After my three year project documenting craftspeople, exhibition and book, it's taken a while to settle into some new work. Thanks to everyone who came to the Craft exhibition, bought pictures and bought the book. It was really wonderful to have had such interest in the project. The schoolchildren who visited he exhibition were great and made some wonderful drawings. Although the exhibition is over, the project continues because I am giving lots of talks about it to local groups. It was a real privilege to get to know so many wonderful craftspeople in Somerset. Recently I have been enjoying time with the Aller Church bellringers. Nothing nicer than being snug in the tower with local ringers, kind of out of time, in all that history and with the sound of the bells above and within. And Aller Church does have alot of history. Alfred brought the Viking Guthrum here after Guthrum accepted defeat at the battle in 878AD. Not this building obviously, but the first church. The ringers stand at ground level. They did ring up the tower once but the bells had to be lowered for structural reasons. A bell fell once, lucky nobody was injufred. That was a long time ago. Anyway, I went in with them ringing on several occasions and made drawings and took some photos and came up with a drawing and a pastel. It was a commission. Great project. I made another charcoal drawing some years ago of the High Ham bellringers. Good subject matter.
Above is the charcoal drawing of the Aller bellringers I made recently. Below is a painting of the High Ham bellringers a few years ago.
I am happy to take on commissions.