Rack of Lamb

My tulips are looking a little bedraggled as the cold winds and heavy rain continue to torture them but fear not - Spring is in the air! Easter will soon be among us and every petting zoo in the land will be infested with a sea of the under sevens cuddling, some may say, half strangling a new born lamb although they don't seem to mind.

As it's not easy to get close to lambs out in the fields to draw or photograph I take advantage of my annual invitation to visit the Hollin Bank Flock. These sheep, owned by my cousin and her family are Derbyshire Gritstones and are kept as pets mainly. Well, the girls are anyway; the boys have to go, but we won't dwell on that aspect. No, breathe deeply and think Disney.

They are gorgeous and very, very friendly. Very often they are too friendly and too inquisitive so thank goodness for digital cameras otherwise I'd have a stack of close up photos of lamb faces.

Back in the studio I decide which lambs have made it through to boot camp from the X Factor finals and choose which ones I think will make good paintings. All without sad music and tears from each lamb telling me they would have given 110% and it's all they ever wanted to do. Then it's simply a case of getting on with it and painting them. Sometimes I start work on two or three at the same time when I've mixed a quantity of colour but I only work on one lamb at a time until it's complete.

Occasionally, a suitable lamb name will just appear from nowhere and often a name I originally had in mind just won't work as it's not ended up looking like a "Larry" or whatever.

Willie Wonderpants (above)

In this one the name "Wonderpants" came first as someone who saw it being painted commented that they liked his fluffy trousers!

I've painted a rack of lamb(s) in the last few weeks and they've gone off to galleries to hopefully find a new home in yours.

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Greetings fellow bovine appreciators! It's been a while since I posted anything on here so I thought it was time to put on the winter woollies and come out of hiding. Rest assured I have been beavering away producing paintings in between the agricultural shows of the summer and of course my visits to restaurants. Kirsty Allsopp probably thinks I was stalking her as she was at many of the same shows, talk about Location, Location! I didn't realise she was entering the competitions as a mystery entrant for her own show until I watched in this autumn. I can tell you, that in the words my mother might use that she's not as "hefty" in real life!

The Royal Welsh Show was excellent and being a member this year was an advantage. No longer did I have to rely on the plastic cupped generosity of the Welsh Black breed society for a post cow tipple but I could enter the hallowed portals of the newly finished member's pavilion. I could sip a chilled glass of Prosecco (sans damp grassy knoll bum print) and watch proceedings from the balcony. I would have preferred a view over the cattle ring but hey, you can't have everything. The toilets were much better too and no longer did I feel that I was using an outside privvy!

In addition I've painted a few donkeys and also some spaniels, photographed on a detour to to the Royal Welsh as a commission which has kept me busy. Douglas and Shadow were lovely and very well behaved models as usually with two of them it's like herding cats.

Talking of commissions I've just finished another one which is of two Belgian Blues. It's just drying now and the next blog which follows next shows some step by step photos.

Bollards to Sat Navs

Delivering paintings to galleries around the country can be a time consuming affair although it means I have started to become an expert on the best motorway services for the obligatory comfort stop (My current number 1 is Norton Canes on the M6 toll and the worst continues to be Fleet Services on the M3).

Invariably there's an accident closing the road so a quick route change is often necessary and I spend a lot of time with the car atlas as I can't always trust the Sat Nav. Last week, for example, I had a very early start for a gallery visit in Cambridge (got caught out the first time as my Mrs Sat Nav who I fear only ever gained a grade D at CSE in geography and needs constant supervision..I think I've got the work experience version of Tom Tom..but I digress..didn't know about the rising bollard system in Cambridge which comes into force early in the morning and renders access to the streets impossible until the evening). It's a wonder I actually found the gallery and I probably would have had more success using Hansel and Gretel's method.

