Gordon Frickers' Blog

Featured Artists section of Winsor & Newton

Gordon Frickers — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:40 +0000

Received by e mail today – Your profile is now published in the Featured Artists section of Winsor & Newton – great news! Why? Read on!

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

Some great news fresh in today.

A small part of “The Grand Plan” falling into place.

I’d like you to be one of first to know not because I wish to boast, simply because I’m so delighted I’d like to share with you.

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.

Italian skipper blamed for cruise ship grounding.

Gordon Frickers — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:02:38 +0000

Just in from my good friend George Wong ( George is ex Blue Funnel).

With regard to allegations that the Captain and crew abandoned the

Italian owned ship and their duties prematurely after hitting the rocks.It appears that Winston Churchill may have been correct in his
description of Italian cruise lines.

Upon losing the election after WWII, Churchill did what every other defeated politician does, he went on a paid speaking tour.
He was nervous about flying, and as a result, he always took cruise ships to speaking engagements abroad.

Curiously, he always sailed on an Italian owned cruise ship rather than the British run Cunard Lines.

When asked about this by the British media, he replied: Well, there are two reasons
for this.

One, the food, wine and entertainment is much, much better, and
two, in the event of sinking there is none of this women and children first
nonsense.”

I was on the phone much of today trying to find galleries interested in selling my art – my least favourite occupation…

The fun part of today was working on a new Pickle painting and talking with a direct descendant of the Pickle’s commander.

Pickle is the ship in the painting “I have urgent dispatches“.

The new painting has thrown up some new information about HM Schooner Pickle, I love research!

My good friend Bob Brennan has also been very helpful with research including in Plymouth Naval Reference Library.

The new picture will be a calm weather study same format designed to make a pair.

Le concert “Pax, Shalom, Salam”

Gordon Frickers — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:00:29 +0000

Ensemble Aventura at Albi, a UNESCO world heritage city will host a concert in the style of medieval wandering minstrels at the MJC centre.

MJC centre, 13 Rue de la Republique T: +33 (0) 5 63 54 20 67 – 27th January at 20.30 price 8 to 11 Euros.

The concert will feature typical songs from the 11^th to the 15^th centuries of the region.

This will include Latin, Hebrew, Ladino and Arab music, carols of l’Occitan traditional Jewish – Spanish and or Tunisian, songs of the synagogue and or courtly songs or love.

The theme is one of peace hence the title “Pax, Shalom, Salem”

Le concert “Pax, Shalom, Salam est compose de

chants médiévaux en latin, en hébreu, en ladino et en

arabe. Les trois musiciens revisitent un patrimoine

musical très ancien (des 1l’ et 15, siècles). Chants de

Pèlerinage, Noël occitane, traditionnels judéo-espagnols

ou tunisiens, chants de la synagogue ou d’amour courtois.

Le spectateur est appelée d partir sur les chemins

d’occident pour faire route jusqu’en orient, avec les

musiciens voyageurs.

Car les musiciens par leur goût de la rencontre et de

L’échange, ont toujours été vecteurs de dialogue et de paix.

C’était vrai au moyen-age, c’est encore vrai aujourd’hui !

D’ou le titre de ce concert « Pax, Shalom, Salam ».

Marion G0MBES : chant

Jodel GRASSEI: luth

Elina JEUDI : violon – flûte

HM Schooner Pickle

Gordon Frickers — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:17:24 +0000

A new painting of HMS Pickle is in preparation.

Approaching England HMS Pickle off Mounts Bay on course for Falmouth is in the later phase of sketch and research.

The painting results from new research.

HMS Pickle is based on a careful detailed examination of the 2 only pictures likely to have been overseen by her commander so a reliable eye witness.

This new painting, the most definitive portrait to date of HMS Pickle will show a calm misty early morning scene with a hint of St Michael’s Mount in the distance (I might change that to the Lizard) and is based on the known weather and track of HM Schooner Pickle as she approached Falmouth on November 4th 1805.

I’m painting it in part to make a pair with my well known “I have urgent dispatches” one of my most popular ‘Heritage’ prints.

I’ve not managed to find a copy of A. S, Oliver’s book “Boats and Boatbuilding in West Cornwall” or Edgar March’s book “Sailing Drifters”, much as I’d like them.

Living mostly in SW France has some drawbacks.

Now I have a near complete sketch of the proposed painting,

I’ll try and contact Tony Pawlyn a trustee of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall at Falmouth and Professor Jan Pentreath who i’m told has a fine collection of photographs of Cornish luggers.

I’d like to get the lugger details, rig, hulls, colour schemes as ‘right’ as possible so any assistance is much appreciated. If the picture is half as popular as “I have urgent dispatches” it will help spread interest in Cornish luggers.

Yesterday another copy of the renowned “I have urgent dispatches” was sold via this web site’s Print Gallery page using PayPal.

