tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85641391740432561212024-03-18T20:28:11.295-07:00Pete The StreetPeter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-32328389366652171562014-10-15T01:52:00.003-07:002014-10-15T01:53:20.496-07:00Painting Trip to Arles.<br />
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We tried it last year with Spencer Scott - a painting trip to Cuba with "Pete The Street". Unfortunately we did not get enough takers and it was cancelled. On our holidays this summer we stayed in the Camargue in the South of France and one day I managed to rip the kids away from the campsite and into Arles. It was absolutely stunning and sewed a seed in my head. Liz Drake from Spencer Scott Travel got in touch on my return and asked if there was anywhere I'd like to go..<br />
Anyway, if it runs, we are planning a 10 day trip to Arles from 2nd - 11th May 2015 (Lisa's birthday is on the 7th - oops! Sorry old girl!).<br />
Anyway should anyone be interested here's the link:<br />
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http://www.spencerscotttravel.com/escorted-holidays/painting-holidays/paint-in-arles-with-peter-brown/Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-25605730799396273862014-10-13T03:04:00.003-07:002014-10-13T03:04:48.267-07:00Roberson's Glaze Medium - Rock on!It was at about this time last year that I was painting the big sunset painting for the Bath show. I was doing it in the studio on the floor throwing puddles of paint and glaze medium all over it. Not used to painting in the studio the fumes built up and Lisa kept telling me to open windows and get out. I noticed it for a week or two afterwards feeling a bit 'icky' and put it down to the nasty 'Cobalt driers' in the glaze medium. Well they've changed the formula now - no more Cobalt Driers and it works exactly the same! Its yellowish in colour now as opposed to that red. Good job Robersons - we ca all live a little longer! Great to see some autumn weather at last. I can now wear my long johns without fear of having to strip at 21 degrees, sweaty on a pavement.Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-35351559647790731932014-10-07T14:43:00.002-07:002014-10-07T14:43:28.326-07:00NEAC Selection.....was today at the mall galleries. Unfortunately I missed the first one and a half hours as the M4 was closed after Slough! We saw lots of great stuff. If your work did not get in I am sorry but I think we did it as fairly as possible. The exhibition opens on the 28th November and runs to the 7th December.<br />
This is a seasonal one I'm putting in which I painted last Christmas:<br />
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<i>Christmas, Motcombe Street, London</i></div>
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oil on canvas 20" x 16"</div>
Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-63544719149985785682014-09-29T15:10:00.001-07:002014-09-29T15:14:22.152-07:00Artists of WarI've just finished watching the series on iplayer. Firstly - I loved it and found it very inspiring. So thank you Mr Graham-Dixon and the BBC: "I would happily pay 3 times the license fee...". What always gets me though are those niggly bits:<br />
When Bomberg goes to Jerusalem he suddenly produces some paintings that are ... er I don't know.. 'see and put', panoramas of the city that are clearly a response to light and an amazing space. It's like he's overwhelmed by the beauty and can't stop himself from transcribing what he sees in a very straight forward way. But the art historians have to make something of it that's not there. It drives me up the wall. You can clearly see in those paintings he simply thought it was visually inspiring and wanted to put that down.<br />
In the same programme he looks at the charcoal drawing of St Paul's from a church spire... "probably St Bride's" .. well as you can see Fleet street on his right leading up to the West façade of Saint Paul's and St Bride's on the other side, he clearly was not. It really gets me that. Its like the pomp of art speak overtakes common sense and basic research. I don't know what spire it was drawn from but it wouldn't take long to work it out.<br />
I remember seeing a programme on Constable years ago when the historian tells us how Constable, as a young man, must have had a poor view of the heavens as he had painted the moon in front of a cloud. But it is clearly a thin cloud that the moon's light penetrates.<br />
Having said all that I did love the series. Quite humbling to see that sort of self belief and obstinacy - but I guess that's what you get from really great artists.<br />