I sometimes expect mine to say in that stilted voice "oh, I've cocked that up again...haven't I?" But no she keeps quiet whilst expecting me to negotiate an unexpected river or railway line. In fact, given the ending of "Thelma and Louise" I'm surprised that Tom Tom wasn't the sponsor as the sheer cliff face clearly presents no problem in the optimistic mind of the Sat Nav. I should have looked more thoroughly in the box as there was probably an application for a Duke of Edinburgh award for owners chalking up a year without drowning.

I do visualise that she would be the sort of woman who would look like she gives change out from the booth in penny amusement arcades - a sort of bingo winged character like Marina from Last of the Summer Wine. I have her as a chain smoking, red top reader who sits with her feet up in a tongue and grooved clad office with a mug of tea in one hand who when I over ride her and pay no attention to the tortuous route through the mountains she has plotted that she suddenly, on realisation sits bolt up right, her fag dropped swiftly, newspaper gathered in one hand whilst rescuing the burning embers from her wrinkled cleavage muttering an expletive before being forced to "recalculate an alternative route". Don't you..no? Just me then.

Mrs Magellan wanted a Shandy..

Dedicated as I am to bringing you the best in cows from around the country and sampling the offerings from various hostelries in my pursuit (I know it's a sacrifice I undertake on your behalf!) I make mention of a recent visit to the Ribble Valley in my home county of Lancashire. I realise that Lancashire does suffer from an image problem of cobble sets whippets and flat caps and as with most myths that isn't always the whole truth. When the sun shines it can be quite lovely and of course, the high rainfall (shattering another myth that we all have webbed feet) does make lush pasture and in turn lots of cows.

Armed with a recommended walk from the local newspaper kept for such a purpose, I set off following the route which quickly gained in height what it lost in way markers and my self congratulations on remembering the binoculars was short lived as I realised I should have brought the OS map and a compass.

The walk was to pass the magnificent Inn at Whitewell (www.innatwhitewell.com)which is an inn dating back from the 1300’s and is among my favourites especially in its choice to source it ingredients locally. (Jim Beams slow roasted Gloucester Old Spot belly pork is terrific.) Frustratingly, I could see the distinctive pub in the distance on the far banks of the River Hodder.

So near, so far and I have to confess I just couldn't find the route from the paper which was surprisingly optimistic inviting the readers to negotiate a descent through moorland bogs and streams. Not to be outdone, four hours later and discovering I just don't have the legs for mountaineering I returned to the car and completed the route by road. What? what? - I wasn't missing the opportunity for a swift shandy and I imagine Mrs Magellan would have said the same to Ferdinand if he had set sail in the wrong direction!

The views from the pub are spectacular and after having eaten there are few times I can definitely recommend the food and especially the thoughtful addition of the Beano comic on the reading table in the bar!

Cornwall on a Fork

Soon after the Tunbridge event was the trip to Cornwall. Spending a week near the coast and having a week away in May photographing cows used to be an annual event until Borneo. One of the optimum times to visit Borneo was in July making both events too close together. However, it's now been reinstated and even next year's venue has been provisionally booked.

Cornwall was chosen as it was the only county in England which I hadn't visited before and I was suitably impressed. I've got quite a bit of new reference material now and so the Cornish cows will be appearing in a painting sometime soon. I photographed a dairy herd, mainly Holstein Friesian on a coastal path from Mullion to Gunwalloe. They had a great view out to the Atlantic and I kept well away from from the cliff edge. If I'd plunged to my almost certain death on the rocks below, people would probably have said "ah well, it's how she would have wanted to go..photographing cows". For the record, no it isn't actually. When I shuffle off my mortal coil my choice would be something painless, quick and preferably without my prior knowledge which certainly rules out hurtling from jagged rocks into deep water.

But I digress..let me turn my attention to the local hostelry close to where I was staying - The Smugglers Den Inn www.thesmugglersden.co.uk (pictured above) which was close enough when approached via footpaths across three fields, one of which contained cows with calves (marvellous..who could ask for more?) the pub was just behind the trees in the far right of the field in the photo below and I really needed to stay another week to get a little further down the menu and specials board.