This copy of this well known HMS Pickle painting is going to Cornwall and will be beautifully remarqued.

Exhibition of paintings, memories of the Orient

Gordon Frickers — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:06:43 +0000

An exhibition of large and excellent paintings in Nice by Nelly Kahloun painter and I am please to say good friend. When? Cocktails Thursday 19 January from 18.30, where? At Museav,16 Place Garibaldi, Nice T: 0493562119

Nelly’s Brochure

A presentation on HMS Pickle

Gordon Frickers — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:51:35 +0000

Two HMS Pickle questions arrived a few days ago…

The famous schooner HMS Pickle is of course featured on this web site.

Much of her history is featured here on this web site and makes a good read plus we still have a few copies left of the stunning and best selling print “I have urgent dispatches“.

“Reference to a presentation on HMS Pickle, could i ask you a few questions,
Do you know the max speed and cruising speed of the schooner and when was the name officially changed?”

Name; On 04.01.1802 The Admiralty wrote to Lt Thrush her commander when at Portsmouth Dockyard ordering Sting change her name to Pickle.

At that time the original Pickle (Maybe built at Picklecombe, on the Cornish side of Plymouth Sound) was still in the West Indies and hard at work for K & Country.

The confusion was made worse when Lt Thrush was replaced by a lieutenant with a name rarely correctly spelt, Lt Lapenotiere

Max speed of Pickle.

That would have been roughly proportional to the square root of her waterline length.

In Pickle’s case we know she could log at least 9 knots and quite possibly 12 but I doubt more.

Dimensions usual given are draught fwd 7′ 7″ 2.3 m 11′ 7″ 3.5 m aft Gun deck 73 ‘ 22.5 m keel 56′ 3 3/3″ 17 m breadth (internal) 20′ 7 1/4″ 6 m depth in hold 20 7 1/4″ 2.8 m tonnage (old measure) 127.

Her advantages at sea of course included ability to sail close, handled by a relatively small crew (35 to 40) and her general ‘handiness, maneuverability.

Pickle sailed well which is one of the reasons I doubt she was built in Bermuda.

Her name caused much confusion and as does her place of origin.

My own view is it is most likely she was built in or near Plymouth but why I think that is a story in its self.

We do know she was first ‘hired’ at the rate of £10.00 per day then purchased for £2,500.00 and there was much confusion in official records with the earlier Pickle still sailing until about 1804 and from Plymouth, tender to HMS Sans Parreil.

She was originally ‘Sting‘ and there is I’m told a document that says she was a cutter re rigged by the Plymouth dockyard as a schooner however with out seeing the original I’d not put to much faith in that.

At that period the RN favoured cutters and had many custom built. The schooner was a new type to the RN although the navy had purchased schooners in New England as far back as the 1760’s.

For those people interested in HMS Pickle you may like to be among the first to know I am working on a new Pickle painting showing the schooner approaching England, off Mounts Bay,

A preliminary sketch is shown here.

Happy New Year,

Gordon Frickers — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:29:32 +0000

Wishing you (all) a very happy healthy and lucky prosperous 2012 ~

Je vous (tu) souhaite une très bonne année 2012

‘Tis not the gales but the set of your sails that determines the way you go ~AnonIn France people who have not met for a while still wish each other happy new year, une très bonne année, some times as late as in February.

French etiquette, manners, are some what different to English good manners.

On the whole French people acknowledge people they know rather more than the British do.

I have often seen people cross a square just to say ‘bonjour’ and shake hands rather than pass by a friend or acquaintance.

In most shops there are polite little rituals before and after being served.

Adhering to them is considered courteous.

There is an etiquette attached to the Gallic kiss on the cheeks, some thing most British and Americans are blissfully unaware of so constantly get ‘wrong’.

The French realise they are ‘foriegners’ so are always courteous about this not remarking on the minor blunders.

If you are interested in French etiquette, manners, there are sources on the Internet to guide you.

Happy New year to you.

I rather like the French, most still believe in the old revolutionary cry of ‘Liberty, fraternity, egality, vive la France in 2012.

Wayfarer and Chunukah

Gordon Frickers — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:47:04 +0000

I had to move my Wayfarer (named EV ) from one garage to another, changing winter quarters.

This is still a temporary home, a more reliable solution is needed before she can be renovated, story of my recent life too! Last night of Chanukah, a celebration of among other things of success against seemingly impossible odds.

I am reminded of my dear old Dad who used to say (”not so much of the old“) – “difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer“.

The boat in question was the last boat I built when at Rye, East Sussex as Mr. South East boat Builders Ltd.

33 years ago…

Sixteen feet overall and all wood she proved to be a very sea worthy day boat, easy to handle single handed, a stable picnic platform and quick enough to win at the 1981 National Championship.

I sold her after 5 very happy years and last year bought her back.

She needs some serious renovation so I regard her as a project, ‘boat therapy’ and as one of my family come home.

