Your page is available at http://www.winsornewton.com/community/featured-artists/gordon-frickers/?lang=gb

You may of course be aware, Winsor & Newton are a state of the art company who have been making artists materials since about 1820 including for one of the greatest artists of all time, one of my great hero’s JMW Turner.

The page needs some refining. Main thing is it exists!

~

Meanwhile I have much painting and marketing of my art to get on with.

Including finding a buyer for the unique Olympic games “Going for Gold” painting of Ben Ainslie.

~

I’m planning a visit to England with my car late April early May.

Dates will be settled very soon.

~

Nelly’s Brochure    

The painting can also serve to introduce ‘The Art of Gordon Frickers’ to some leading galleries and auction houses; which one will seize the opportunity to sell this unique picture?

Paintings of dinghy sailing are rare, portraits of famous sailors rarer, a  painting licensed by the British Olympic Association, probably utterly unique.

For further information read on or phone Frickers -

(UK) 01865 522435 (International: +44 1865 522435)

(France) 05 63 40 72 25 (International +33 5 63 40 72 25)

The painting “Going for Gold” shows Ben Ainslie on his way to winning the first of 3 successive Olympic Gold medals. – “Going for Gold” – 762 x 1016 mm (30″ x 40″)

http://frickers.co.uk/marine-art/ben_ainslie_sydney_olympics.html

This picture was produced under license with the special permission of the British Olympic Association.

Ben Ainslie is one of Britain’s most renowned high profile living sailors.

He continues to build a distinguished career

Gordon Frickers is a highly experienced and respected marine artist who has worked with some of the British Olympic squad and the British Olympic Association.

Gordon is the only marine artist to have been invited to exhibit at The European Parliament (May 2011).

He was commissioned for a series of paintings for HMS Victory, and has produced several significant works depicting this famous ship and the Nelsonian subjects.

Illustrated here, Trafalgar dawn the French Perspective, painted in 2010, exhibited in Brussels, the original is available at the time of writing as are signed numbered copies.

Gordon Frickers has featured in many journals this year including Sea Breezes and Warships IFR.

His “Roaring Forties” was recently described by Dick Durham (Yachting Monthly) as “iconic”.

“Putting something back” – Ben and Gordon agreed as sailors who have benefited from the RYA / BOA system, they wish a significant percentage of the sale price to be donated to the BOA.

This picture was produced under license with the special permission of the British Olympic Association who by act of Parliament has exclusive copyright to all images pertaining to the British in any Olympic Games.

We have a limited permission to reproduce this image in support of Gordon Frickers work.

Ben Ainslie and Gordon Frickers co-operated closely to produce this unique Olympic Games action portrait of Ben Ainslie at the Sydney Olympic Games in a Laser sail boat on his way to win his first of 4 gold medals for sailing.

Ben Ainslie besides winning 4 successive Olympic Gold medals is on course for a 5^th in 2012 and if successful equals Paul Elvstrom the “Great Dane”, considered the all time best Olympic sailor. Sailing is more competitive today than in Elvstrom’s time, may hold the modest Ainslie in awe! Ainslie was elected ISAF World Sailor of the Year in 1998, 2002 and 2008.

Quote from Sir Robert Knox-Johnston:

“From a very happy owner of an original Gordon Frickers painting” (The iconic “Roaring Forties”)

Quote from letter to Mr Andrew Bray, Editor of Yachting World:

“I have won a few prizes in my short racing career, but I can assure you this will be the one I treasure most. Please convey my appreciation to the artist (Gordon Frickers) and once again my sincere thanks to you and your organisation for such a wonderful prize” M. J. Leadbeater.

Quote from “Sea Breezes”: (long established world wide magazine of ships and the sea)

“We are delighted to report that Frickers was uniquely invited to exhibit at The European Parliament 23^rd- 26^th May 2011.  The exhibition titled “Life on the Ocean Wave” included many of Frickers most significant works…..

…..Frickers is the only artists who is a member of The British Marine Federation, and Superyacht UK”

~

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to review other painting by this versatile artist, marine painting embracing many subjects and in particular his less known vibrant  landscapes.

http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/index.html

http://www.frickers.co.uk/colour/index.html

~

Typical Press story: The Mail on line wrote: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2019087/London-2012-Olympics-Yachtsman-Ben-Ainslie-Britains-modern-day-Steve-Redgrave.html

Yachtsman Ben Ainslie is Britain’s modern-day Steve Redgrave. In his final Olympics, prepare for the sail of the century.

I was here to study at close quarters what makes our helmsman — Ben Ainslie CBE, winner of three Olympic gold medals and one silver — a phenomenon as worthy of admiration as anyone in contemporary sport.

He may not be mobbed in Regent Street but he is the principal celebrity — a description he would thankfully detest — in any yachting town. ‘I never have and don’t suppose I ever will have to go through what somebody like Lewis Hamilton or David Beckham goes through,’ he said.

