http://www.frickers.co.uk/about.html finds he lives in a harsh world.

Done, good idea, maybe you would do the same for me and include a link to my web site?

For Francis Pratt I wrote:

In brief, I would say people attending one of your courses who are not impressed with the exceptional excellence of your courses and the special knowledge available have a bigger problem than improving their art!

Your courses offer a probably unique way for artists amateur and professional to further understand their art work in a most charming environment the seductive village of Castelnau de Montmiral.

I have no hesitation in recommending you.

Having attended as a professional marine artist specialising in but by no means exclusively in marine subjects (see www.frickers.co.uk) I first attended your school when? 1989?

I found and still do that you are the most knowledgeable art teacher I have met and that includes during my 5 years study of art and photography at Uni.

Although I arrived with a good reputation and impressive list of clients which suggests I was at least good at what I did, I found you adapted quickly and provided exactly what I needed both in terms of improving my drawing skills (I have never worried about drawing since) and exceptionally, my understanding of colour and my own very rare form of colour vision.

I do not think any one but you could have done that.

Further, I have heard out of your hearing many of your other students say how much their art work benefited from working with you.

In conclusion I would like to add, you put the finishing touches on my fine art education, I use techniques you taught every time I paint and draw, or is it draw n paint?

I am delighted to have an opportunity here to in some small personal way, to publicly acknowledge your contribution to my work as a painter.

I’ll blog this too, with a link for you.

Gordon Frickers, Marine Artist.

Up early ish today and loading my car including with 2 major marine paintings (Plymouth Cattewater and Nelson at Gibraltar 10 Dec 1796) and numerous French landscapes.

One of the objectives of this return to my home port of Plymouth is to find out how the paintings are received, perceived and valued, another is to consider suitable exhibition venues.

The marine art was produced with in mind,  next years offer of an exhibition at the European Parliament, that being as far as I know the first time a marine artist from any country has been asked to exhibit at the European Parliament, certainly the first time an artist from Plymouth has been asked.

Thus with a fairly full car, including my traveling easel, paints, and so on I left Itzac sharp on 09.00 on a gloriously sunny morning, first stop Sauternes in Bordeaux with my good friends Isabelle and Jean Marie, the mayor and mayoress of Sauternes.

I admit I love Sauternes,

You may know of Sauternes wine?

The most exclusive white wine in the world comes from Sauternes, itself a very modest village of some 650 souls.

I have visited and painted there several times as part of my “Famous Wine Villages of France” project more of that on the web site.

You can view some of this work on page

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

This is a project I am looking to re start this summer partly because the villages have changed, more so because my work has matured and the new paintings will be even more fascinating.

As I was carrying, most unusually, a selection of about 40 french landscapes and 2 major marine paintings.

I was prevailed upon to show my work, not to hard, to show the art work I was conveying.

My friends know my work well, owning a landscape of Sauternes, also the town hall purchased a fine example, a painting of the town hall (and the gardens of the place de Sauternes)!

Isabelle and I had discussed my stopping as I more or less pass Sauternes on my route North, I had coffee at mid day in mind,

Isabelle had other ideas…

Barbeque and birthday cake,  surprisingly a truly  excellent Chardonnay from South Africa courtesy of Edward their son who unsurprisingly works in the wine industry and surprisingly has just returned from a tour working in overseas vineyards including in Chile and South Africa.

A wonderful spontaneous lunch, thank you my friends.

After a nap, onward to Bordeaux then te long haul North North North…

]]> http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/2010/05/24/en-route-to-england/feed/ 0 http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/2010/03/22/email-in-a-pickle/ http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/2010/03/22/email-in-a-pickle/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:58:17 +0000 Gordon Frickers http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/?p=1771 How wonderful is email?

A few days ago and there is a joke in here some where,  I received an email dated February 23, now why did that arrive so late?