She featured in one of my marine paintings, “Golden Days“, a water colour last heard of in the ownership of my ex wife.

HM Schooner Pickle, cousin Jack to cousin Jack

Gordon Frickers — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:56:07 +0000

The schooner Pickle, famed for racing the Trafalgar dispatches to England; I am working on a new painting of the schooner Pickle as she passed Mounts Bay Cornwall in light early morning airs.

Pickle is reputed to have spoken with fishing luggers who raced the news to the port of Mousehole where allegedly the Trafalgar news was first announced. I’m going to try and contact some of the Cornish lugger people.

I have begun sketches.

You may be familiar with Pickle, the vessel carried the news of Trafalgar and the death on Nelson to England?

We know from her log Pickle passed Mounts bay in light airs on the morning of 04.11.05.

Pickle was carrying the Trafalgar dispatch.

I’d like to show some Cornish luggers, possibly cheekily, ‘borrow’ some of the existing luggers as a little ‘in’ jest.

One of the paintings I am best known for (and available as a collectors print is “I have urgent dispatches” of the now renowned Pickle – http://frickers.co.uk/marine-art/urgent_dispatches.html.

Now i am going to add a second Pickle painting so you can collect the pair.

You are possible aware there is a local story denied by some academics, that Pickle spoke with Cornish luggers in Mounts Bay and that is the intended subject of my new painting.

As one who lived in Cornwall for many years, worked with Cornishmen and sailed Cornish waters it is my conjecture that the story is true and needs a new painting.

Any information you can send me about Mounts Bay luggers in the early 19 th century will be of great interest and our co operation may prove mutually beneficial.

The details I’d most like to acquire would be of the luggers in light airs working, hoisting or lowering sail / anchor, maneuvering.

I don’t mind if the luggers are modern.

Only the most knowing observers will know there are differences between 1805 luggers and those of today.

For the intended scene I have found what are probably the only 2 illustrations of Pickle made from eye witness accounts (most ‘Pickle‘ paintings are bit of a pickle = wrong).

See the ‘further reading’ pages on frickers.co.uk to decide if you agree or disagree.

The intention is to show Pickle, on the calm hazy November morning of 04.11.05 as she ghosted under full sail plus across the outer Mounts bay to pass the Lizard for Falmouth.

We know Pickle regularly patrolled Cornish waters between 1802 and 1805 so would have been ‘known’ to the men of Mousehole where it is locally proudly claimed the then sensational Trafalgar news was first announced in England.

Pickle was a Plymouth ship and often worked Cornish waters including fighting several sharp actions with French privateers.

It is in my view contrary to some leading academics, it is quite likely crew members would have recognized each other, have been family so if Pickle passed close to a group of luggers the Trafalgar news would in = evitable have been passed, cousin Jack to cousin Jack.

Any ‘working’ photos you can refer me to or advice on appearance and rigging would be appreciated as would having an expert check my luggers before the painting goes on show.

I would hope that in some form the painting might eventually benefit the association and the old ladies too.

The Golden Hinde I am preparing to paint is the ship as built by Alan Hinks team at Appledore.

I have no idea where she is now.

I have painted her once before.

Anyway, I am working on an idea, to show her in heavy weather off Cape Horn or at least discovering Drakes Passage which discovery seems largely forgotten however the passage in their honour carries that name to the day.

I might try a painting of Drake in the Magellan Straits too, based on the Thomas Somerscales version.

In addition I am planning a fairly dramatic painting of the Batavia, a calmer warmer picture of the Hermione and am researching naval parts of the War of 1812.

As if that is not enough I intend a series of paintings based on sights I have seen in the past few years around this area

I have fairly clear visions of all the above so now am beginning to turn then into sketches and am considering colour and lighting schemes.

All the above will be by my standard quite small paintings, none more than about 20″ x 32″ and executed quickly and more loosely than some of this/ last years work.

Now all I need is good health and the tranquility to be able to concentrate!

Today I don’t have good health, I’m being troubled by the same aches I had when ill earlier this autumn.

Here’s hoping and praying they simply are stress related and go the **** away!

The weather here remains mild for the time of year.

It is getting much colder especially at night.

I’m in thermals most days and wish I had more and warmer thermals because we expect snow very soon and nights are already down to – 3!

Merry Christmas, Joueuse Noël

Gordon Frickers — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:44:27 +0000

Wishing you all the seasonal best, health and happiness in a better 2012

Je tu souhaite les joueuses fêtes, bon santé et un meilleur 2012

from Gordon

PS: If you have had spam sent using my email please accept my sincere apologies. Some half wit has been sending spam using my address which has been quite damaging.

I had been trying to fix the issue for some time (there is a recent blog entry on this subject). Fortunately Pobox have been very quick and helpful. I hope Pobox and I have now put a stop to the problem.

My e mail clears via Pobox.com.