Determined to win a fourth gold in London — a feat that would leave him behind only Sir Steve Redgrave in British Olympic history for the level of success accrued over a span of 16 years.

‘There is this fear-of-losing thing,’ he said. ‘It’s competing for something you set out to achieve and not wanting to fail. It’s the same as A-level students who go out to get three A’s and work their arses off. They don’t want to come up short. Over and above that, this is a competition, so you don’t want to be beaten by guys who are younger than you or who you think you should be beating.’

That is the essential Ben Ainslie.

The basic reason is it is time to sell the splendid action portrait of the Olympic gold medal winner Ben Ainslie.

http://frickers.co.uk/marine-art/ben_ainslie_sydney_olympics.html

Painted in 2000 with the full co operation of Ben Ainslie and Restronguet Sailing Club, the club were Ben learnt to sail,  the original intention was to produce prints to as Ben Ainslie said “put something back into sailing“.

To that end I obtained a licence from the British Olympic Association.

A licence from the British Olympic Association was vital for 2 reasons.

The BOA is the only charity who’s copyrights are protected by act of Parliament and with them we wished to market the prints.

Unfortunately the deal fell through partly because the printer messed up, partly because my life was passing through its darkest hours.

More recently the painting of Ben Ainslie has been re worked here in France and Ben has gone on to win 3 more gold medals and is on track for a possible 5th at the London Games.

We are looking to interest the committee in paintings of all the winning sailors and have a special way f doing this based on the very successful prizes I painted for the Rolex Swan Nautor European Regattas some years ago for Yachting World.

If the London people are not interested in our proposal and the painting the plan is to offer it for auction in London via one of the leading Marine Painting Auction houses.

~

This morning I drove down hill to Gaillac.

The vale was shrouded in sheets of pink and mauve mists.

The objective was not so charming.

A blood test by the end of which some 6 capsules of blood, half and arm full had been extracted from the reluctant donor.

My blood group is rare, B RH negative.

The question is what is in it? According to Dr Chaucot and my research online I probably have stomach ulcers with a 4 % chance of serious complications.

For sure the side effects are becoming steadily more pronounced since my collapse at Monaco which may have been an ulcer rupturing.

We should have the results tomorrow.

Out tonight, Anglo French evening, cultural and language exchanges, fun and educational.

You may know the Swan class are some times described as the Mercedes Benz of production yachts and at Monaco they unveiled their biggest yacht to date, a glorious 90 foot sloop.

Yesterday I was in the fabulous ville d’ Antibes to submit an application to exhibit with the municipal.

I was invited to make the application last April however sorting out a professional looking app in French was a challenge I could not manage alone.

Plus of course there have been a few distractions along the way like the Exhibition at the European Parliament and friends including my web master visiting.

Even with the help of my ‘French sister’ Helene Ancelot the task took longer than expected.

However the job is done well thanks to Helene and an unexpected bonus was instead of posting the dossier I was able to deliver it by hand and catch up on my friends news of Antibes.

I carefully monitored my physical well being yesterday.

Took extra care to eat well including a good lunch at my favourite restaurant in Juan les Pines before heading West at 15.00 and found it essential to stop and sleep in my car for 3/4 of an hour near Nimes.

Arriving  at 23.30 ish, I found 72 emails and post including a package from Russia.

The Russian package was from Captain Igor Kozyr who is as good as his word and contained the promised copies of the book “Frozen Fury, the story of convoy PQ 13“, ISBN 978-5-904180-37-9.

I am delighted to report my painting “PQ 13, Artic Convoy to Mourmansk”

http://frickers.co.uk/marine-art/pq_13_new_westminster_city.html has reproduce better than I could have wished on the front cover.

The painting “PQ 13, Artic Convoy to Mourmansk” was chosen partly because it is the only known picture of PQ 13 produced from an eye witness report.

Captain Kozyr also generously gave my work a 2 page spread at the back of the book.

Now I have email to catch up on, phone calls to reply to, some interesting blog entries to make, a large landscape to complete and my son’s problems to worry over.

Still tired and not having had a little holiday for 18 months I long for  warm beach for a few days – fat chance!

With an invitation to dinner this evening at least I don’t have to worry about eating well today.

Most of the art news will have to wait until next week.

The past 10 days have been very full and passed all to quickly.

I’m working on and have almost complete a marketing strategy for the next few years.

Busy too with a commission, a painting of the Pyrenees, not all of them but quite a lot.

Today I leave complete with upgraded brochure and copies of the booklet “Life on the Ocean Wave” for a few days at the Monaco Yacht Show.

Objectives will include delivering my reply by hand to the invitation to submit an application to exhibit with the Municipal d’Antibes, looking for commissions and subjects to paint on spec on the cote d’azur.

