Archive for November, 2009

Charting a course at the Hydrographic Office

Friday, November 6th, 2009

All days are special,  some more so.

Today I drove to Taunton and had an incredible day at the Admiralty Hydrographic Office research department.

I was looking for period drawings of Botany Bay (Laperouse) and Gibraltar (Nelson)  for 2 marine paintings I am planning and thanks to Guy Hannaford, what a day I had!  (more…)

The BBC, Radio and TV

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Today started with an interview on BBC Radio Devon with Gordon “Sparkie” Sparks mostly on the subject of “I have urgent dispatches“, the painting and marine prints of HMS Pickle.

The Pickle is to be featured in 2010 in  BBC Channel 4 documentary and (more…)

“Jane Banks”, topsail schooner now in print

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Jane Banks entering Bermuda”, is today a new marine print, taken from the marine painting, I have been working on this picture this afternoon with my printer at Adaptgraphics, for a descendant (more…)

A Pickle meeting on Pickle night 04.11.09 “I have Urgent Dispatches”

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

Because of H.M. Schooner “Pickle“, carrying the news of the Battle of Trafalgar (see  http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/urgent_dispatches.html }
Anne Maddever, descendant of Lieut. John LAPENOTIERE, meeting with Gordon Frickers, marine artist and probably the leading authority on HMS PickleA_M__GF__VD_IMG_6365_wp.JPG

Because of a forthcoming BBC Channel 4 TV documentary, “Boats that made Britain”, Anne and Gordon had been in touch by email and phone for several months and decided to have their first rendez-vous appropriately on 04.11.09, Pickle Night. (more…)

North and into the fogg n cold

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

The long drive North from Itzac and my first experience of cold wet misty weather since last April…

Happily the first night was spent with very good friends who have a house in Morbihan, vallee de Villaine near Redon and in that house was a warm welcome and an open fire.

Today I have finished the drive at Roscoff, Rosko in the Breton language.  Roscoff_IMG_6360__wp.jpg

(more…)