Catalogues for my efforts should land on door mats tomorrow... I hate this bit. Lush to still be sporting sandals and shorts though hey!Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-2758430683703611212014-09-17T23:40:00.001-07:002014-09-17T23:40:16.990-07:00Reviews..I am currently reading (yes! Pete - reading!) a biography by Mitzi McCall about her husband's life Charles McCall (well both of their lives), . I bought my studio easel from his estate about 10 years ago. It was encrusted in paint and I'm adding to it. I collected it from his wonderful studio near Sloane Square. I was reading last night about his first one man show at the Leicester Galleries in the 1950's. An Oliver Brown from the gallery expressed his concerns to Mitzi on the days that followed the opening that Charles would be upset by the press coverage. Neville Wallace gave him a good illustrated write up in the Observer but Eric Newton in the Sunday Times was '<i>rather waspish and fitted the exhibition into a theme he was writing on other exhibits about repetition'. </i>… "<i>All the other reviews were kind and there was a very pleasant one in the Daily Mail by Pierre Jeanerat</i>."… Oh My God! Any of us would settle for the waspish one. Wouldn't that be amazing for critics to turn up to a show and write a criticism on it! Imagine having to worry about '<i>what the critics say'. </i> Anyway, the paintings are being framed by the Ashleys - who are amazing and the catalogue is currently being printed. Messums have done a superb job as ever putting it together. I know it sounds smug but I am so lucky to be promoted by such a fantastic gallery. Everything is done so well. It opens on 22nd October and runs until 15th November in 8 Cork Street. It will be one of the last shows at number 8 sadly as Messums move over the road while that side is renovated.<br />
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'Regent Street Looking South' oil on canvas 30 x 35 inches</div>
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I did the NEAC digital selection with 5 other members of the NEAC committee yesterday at The Mall. I am not a fan of digital selection at all and would prefer we did it all looking at paintings in the flesh. It is a cost cutting exercise (although there are benefits for those submitting too). All the open exhibitions now do it but it puts the emphasis on 'The Image' and not oil paint. Apparently it is a necessary evil and we erred on the side of caution selecting rather than rejecting. We saw some really good stuff…. I think!? Anyway good luck to anyone who submitted and if you were rejected it wasn't me. It was the others!Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-54850653855149522962014-02-23T15:13:00.002-08:002014-02-23T15:13:57.657-08:00London MarathonWell I've painted it enough, I reckon it's time to run it. I am doing it to raise money for Breakthrough Cancer Research and am running with my mate Robin. It would be great if you could support me on the virgin money giving page:<br />
<a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/pete-the-street" style="background-color: white; color: #3498cb; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/pete-the-street</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">Thanks chaps.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">Pete</span>Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-52081891728021592742013-09-16T11:35:00.001-07:002013-09-16T11:35:40.808-07:00Getting Out There.. Just got a catalogue from my buddies Karl terry and Tony Dakin who are putting on their own show at 27 Cork Street. The work looks great. The show runs from 7th to 12th October. Website: www.tonyandkarl.com. Check it out.Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-25523778252971655072013-07-18T18:03:00.001-07:002013-07-18T18:09:21.229-07:00Bit grim this..I was recently asked to do a painting for a client of a coastal scene. This happens quite a bit and the nature of it means that sometimes the client will not like the painting. I have got used to this now. It's not brilliant but it happens. I was a bit shocked recently when I was told this painting was turned down on the basis that there was a man in a motorised wheel chair in it! Just thought I'd share that one with you all..<br />
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"Teignmouth 2013" oil on board 8 x 24 inches</div>
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in the background there is the tunnel in the red cliffs where the coastal train track runs on through to Dawlish</div>
Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-57553842953102298452013-04-30T05:41:00.003-07:002013-04-30T05:46:56.240-07:00GWBThat's my father. We called him Papa. He was ill for a while and on Sunday morning he died. I am not after sympathy but I wanted to just say what a cool bloke he was. Last year thanks to the RP election I wanted to do a portrait of him but he went down hill before I got around to it and I wanted to remember him as he was for 99.999% of his life. I did do some drawings though. In fact the last one was on 30th December. He was a mad reader - he'd read anything! We reckon he'd read the instructions on a Tampax box if it was in front of him! So this picture makes me laugh:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LxQBiCATJJniFN-T8d_mvIDBTkEcz5l5tlQdUTBJl5CV2CT_czisAHylOYR5j4PBtsU0hU5-AS25VyBvhNCQVo_tRFqYzjFKs9-h7jI8NNqxcDvH-tA9oopi6Mwia4hzLNhNwVkNodQ/s1600/april+2012+'now+we+are+six'.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LxQBiCATJJniFN-T8d_mvIDBTkEcz5l5tlQdUTBJl5CV2CT_czisAHylOYR5j4PBtsU0hU5-AS25VyBvhNCQVo_tRFqYzjFKs9-h7jI8NNqxcDvH-tA9oopi6Mwia4hzLNhNwVkNodQ/s320/april+2012+'now+we+are+six'.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
I don't know if you can read my scrawl but is 'Papa reading 'Now we are Six'' 11/4/2012.<br />
We put together an Obituary for the Newbury Weekly News which is a tad cheaper than the Times (blimey a comma costs £5) which we also did. This is the NWN one:<br />
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10pt;">Geoffrey William Brown, 11<sup>th</sup> October 1929 – 28<sup>th</sup> April 2013</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10pt;">Born in Baghdad to Henry Wilfred and Hilda Mary Brown, he left at 4 years, continuing his childhood in the Woodley area with his sister Patricia.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10pt;">He was schooled at Marlborough College and, after a period of National Service, went on to study Modern Languages at Brasenose College, Oxford specialising in Romance Philology (language derivations from Latin).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10pt;">After he graduated he took up a teaching post at Horris Hill prep school where he met his wife Julia. He later moved to Redrice School Andover teaching French. As his hearing diminished, he retrained at Newbury college in Mathematics which he taught for many years before finally moving to Saint Mary’s, Wantage, to teach Computer Studies.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10pt;">Married in 1961, Geoffrey and Julia had 5 children, the youngest, Helena, who sadly died aged 18 in 1991, spurred them both into a ten year ‘Walking for Epilepsy’ campaign raising over £37,000.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10pt;">It is hard to say where he was happiest: in a book, with his electronics and computers, watching cricket, collecting fire wood from the woods around his home in Oare, boating on the river and canal, walking, or of course, playing golf. While he suffered throughout his life from deafness, latterly to a severe extent, he never let his condition get in the way of life and friendship.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10pt;">He had been ill for some time and died peacefully with his family around him at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, leaving his wife Julia, four children and ten devoted grandchildren. A charming, intelligent man with a great sense of humour, he will be deeply missed by all who knew him.</span></span></div>
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</span>Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-24139974397008353332013-04-23T15:45:00.001-07:002013-04-23T15:45:21.968-07:00Royal Mail and DVD'sSorry to anyone who's awaiting an invite for the India show. They (3,000+) were posted last Tuesday and as of today's post no one has received any (that's 7 days). The show opens in 14 days. There is nothing we can do but hope....<br />
Private view is 7th May 2013 6.30pm - 8.00pm. If you fancy going phone the gallery on 020 7437 5545.<br />
Good news though. Had a great day painting in Islington - wow that place is great: Beautiful little Georgian terraces and squares with lush pubs, cafes etc.. and WHAT a day - 23 degrees in London. God it was lush! Spring has arrived!!<br />
Apparently we will awake to frost Saturday morning though so enjoy it.<br />