More news as and when I return.

Warships International Fleet Review is written mostly by defence correspondents primarily for people professionally involved with warships world wide.

All the Pictures are beautifully printed and those of  “The Painting of Gordon Frickers” featured are naturally all warships International and  include Formidable, Zeven Provincien, Nelson at Gibraltar, Condell leaving Portsmouth and Maidstone v Lion all of which can be viewed on this web site and several are available as signed prints.

He has been ‘beavering’ at this for weeks, we thought he was getting no where…

Bob Brennan, musician, the composer who wrote several pieces inspired by Gordon Frickers paintings today wrote, “I have spoken to Gordon Frickers as soon as I returned home, during which conversation, he asked if he might come to meet the Lord Mayor of Plymouth at 11.30am on Friday, July 1st. (That is this coming Friday.)

I hope this will be convenient to The Lord Mayor, and hope that you see this note when you arrive at your desk on Thursday morning. Gordon is looking forward to this meeting very much. His e mail address is art-gf@pobox.com

Please could you say what security procedures he and I need to follow for this meeting, by E mailing both Gordon and myself?

Alison took note of this request on your behalf at about 15 25hrs today, Tuesday 28th June“.

~

There are several issues for the Lord Mayor to think over including:

He has on his hands the only Marine Artist ever to be invited to the European Parliament.

Probably the only one from Plymouth indeed from the whole of the South Weest of England – and the regional media missed the story as did all the local galleries and the City museum!

Excellent publicity opportunity for the Lord Mayor?

The large new painting “Emigration, Plymouth Cattewater“ is yet to be displayed in Plymouth.

Gordon Frickers has not exhibited in Plymouth for over 10 years.

Sale of prints could aide the Lord mayor’s favourite charity – as did “The Port of Chester 1863″.

For the story and pictures including with the mayor of Chester see page http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/tag/chester/

Mind you, Chester gave the artist a civic reception at the Guildhall with over 400 invited guests attending and we sold 90 +  prints that night!

Chester Sea Scouts benefited.

Can Plymouth match of better that?

What else could be done inexpensively to better the cultural image of Plymouth and attract visitors and investment?

The Plymouth web site very poorly represent it’s painters and its museum to tourists.

A reputation might be enhanced by over seeing that?

This could easily and cheaply be dramatically improved! Currently Plymouth -could jump ahead of most British towns and cities which are lagging way behind many continental cities and towns – and missing out on tourist income…

I did not fully appreciate

I’m being asked how did the exhibition at the European Parliament go?

Here is part of my Brussels ‘debriefing’ so probably of general interest and it certainly contains some useful hints for fellow artists.

There is a beautiful collectable booklet of the exhibition which I hope inspires you and is well worth the £12.95 plus P&P

I am now looking for other places to show.

I learnt a lot by showing at Brussels.

Some notes are below which may be of interest to you, taken from my de briefing sheet.

There is more news and of the story on this blog with pictures.

I’d say another time I’ll spend much more time on publicity and show fewer pictures.

I did well for publicity some 20 publications carried the story or at least referred to it but The Art of Gordon Frickers could have done much better.

Main reason for the impending visit to GB is to learn more about ‘marketing art’ and ‘Frickers’ as an artist brand name as opposed to selling.

The exhibition went well and looked better than I expected.

Some 500 people visited over 4 days

Sales – Too early to tell.

2 possible paintings, 2 possible print sales.

However this was not a selling environment, the EP frown on selling from exhibitions there.

You can catch the story more fully on my blog, with pictures.

That said I am already feeling the benefits of having shown there.

‘Doors’ open more easily when speaking with people re research and further exhibitions.

People are impressed and so they should be.

This is an invaluable form of recognition.

Artists are rarely invited to the EP and never before a marine artist.

I did not fully appreciate what I had done until after the show.

The collection looked truly magnificent, very up market, varied, stylish, and inspiring.

I also doubt in my life time we will again see such a collection of “Frickers” under one roof so beautifully displayed

If only because there is no way I am loading my car like that again!

There is also the matter of offering prospects to much choice.

From this experience I would say 12 to 15 paintings is plenty for a one man exhibition.

I did not fully appreciate the EP rarely show art work. I had assumed it was quite a regular event, wroooong, it is very unusual.

Professional photographer is essential.

Get good photos of all guests, it makes them feel important and may provide new contacts.

Good photo with host essential.

Photos essential for follow up publicity.

Ask for business cards and have a visitor’s book.

Not more than 20 pictures unless there is an excellent reason. 12 are enough.

Spend more time on PR and galleries less on painting.

Have follow up news ready ASAP and copy catalogue to all helpers and interested people who could not attend.

The above is too much for one person to tackle,

Add more?

Other?

Best wishes to all my fellow artists,

Gordon