk past!

This is just one of many of his works of art.

Johnny Bull | Postcard from SS Ventura: Art on the stairs

Art on the stairs: Paul Critchley

Paul Critchley originates from Merseyside but now lives and works in Barcelona. Both parents were art teachers and he is much travelled. His works are oil on canvas mounted on aluminum.

The 3D effect is almost alarming. He presents familiar objects but in such a way as to provoke the viewer to see them differently. This one, called ‘The Daily Commute’, is relatively tame.

Paul Critchley newspapers | Postcard from SS Ventura: Art on the stairs

Others were more exciting and sometimes shocking. This one is called ‘House of Stories’.

This one appealed to the artist in me.

Paul Critchley easels | Postcard from SS Ventura: Art on the stairs

Hexagonal art: Vanessa Ballard

Vanessa Ballard has a passion for patterns. For the images on board MV Ventura, she travelled to 15 countries and spent hundreds of hours creating 100K digital images for these works, all created from hexagons. Close up, you could see how each hexagon was differently coloured.

From afar though, the intention of the artist becomes clear. This one, called ‘Setting Sail’, is of MV Ventura.

This one, fittingly, is a glass of champagne. It is called Paradise Island I.

Art in the cabin: artist unknown

Even in the cabin, we had art … and decided the style – with a wavy perspective – made complete sense aboard a ship, especially when we were crossing the Bay of Biscay. I omitted to note the artist’s name for these pieces … apologies!

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

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

7 January 2019

Postcard from MV Ventura: Whitewall Galleries

Anne and I spent two weeks aboard the P&O cruise liner SS Ventura, enjoying Christmas and the New Year celebrations, and some art, courtesy of Whitewall Galleries.

Whitewall Galleries

Whitewall Galleries offer beautiful and innovative original paintings, collectible editions and sculptures from internationally acclaimed artists, alongside the most exciting emerging talents through a nationwide network of galleries.Whitewall Galleries can be found in 36 locations on land, with several on ships, including SS Ventura.

Whitewall Gallery aboard SS Ventura

P&O’s SS Ventura provides space on Deck 5 for Whitewall Galleries to display their wide range of works.

As part of the entertainment programme, Jada, the Whitewall Gallery manager, gave several talks and presentations. I attended three:

A talk on Jack Vettriano in the Gallery itself
A presentation on LS Lowry in one of the theatres, attracting a much larger audience
A talk on the Impressionists – back in the Gallery

Jack Vettriano at the Whitehall Gallery

I was aware of Jack Vettriano’s work and his images which have proved ideal for greetings cards. This one is called The Picnic Party. (Apologies for the poor lighting and reflections!)

The Picnic Party | Postcard from SS Ventura: Whitewall Galleries

One favourite of mine is The Singing Butler. I love his use of umbrellas.

The Singing butler | Postcard from SS Ventura: Whitewall Galleries

On the cruise, we had to resort to an umbrella now and again and most especially on New Year’s Eve, while watching the fireworks in Madeira.

Fireworks in Funchal | Postcard from SS Ventura: Whitewall Galleries

Like Vettriano’s dancing pair, we were not deterred by the weather.

Umbrella time | Postcard from SS Ventura: Whitewall Galleries

Born John Hoggan, this talented artist never had any success with that name, so Madonna-style, in 1989, he reinvented himself and took an Italian surname. Makes me wonder if I would sell more paintings if I were to follow suit?!

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling. My previous postcard was from Stratford-upon-Avon.

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