Another bit of good news - I think APV have finished the film. Here's a preview:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;">..And not to be out done by his Dad, Ned returns from Nursery with his portrait of the Brown family (note the expression on Dad's face!!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span>Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-63567264236045790952013-04-09T14:32:00.002-07:002013-04-09T14:32:41.093-07:00Enough Indoors..!Just finished my second big India painting. Both have been worked up from a couple of of the India oil sketches. I did 44 I think over the two weeks at the end of February and beginning of march. I worked quite intensely and the detail in a couple I thought was enough to square up. I try this every now and then with limited success but I reckon it has gone OK this time. I've worked a 15 x 10 to 48 x 36 and have just completed a 62 x 54 from a 16 x 16 (Clearly the bigger ones have a bit more road). APV have just done their last bit of filming too. I'm not really very good at talking as I paint and they had a lot of silent footage that needed voice over. My mind went completely blank when reviewing the footage I'm afraid so I hope they do some magic in the studio!! We did 5 pictures in the film. They were a bit of a struggle and not my best examples but hopefully it'll be interesting to watch! I've also spent an age trying to put together a "Brown's London"glossy book but scared of the cost it has come to a halt. Back on the road proper tomorrow which I'm really looking forward to. The last outing took me to Rame's Head in Cornwall which was magic. God knows where tomorrow. Must check the weather and load the van.Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-15680909299264895442013-01-25T11:32:00.003-08:002013-01-25T11:32:59.892-08:00If you want a real blog...Read this:<br />
http://lauralouiseandhernaughtydisease.blogspot.co.uk/<br />
INCREDIBLE!Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-41526797023999624472013-01-23T15:41:00.002-08:002013-01-23T15:41:19.641-08:00Hot fingers..I've been trying to paint Bath in snow since the last Friday 18th January. I'd told the kids that they'd probably miss school but dad's painting so they'd have to sledge, snowman etc.. on their own. Lisa was more than supportive and I painted through the weekend and am still going now. Day one while it was snowing was a disaster. I was grumpy and miserable. Amazingly the cold did not bother me with 6 layers but in the evenings my fingers tingled hotly and seemed to grow!!? How well it has all gone I do not know. It has been a bit frenetic. We'll see. Delighted to have snuck a couple into the Lyn Painter Stainers this year. The two that got in I painted for it and I was over the moon to get them in particularly my labour of love (although not the poor models'!!), '<i>Painting the Browns'</i>. It is a 36 x 60 inch canvas and a mad painting of us all in the studio. Here it is:<br />
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<br />Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-5846858974032896092013-01-17T23:32:00.003-08:002013-01-17T23:32:46.203-08:00Reminds me..When I went to INDIA last February (what a ponse!), Ken and Patrick's gear got stuck in Dehli and they did not get it till the next day. Ken was so keen he got up and walked to the view he'd scouted the day before, he set up and,,,, it was still pitch black!<br />
PS I managed to sneak a couple into the Lyn Painter Stainers Prize which I am truly delighted about. I had been working on one - a family portrait in the studio for ages over and unto Christmas. It's quite big (36 x 60) and a real labour of love (although Ella hated posing!).Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-1253895557046324542013-01-17T23:23:00.003-08:002013-01-17T23:24:59.223-08:00SNOW!!!Too excited!!! I'm waiting for it to get light. Like a kid I got up way too early. Van is loaded with far too many canvases and I'm sitting here in tonnes of layers waiting for a bit of light. School's off. The house is buzzing like Christmas morning and they all know dad's out for the foreseeable future. I've just got to calm myself down and try to keep level headed.... too exciting!! Bath in snow for .... until it goes!Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-45123112427228541632012-09-13T04:43:00.002-07:002012-09-13T04:46:51.259-07:00OUCH!!!Just got back to the house to await the arrival of Messums. We are due a catch up and it's about time I provided a sandwich for David and Carol. The morning's post had arrived:<br />
"Oo goody the Discerning Eye results"<br />
I opened the letter to find 6 straight 'R' s. That hurt. You always come across people who no longer submit for the RA Open since the year they were rejected (while their work had been in consistently for 20 years or so). I have always found this a natural but illogical reaction. Art is subjective and it is all down to that year's selectors. BUT... That Friday 'put in' was a beautiful day and I spent hours driving to London, collecting paintings and dropping them off and I was really frustrated at the time. It was a wasted day and a missed day's painting. GRRRR!!!<br />
But never mind. Much more interesting is my new discovery:<br />
Weymouth.<br />