The subject, an enquiry, was “H.M. Schooner “Pickle“, carrying the news of the Battle of Trafalgar ~PurchasePrint : yes ~ Message : On prestige cotton canvass~ Message entered from : H.M. Schooner “Pickle“, carrying the news of the Battle of Trafalgar.

You can see and read more of the extra ordinary research and story of  Pickle and this wonderful and renowned picture on web site page http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/urgent_dispatches.html.

Curiously, ironically, given the delay, the joke maybe is this marine print is entitled “I have urgent dispatches“.

This dramatic picture shows HMS Pickle in heavy weather, her equally dramatic dispatch indicated by Pickle flying flags 2214, an 1805 (Admiral Popham’s) code signal when speaking en route with HMS Nautilus, Pickle then carrying  the news which stunned the British nation and is still referred to by the French as “le catastrophe de Trafalgar” .

You may be aware, Pickle is the famous schooner that carried the news of the death of Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar.

Pickle’s voyage was re enacted in 2005 and she is celebrated in the Royal Navy every year on the anniversary of her arrival off Falmouth, Cornwall, 4th October 1805, at the New York Yacht Club and many other venues world wide so now you too have an excuse for a nautically themed party, maybe unveiling your new copy of the acclaimed painting “I have urgent dispatches”!

You can if you wish order yourself a  copy of this historic and renowned picture quickly and easily using Paypal from page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/prints.html

When the original painting of “I have urgent dispatches” was finished, my family decided we should have a Pickle party and what a party it turned out to be?

Among our distinguished guests we had 2 square rig captains and the curator of HMS Victory, Peter Goodwin.

We also had thanks to Martin Bibbings of the Trafalgar Gun Company and Nick Dalton of the Maria Asumpta, 2 live cannon which Martin described as the ultimate executive toys.

Our guns capable of firing a 1 pound ball 3 miles, where loaned for the evening from Maria Asumpta and duly cermoniously fired.

Although by the standard of the Georgian Navy they were considered pop guns they made enough very satisfying noise for people around Plymouth to our great glee saying the next day, “there were very load fireworks last night…”

The back blast even broke a window of my house!.

Of course such dangerous weapons must and were handled by experts and with great care.

These same people fascinated the children by allowing them to go through the motions of loading the guns and gave Victory’s curator Peter Goodwin, his first taste of firing a live cannon; a taste he is now some what addicted to!

I painted “I have urgent dispatches” as part of a project to raise funds for HMS Victory.

I chose Pickle partly because I felt while it is hard for modern people to understand the ships of Nelson’s time (unless you visit HMS Victory at Portsmouth but beware, it may be a life changing event!) , I felt Pickle was the sort of size of vessel modern yachtsmen could relate to.

Pickle was the kind of ship which if seen today in port many might say, ‘what a beautiful big ship’ and yet in her day she was considered tiny and only worth a lieutenant to command, not worth a Post Captain…

Luckily for all concerned in the case of this enquiry, the gentleman had included his full contact details so I phoned him a as soon as I found the late email and spoke with his very charming receptionist.

A few days later we spoke man to man and an interesting conversation it was too.

He said he owns a yacht named, go on, guess?

YES!, Pickle!

Why? Well why not own a yacht if you can run to that?

In this case the former owner twice removed was my old friend Admiral Bob Gerkin.

Bob was naturally known in the Navy as “Pickle” hence the name of the yacht.

So why contact Gordon Frickers Marine Artist?

Yes you are probably ahead of me!

Having seen the picture “I have Urgent Dispatches” of HMS Pickle, on my web site this gentleman decided one of my Prestige quality prints on cotton canvas would make a welcome and appropriate addition to the interior of his yacht Pickle.

True to his word, a few days later a very welcome message was recieved from PayPal,

22 Mar 2010 19:49:07 GMT

Hello G S A Frickers,

A/ Standard Size Prestige Limited Edition Print on Cotton Canvas of “I have Urgent Dispatches”
Item Number ********************

You received a payment of £147.00 GBP
Thanks for using PayPal. You can now send any items. To see all the transaction details, log in to your PayPal account.

