Wollaton Hall

Yesterday morning I spent a pleasant couple of hours exploring the beautiful grounds and fascinating museum at Wollaton hall. I returned home with a collection of photographs and memories which are sure to inspire some designs over the coming months.

Pen and Ink Drawings - ' Butterfly of Light'

Pen and Ink - 'Butterfly of Light' Work in progress

Pen and Ink Drawings -work in progress

Pen and Ink drawings - new drawing, work in progress

An Autumn walk in old Sherwoode

Today, in glorious Autumn sunshine, I took a walk through this most magical of places...the forest was aglow, sparkling and spangling, the trees were ancient and mysterious, and the earth was red and intoxicatingly pungent.
    I must now wait to see what effect this immersion may have on my creative genie...

Exploring Celtic Knotwork - Completed bookmark design

'A vision of Sherwoode' - A poem by Gill Rippingale

Last night I saw, as though in dream...
Olde Sherwoode Forest, all misty green.
And 'neath a tree stood Robin Hood -
Hero of that fabled wood!

He smiled at me, and seemed to say -
'You see, I never went away...
Here I dwell...and here I'll stay -
To guard the Forest, come what may!'

Then, as I gazed, there shone, so bright -
A dazzling azure and emerald light!
I turned away, I could not look
As earth trembled and forest shook!

When alll was still, I turned to see
With wondrous eyes..a towering tree!
And poised beside that stately Elm..

 A radiant Stag surveyed his Realm...

Exploring Celtic Knotwork - work in progress

Exploring Celtic Knotwork.....work in progress

I began this design a couple of days ago...havent been working continually as I've been travelling, but it seems to be progressing nicely. I'm using gouache for the first time in many years and finding it much easier to use for knotwork than the inks I was using previously. It's going to be a design for a bookmark...

Roll-up...roll-up for Nottingham Goose Fayre!

Pen and ink drawings - 'Spirit of Autumn'- completed drawing

My beautiful sunflower

Pen and ink drawings - work in progress

I began working on this small drawing yesterday. It is similar to a previous design but will have different colours.

Papplewick Pumping Station - Sunday 25th September

This fine old victorian pumping station is quite an extraordinary place, situated on the edge of Sherwood Forest. It was built in 1884 to provide water for Nottingham. It has recently been fully restored and regular steam days are held so that visitors can see it in all it's working glory!

    I and my artworks attended one such event on 25th of September....along with a male voice choir and a band of morris dancers...!The event went very well, and I hope to do the same again next spring, by which time I will hopefully have added new designs to my portfolio.