I headed down that way on Tuesday as the sun looked best there. I stopped first at Osmington Mills for a painting and then on to Weymouth. School <i><b>has </b></i>started hasn't it? It was throbbing. what amazing terraces on the front with wonderful victorian shelters and railings, loads of cafes, b&b's, hotels.. and tonnes of people eating ice creams. It is great and I will be back a lot I think.<br />
Lesson is:<br />
Paint and do as little running around with the goddam things when they are done as possible.<br />
Now I must tidy my studio for the visitation.<br />
<br />Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-16918459354449529372012-08-22T01:49:00.001-07:002012-08-22T01:49:29.954-07:00Bum! Missed the party!My first visit to London for ages..<br />
We booked our holiday, for the first time, and what a year to pick it, chasing the sun driving down through France to Spain. It was fabulous! The timing was built around Ollie's rugby tour and meant we missed all but the last few days of the Olympics. It seemed London was buzzing. I never listen to panic traffic warnings so why did I pay any attention to the 'don't drive in London during the Olympics' notices? This morning I drove past the banners, the union flags, the trampled dead grass in Hyde park where the big screens were and my heart sank. London always reacts well to troubles: - the tube bombings- I'll never forget the city coming to a halt a month later for two minutes and then the response to the riots last year. Apparently we can celebrate too. Apparently London was smiling. It would have been good to catch that. I understand it had never been easier getting in and out of the city too. Never mind. My kids will tell you I always get fed up after Christmas but I remind them it's not over yet. There's new year yet... And now we have the Paralympics. Rock on!<br />
On another note I have just finished another couple of days with the wonderful APV (caroline and Ant Parker) filming in Bantham. We had one day of sun. Out of the five or so paintings done I think 2 or 3 came good which is cool. I can not talk while painting though so we have a voice over and a bit in my studio to do. Anyway I think the sun is peaking through here in London. I'm off to paint a piece of the Howard de Walden estate with a scaffold truck in the foreground.Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-67661284188450712692012-07-13T08:45:00.001-07:002012-07-13T08:45:02.420-07:00Olympic LondonBit of a rant... Forgive me:<br />
We have spent a huge effort and enormous sums of money bidding and preparing for the olympics so people can come to London from all around the world but then we put signs across London on the weeks leading up to it on our roads and our public transport systems saying for God's sake don't think of travelling to or in London when the olympics are on. Strange really.<br />
Messums are doing a 'Best of British' group show and I have put some new pictures on <a href="http://www.petrbrownneac.com/">my website</a> that feature - sketches that I did on pageant day and a couple of the Gloriana when it was at Richmond having <b>more</b> gold put on it.<br />
I finished the Cardiff show a couple of weeks ago and have handed over all the information and pictures. I really enjoyed painting Cardiff and its surroundings. It is a wonderful city with lovely Victorian houses.<br />
I spent last weekend in London with Caroline, Ant and their son Oliver alias APV films. They filmed me painting Broadway Market in London Fields, Shad Thames and Lambeth Bridge. It was fairly rainy. We dodged most of the showers spending long periods under brollies but it was all great fun. We are going down to Bantham to do some more on Tuesday and Wednesdy and are praying for sun. When we were in Lambeth we saw this amazing Victorian building on the west end of Lambeth High Street a bit like Keble Oxford and St Pancras. Lambeth High street incidentally is remarkable for being the least High street high street there can be. There are no shops - just one pub in the middle. Apparently Lambeth was once famous for it's tiles and the building at the end is decorated in the most incredibly detailed ceramics.<br />
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<i>The Day of the Pageant, 10am, Spectators Settling, Lambeth</i></div>
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oil on board 6 x 8</div>
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<i>Bute Street from The South, Cardiff</i></div>
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oil on board 8 x 10</div>Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-57236538912402520862012-06-22T23:32:00.001-07:002012-06-22T23:32:07.986-07:00RP..And I forgot the most important... Charles Williams:<br />