Thus another copy of “I have urgent dispatches” will be despatched soon; to what I hope you agree is a most appropriate home?

For a picture of enduring worth, it is quick, easy  and very secure to order any print from our collectors range by visiting web page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/prints.html

Good luck to you and enjoy.

~

P.S. By the way, The Trafalgar Collection, paintings by Gordon Frickers,  are now after some 15 years, up for sale.

This is a unique opportunity to by a set of well researched Nelsonian paintings.

The owners will consider offers from £10,000.00 per painting but would prefere the set to be sold as a set.

If interested, contact Gordon Frickers

The haunting marine painting of “Talthybius by moonlight”, not unlike the ship in the painting has reached it’s new home port, delivered to London Yesterday.

And The Port of Chester? ~ more below…

The new owner wrote: “Of course you can quote, including the remarks I made of it before“. (Name by request with held)

This in reference to his previous email: “Dear Gordon,
Your painting has arrived. My friend in London who has opened it and is looking after it for the time being, he kept on saying what a good picture it its, and it will be an wonderful addition to my walls. I am very thrilled and cannot wait to see it“.
~

Of course the original Port of Chester 1863 was sold some 11 years ago so we are talking of a print order with remarque.
You can find the picture, the explanation and stories of the painting and historic port  on page

http://frickers.co.uk/marine-art/chester.html,

You can order your copy paying securely on line via PayPal about, the info is half way down page:

http://frickers.co.uk/prints.html

For the remarque I drew a version of the earliest know picture of New Crane Wharf,  Chester.
My client thoughtfully wrote the following, also quoted with his permission: “Dear Gordon,
My Port of Chester remarque arrived safely today, thank you very much, both myself and my wife are very pleased with the print, and thank you for an excellent remarque.Thanks for your info. on framing, an art framing company in Saltney usually does a good job on our artwork.
Sincerely
J. I.”

I really appreciate and am encouraged by all the endorsements I have been fortunate enough to receive.

The painter’s lot is not the easiest and at times quite isolated, my greatful thanks to all who have made the time to express appreciation of my work and service.

Happily the above endorsements will eventually join the many others on the web site.

My work is not just about trying to make a decent living, I care about giving good service and value plus many of the paintings I have been fortunate to have the ability to produce are many are proving to be of real and enduring worth.

Also, comments like those above made direct to me as in this case, on this blog in response to entries and via Linkedin are helpful in other ways.

They encourage fellow surfers to have confidence in www.frickers.co.uk and search engines like to see interactive sites which encourages traffic and improves rating.

Thus whether you buy or simply enjoy this site if you can add some  appropriate words you are helping and have made a contribution, thank you.

Gordon Frickers, Marine Artist, Art Photographer.

There is a selection of books we can highly recommend because

A. they feature Gordon Frickers marine painting and

B. they are excellent book (not that we are biased, much), see page

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

The books can be ordered via that page from Amazon.

The original of Trafalgar Dawn was sold about 15 years ago to a private collection however the owner has indicated he is now open to offers.

Offers can be made via Mr. 10% on this web site!

More affordable, Trafalgar Dawn is available as a superb quality numbered, signed, Prestige edition on printed canvas, from page
http://www.frickers.co.uk/prints.html
where it can be ordered 100%  securely using Paypal or by a direct bank to bank transfer.

The new Trafalgar Dawn is in an advanced stage of research and pre sketching following visits to research at Portsmouth and in Paris last December (as mentioned in this blog, early December).
As for

Nelson at Gibraltar, you can follow the development of this painting on this blog.

The painting has evolved from a drawing Gordon Frickers  made one evening in 1998 while in the member’s lounge of the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club.

Gordon was a very active member of the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club for many years and the club has 2 magnificent marine paintings of his in it’s collection.

One features the Royal Yacht Britannia HRH Queen Elizabeth disembarking, to visit Plymouth, the other shows a typical Spring Series race of the period and is very rich in details.