I'd pre booked Sunday lunch (ah, gotta love the Internet) and so spent a pleasant hour or so with the weekend papers before enjoying a decent Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding dinner. I have to say I was impressed by the quality of food in Cornwall and this was especially true of another restaurant which was also close by. Odds Restaurant www.oddstherestaurant.co.uk is owned and created by local farmer Adam Coad by using natural materials, turfed roof and carved into the Cubert hillside to give superb views across the Atlantic Ocean. It also had the cleanest carpets I've ever seen (I am my mother's daughter) and one of the waitresses did confide that Adam vacuums them himself!

His brother owns the Limousin cross herd near The Smuggler's Den Inn I photographed earlier in the week (see photo top) and Adam himself (stood on the right in the photo immediately above) owns Pedigree Herefords, some of whom find themselves on the menu. There is a large photograph of his prize bull, "Ellenglaze 1 Fearless" on the wall by the stairs down to the restaurant.

I did try the Ellenglaze Beef two ways, with a fillet and filled suet pudding which was lovely although not for the smaller appetite so I couldn't manage a pudding. I did, however, have a starter of pan seared wood pigeon on beetroot with a red wine reduction and jus with a parsnip crisp. It was excellent served pink and cooked to perfection although I initially thought I'd lost a filling which on closer inspection turned out to be a bit of lead shot!

A return visit the next night foregoing the starter and choosing the confit of duck as a mains (no lead shot) it was superb and meant I could enjoy a pudding of chocolate mousse and a hazelnut biscuit.

All of which was in great contrast to the stay at the newly opened Ibis on an industrial estate in Gloucester to break the long journey home. The chef had phoned in sick at short notice so apart from what the staff could manage themselves with a microwave meant there was no food. The receptionist recommended a local pub as an alternative which she estimated was a half mile walk away. A mile and a quarter later brought me within sight of a bouncy castle and a pub from the Hungry Horse chain.

All I can say is a warm bottle of plonk and an enormous plate of fried food where I was aware of a smear of pea from a previous diner on the bottom of the plate as it was lowered towards me whilst bare footed savages ran amok high on fizzy drinks and E numbers did not make for the best "last meal of the holiday"

Still, it filled a gap at the time and I'm back home with batteries recharged and ready to paint again.

Tunbridge through the Fancy Glass

The joint exhibition with fellow artist Wendy Corbett at Artique Galleries, Tunbridge Wells went well thanks to the hard working staff although the amount of bank holidays combined with the Royal Wedding meant that a number of customers had taken advantage of the potential to take 3 days holiday allowance to achieve nearly a fortnight away.

I met some lovely people and it was also entertaining to meet the couple who bought "Devotion", my Jersey cow whom they named Licky Nose after seeing it displayed in the gallery window.

I have to say though, one of the highlights for me was the Brew House Hotel in Tunbridge Wells which I can thoroughly recommend. I do enjoy technology and gadgets so I was especially impressed with the smart glass in the bathroom which became clear or translucent at the flick of a switch. I'm told it's achieved by electrical impulses and very expensive. It's certainly a remarkable piece of design which makes use of natural daylight. If I ever win the lottery then I shall be using it in my bathrooms but given that even choosing two successful numbers is an achievement I don't think I shall be sending off for the brochures in the foreseeable future!

Spring Lamb

Recently, I was asked by fellow artist Sarah Jane Szikora if I would be able to take part in the Mansion House Art Sale to raise much needed funds for the Alzheimer's Society.

The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading charity caring for people with all forms of dementia and their carers. 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 will die with dementia. They need to raise funds urgently to support more people, fund research and campaign for the rights of those living with dementia.

Artists were given an A5 postcard on which to create their image and as Spring is (hopefully) around the corner I chose to portray a Spring lamb. This is one of my cousin's Hollin Bank flock. This year's new arrivals are due this week so if the weather manages to warm up I shall be visiting them.

The sale is Friday 18th March and if you want to offer a bid you can contact Zoe Thomas who is the community fund raiser for the North East. E: zoe.thomas@alzheimers.org.uk

M: 07889604633

alzheimers.org.uk