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<br />Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-16757643431289081832012-06-22T04:56:00.002-07:002012-06-22T04:56:45.306-07:00RP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am just sending off some pictures for the Royal Society of Portrait painters and as these never really get an airing here are a couple of sketches. The first is Hattie and Ned asleep in our bed the morning after Ollie's rugby team lost the Somerset Cup Final and the second is what I do at NEAC committee meetings featuring David Parfitt, Richard Pikelsley, Toby Ward, Charlotte Halliday and a bit of Melvyn Petterson.Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-35017582105944103212012-06-15T02:52:00.001-07:002012-06-15T02:52:15.647-07:00On Gary's request..I have avoided in the past talking about painting let alone posting pictures but as Gary from down under has requested here is my rejection from the Threadneedle:<br />
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I was lucky enough to have a small on accepted which I am delighted at. I am not posting that one - you'll have to go to the Mall for that. This is 50 x 40 inches and took me an hour or two. By the way I think I said something derogatory about the Threadneedle taking 4 years to go trendy but it has been pulled right back in line and I would recommend any serious figurative painter to enter (keep your big mouth shut Brown!). While we're on the case, registration for the glorious NEAC Open Exhibition has opened. With the option to apply digitally this makes great sense for those further afield to now enter. Here's the link:<br />
http://www.newenglishartclub.co.uk/exhibitions.asp<br />
<br />Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-794122008067736412012-06-06T00:44:00.000-07:002012-06-06T00:44:27.400-07:00Sun and Rain: Olympic Torch and the River PageantOn the 23rd May Summer came to Bath with the arrival of the Olympic torch. My painting elsewhere desperately needed sun so I was not there to join in the atmosphere of school children and parents and grandparents, etc.... lining the streets in anticipation. Apparently it was great. It marked the beginning of shorts and sandals and, for us, signing up to the local outdoor pool. After 2 days we never thought it would rain again and we started to worry about the garden and desperately tried not to say out loud:<br />
"But it's too hot!"<br />
I am currently trying my best to paint a commission for the Draper's Company of the pageant. I had decided on a view from London Bridge towards Tower Bridge. I had set up a lovely sunny day from there previously with lots of foreground space for the tall hips and the relevant boats to stick in from sketches on the day... but sun did not happen so on the morning of the pageant I set off at 4am and got to London Bridge at 6am to set up a rainy scene. After weeks of being very apprehensive I had put myself in a positive state of mind and was up for it. When I'd parked up and arrived at the bridge I was faced with three yards next to the balustrade cordoned off, guarded by those fluorescent jackets. A deep breath, a smile and my best attitude was not good enough:<br />
"Just an hour,.. half an hour,.. in and out and I'll be gone..."<br />
I was pleased that I did not shout at him and took my temper out on the security fence when no one was looking later on (a small kick - oo Pete). I painted what I could from behind the fence - the top three feet of the masts and the balustrade while I watched them put plastic seats out for the nobs and the media. I did not find the watercolour jokes and the 'put me in it' jokes funny for that hour and in the end I left to paint a pageant unrelated wet street in Borough. 2 Hours later I'd calmed down and drove to Lambeth to do a tiny quick sketch of the building crowds on the embankment before going to a concrete pontoon at Battersea under the kind invite of Melanie and Mark 'The Organic' who live on the craziest catamaran houseboat I have ever seen! There were lots of people there with food and fancy dress invited by various residents and the atmosphere was great. We heard cheers from crowds over the river watching the big screen and I worked on a 10 x 15 looking at Vauxhall bridge with the great heights of the Shard disappearing into mist behind. The boats were great and the colours, I thought, better on a grey day than a sunny one. My depiction of the boats consisted of dots and splodges. My companions, Jonathan and his son Ludo were great company and Jonathan's knowledge and commentary on the passing boats it seems far exceeded that of the BBC who apparently banged on in the usual show biz obsessed style. When