That original sketch was intended as an idea for a painting of the French navigator and discoverer Laperouse entering Botany Bay.

The Laperouse painting is an other currently under development after a long interval.

Gordon was researching for the Laperouse painting and Nelson at Gibraltar last November at H.M. Hydrographic Office, Taunton,  and another reason he was in Paris and at the Muse de Laperouse, Albi (Laperouse home town).

A friend of his, Chris Boddington former very successful lawyer and a skilled painter in his own right, saw the sketch last summer and suggested it would work well as a painting of Nelson transferring from HMS Captain to HMS Minerve at Gibraltar so guess what?

Since the attached pic was taken, the composition and colouring have advanced significantly.

There will be a new blog entry on this painting of Nelson and Gibraltar  in the next few days.

~

Also currently for re sale, given an offer they can’t refuse,  by clients of Gordon Frickers are the following Marine Paintings, several quite famous,  (by the way we should mention, prices often with paintings are the reverse of most cars so re sale prices are likely to be considerably more than the vendors paid or the current price of new paintings direct from the artist):

“H.M. Schooner “Pickle”, carrying the news of the Battle of Trafalgar”

“Nelson’s Column”

“Trafalgar Dawn”

“First Shots, Trafalgar”

“Nelson’s Pickle, first with the news”

“Ferriera” ex “Cutty Sark”, “Last Departure” (mentioned on this blog, 27.01.10)

~

Another  email was an invitation to go on a Dutch gallery web site ( for a fee).
The site seems to feature mostly Russian artists, some quite good.
It has no marine artist.
It did have an interesting link to a gallery in California, that set Gordon thinking…
He does not  have a list of galleries which might be worth approaching, should he have one?
Can you recommend any galleries?

On the subject of which today started with a message from a fellow painter.

Of his painting he wrote: “Work not going too well. I suppose I am trying to be too clever“,  ~

In my view, nothing wrong in trying to be to clever.

It is pushing the limits and I think thus were new concepts and formulae are found.

Some times I do see some painters being overly academic or over complicated but there again the balance is sooooooooooo difficult to find…

I am reminded of Francis Pratt saying “good painting takes time, great painting takes longer“.
I find from experience and as I look ahead, this is a useful though tough mantra.
I find other visual references including visits to similar scenes, books and photo help stimulate the progress with new work.

What does it take to produce great paintings?

One of the benefits of working at Itzac is we artists here some times discuss each other’s work.

Not so helpful when one did not ask for an opinion but a small price to pay!!!
Alternatively, displacement activity can relief stress and clear the mind, a great reason (in my opinion!) to have a “petite Amie”.

I am all to aware how quickly the years are passing and I have entered the region of maybe tomorrow I die.
Of course I might live to be 90 plus but with so many people saying “it will be worth  more when you are dead” I wonder if the negative vibes might affect my health!?
I find this adds a new sense of urgency.
Thus more and more I wish to produce my best work and not muck about with more experiments, tourist painting and more “learning”, rather to apply what we know is already in me.
Happily I have produced a few famous paintings, “Roaring Forties“, “I have urgent dispatches“,  “Last departure” among them and many others meaningful to some people.

The first 2 mentioned,”Roaring Forties“, “I have urgent dispatches“, are available as time limited, numbered, signed Prestige editions from this web site ~ ask for details?

“Roaring Forties” is co signed by Sir Robin Knox -Johnston so doubly rare and collectibles.

~

The Cattewater sketch one of a group of marine paintings on the go at present subjects including a new Trafalgar Dawn, Laperouse and super yachts (more of the others during this month) is slowly turning into what I hope will be marine art.

It is a new painting journey ~ The basic design is now complete.

Many details remain to be worked out in particular the people who will inhabit the painting.

Next is to begin to put down the colours I envisage and find how to make them best work together.
The moon rise will be based on those I have witnessed many times over the Cattewater and the most beautiful moon rise I have ever seen, last year from the beach at Hossigur.
“Take longer” ~ The idea began to register as a possible painting some 15 years ago and gained real momentum over the past 3 years.

The final art work is still a long way off in terms of hours applied and days that slide by partly filled with distractions.
I begin to regard even important things like “getting organized” as displacement activity”…
Communicating with friends and prospective clients remains as ever one of my top priorities, very important, people first.
However my aim is to try to produce paintings of enduring worth.

What makes a painting, of enduring worth?

~

My mate asked about the Paris trip?

It is on this blog (December2009) including photos which if given a click, thanks to my brilliant web master Dr. Michael Baker and Wordpress, magically enlarge, enjoy.

Press on mates, the days, hours, minutes are precious.

Wishing you all the best for the new decade, health, prosperity, friendship and love,

Paix, Joie, Santé… bonne année 2010 !

Gordon Frickers, marine artist, January 2010

That was a while back, I have been a marine artist for almost 30 years.

Do you have any info or any thoughts on what is a Power Law Index?

He wrote, it’s the kind of thing that comes up on some coursework on hull dynamics and he is not quiet sure what this turn means and didn’t really understand it when he looked it up.

It’s in relation to hull resistance.

Resistance = C x Vn   (C = variable coefficient depending on hull form       and      n = power law index         V = boat speed

If you know more kindly point us in the right direction, thank you?

I replied as best I could ~

Power Law ~
2 web sites that may be helpful:
http://kazmer.uml.edu/Software/Power_law_fitter.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-law_fluid

I’m not sure and can research further for you if that saves you time.

A Power Law seems to be a statistical (mathematical) way of charting unusual events.

Americans use it re casualties in a terrorist war for example, where a normal bow chart would not serve well.
The intention being to see patterns and predict the likely hood of future unusual events.

In this case it seems related to hull resistance and water flow over the hull in varying sea conditions thus useful for predicting handling characteristics and predicting theoretical boat speed in all weathers.

I currently have a marine art enquiry for a commission from an American who says his 40′ yacht (a Cutlass 40) clocked 26 knots on one occasion and that with a broken bow sprit.
I’d have thought give the conventional water line length data for hull speed, that would be impossible.
A Power Law calculation might have predicted this?

Given most sailors are by training quite careful and realistic about information I’d say his yacht probably did make 26 knots even if conventional science does not know how to predict such an event.

Thus my guess is a Power Law Index is a mathematical way of trying to predict events like the exceptional possible boat speed of the Cutlass 40.
It would of course be very useful with boats like the Vendee Globe yachts enabling designers and crew to know they can get more out of a boat.

In my youth I was taught boat and ship building by people who had built boats on a beach, things have moved on!

I’ll blog this interesting question. I am amazed by who replies to some of my blogs. We may be lucky

I also found:

What is a power law?

A power-law is a particular type of statistical pattern.

It is very different from the more familiar bell curve typically associated with random incidents.

The main practical implication of a ‘power-law war’ is that big incidents,  are always quite likely to happen.

If the distribution of exceptional events were a Bell curve rather than a power law, then such big events would be theoretically virtually impossible.

A power-law, with its associated power-law index, represents a particularly potent indicator.

The presence of a power-law has important practical implications concerning future risk: for example, the risk that future attacks will be of a particular intensity or larger.

It should be possible to build up a toolbox of such indicators in order to fully characterize the spatio-temporal behavior of such incidents and hence fully characterize a series of extra ordinary and apparently random event evolutions and the associated risks.

“I have urgent dispatches ” my painting, part of an earlier series to help raise funds to restore HMS Victory http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/urgent_dispatches.html (now in limited edition) has followed my “Roaring Forties“, painted for Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and become an icon so attracted the director’s attention as did my  knowledge of the subject which he described as very extensive.

There is a lot of confusing information in books re Pickle and her commander.

Hardly surprising when one realises for examples,  no one knows where Pickle was built, that for a while the Royal Navy had 2 ships both being called Pickle and so on.