most had passed we drove up to London Bridge so that I could catch the tall ships at last from the bridge but the commoners were still forbidden from the view. Jonathan and Ludo went off to get a closer look at the queen and I found a great view looking over that slated ground around the 'Crash Helmet' looking towards London Bridge. Whether the painting comes to anything we'll see. The firework volley off the top of Tower Bridge was a great surprise and in the following seconds the smoke engulfed everything as the bridge disappeared. I was quite calm now getting steadily soggier and people chatted to me about their day and where they'd come from and it was lovely. My companions phoned to say they were off as Ludo who'd done so well was tired and wet and shortly after wetting my pants laughing at the lady in her union flag dress singing in the rain as she danced through the water feature 30 yards to my right I packed up and squelched back to the van. I drove home in bare feet warmed by the heaters ironing out the soggy wrinkles and at 10.30 shared some crisps and a glass of wine with Lisa before sleep - ahh lush!! I am not too sure quite how to proceed with the commission and as I sit here I am debating whether to drive up on the off chance that the tall ships have not left but I reckon they probably will have..<br />
A great weekend though confirming my belief that people are good natured (excepting the odd knackered artist at 6am on a rainy morning at London Bridge) complete fruitcakes!<br />
<br />Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-44574780689380949112012-04-30T16:11:00.000-07:002013-09-23T04:06:45.014-07:00This can go in the '??' box with Economics....That's floods and droughts. "Rivers are full but there's no water in the ground"??<br />
I'm afraid "all weather Pete the street" has been in the studio for the last week or so dodging the rain.<br />
Today though I was in Chelsea painting Chelsea and Albert Bridges in glorious sun (and wind and those itchy bits from plane trees that go in your eyes).<br />
The Lynn Painter Stainers Prize was great. I need to find more Bollinger sponsored events. There were several sponsors and prize winners thanked that night but the biggest cheer of the evening proceeded the word 'Bollinger'. It really did flow and there were hundreds of people there!<br />
Encouraged by that anyway I thought I'd break from Cardiff and have a go at a studio mantle piece picture for the Threadneedle Prize (yes another one - but they are great fun and the control you get in the studio compared to windy embankments..!). I already have a quirky perspective long thin one and am working on a 50 x 40 inch one square on (I have a 50 x 40 frame begging).<br />
Last week was however was not quite as smooth as I'd hoped - at least the painting wasn't. The mighty George Devlin had his latest wonderful show opening at the Portland Gallery. George very kindly decided to invite the 'India Boys' to join him and other family and friends for a meal after his PV at the Chelsea Arts Club. 10 days I was in India eating everything I should not from street food to egg curries. My intestines were never happier. One delicious meal in Chelsea and the liquid could not leave my body quickly enough from every available hole for two days! <br />
Anyway after my day in the sun in London I'm back to the mantle piece for a couple of days. I'm hoping that it'll be near done this week but I know I shall fiddle for ever.<br />
Family news: Ned (3 years old) has taken to falling to sleep to radio 3 in his room at night.<br />
Motor news: The TR6 goes to Acton on 10th May for a rebuild of diff mounts. I have this plan to take Ned up and spend a day in London with him but the jealously amongst his siblings may just be too much.Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-13915762221653668602012-04-18T00:00:00.002-07:002012-04-18T00:00:25.945-07:00A new superlative..I have been painting in Cardiff recently. The day before yesterday I was congratulated on a small oil of Bute Street (people are so polite) 'That's SMASH that is!".<br />
'Smash' - I like it. So we can add that to 'proper', 'well good','bad', 'heavy', 'do' (pronounced do and not doo) and the most popular 'sick'.<br />
<br />Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8564139174043256121.post-6739512998252945052012-04-11T22:57:00.000-07:002012-04-11T22:57:32.885-07:00Enough chocolateWe've had a good blast this Easter and I've not painted since Good Friday!! Just the odd sketch book hit. I think I start work for the Cardiff show today so I'm over the Severn Bridge. At least that's the plan.<br />
<br />Peter Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847297730074263257noreply@blogger.com0