Makes her name rather appropriate don’t you think?

You can find lots about Pickle on this web site in the further reading sections.

Not sure where?

Email and I’ll send you the links.
The reason is FORM FILMS,  http://www.formmedia.co.uk , I may have mentioned  ‘Boats that Built Britain’?
They wish to interview me for  a 6-part documentary series entitled ‘The Boats that Built Britain’. This series is part of a landmark BBC4 season about the Sea. This series is currently scheduled to air in spring 2010.

Showcase at the British Ambassadors Residence 7th December 2009

I have been invited, the only marine artist,  to an excellent opportunity with other UK marine companies to showcase our work and services to a selected group of leaders from French marine industry at the British Ambassadors residence in Paris.

The event will take place from 5-8pm on Monday 7th December with Sam Davies from Roxy Sailing presenting and opening the event.

Ben Ainslie, Britain’s most successful ever Olympic sailing medalist (who is featured in one of my marine paintings http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/ben_ainslie_sydney_olympics.html) will take – Questions and answers.

The showcase will coincide with the Paris Boat Show 4-13th December 2009.

The aim of the showcase event is to expose British companies operating in the Marine sector either supplying equipment or services to high quality French industry leaders.

The French Marine market has been valued at €4.96BN. With key players invited from Beneteau, Dufour, Poncin, CMN, Plastimo to name a few, this is an event not to be missed.

Where

British Ambassador’s Residence 39 rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, 75008 Paris

Event schedule

1630             Showcase companies arrive for set up

1730             French delegates arrive and drinks served

1800             Speakers

Ambassadors Welcome

Introduction from Rob Stevens BMF CEO

Sam Davies -

Introduction from Rob Stevens BMF CEO

Ben Ainslie – Questions and answers

Thank you from Rob Stevens BMF CEO

18:30            Start of Showcase and canapés served

I try hard toi keep this blog up to date but recently there has been to much going on to keep blogging.

ASAP I will enter some back dated pages of other news and adventures, the 2 new prints, not yet on in our Print Gallery,  “Jane Banks” and “Flying Scotsman” and some exciting new marine paintings already under way.

You wish to know more about what I get up to?

There is much useful stuff on my web site re previous activities, quotations etc.
You may care to start your collection of press coverage of my activities by reviewing pages

http://www.frickers.co.uk/media.html
http://www.frickers.co.uk/about.html
http://www.frickers.co.uk/quote.html
http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine.html
http://www.frickers.co.uk/appraisals.html
http://www.frickers.co.uk/guest_speaker.html
http://www.frickers.co.uk/2approaches.html

“Masterpiece … … Renowned Marine artist has presented a stunning framed print to Plymouth Central Library” recorded The Herald and The Extra, while less helpfully leaving out my web site or contact details.  

I felt is was about time I did some thing more tangible to show my appreciation to the staff at Plymouth Central Library , something they would like. My suggestion was accepted with alacrity.

Thus a signed numbered Prestige copy of my marine painting “Trafalgar Dawn” http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/trafalgar_dawn.html, partly researched at the excellent Plymouth Naval Library, and suitably inscribed in the margin “Presented to Plymouth Local and Naval Studies Department by the artist in appreciation of much help willingly given and a world class facility“.

The picture was accepted on behalf of the Central library by Alastair MacNaughton and for the Naval department by Ian Criddle.

Alastair was kind enough to say he thought it about time Plymouth or at least the City Museum, gave a major exhibition of my paintings and he said he would discuss this with them.

Nice idea Alistair, lets hope they approach me maybe after I have shown in the European Parliament next May my home town could book the exhibition?

I understand it will soon be displayed permenantly in the naval reference section, like the books, to be used, to inspire but not to be taken away!

I felt the inscription might help the accounts departments of the City of Plymouth appreciate the library which I have found to be better than some more famous naval libraries, and maybe the picture will help inspire other future researchers?