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?

At last I am able to again  accept offers of exhibitions!

Despite and because of the severe weather making roads all but impassable and much other activity difficult,  I have finally catalogued the framed marine prints here. 

One at least is still missing, where is it?

All the marine paintings and marine prints in the store room, landscapes, aviation paintings and others remaining unlisted since I sold my home of 22 years in Plymouth are now listed and HURRAH for that.

Plus many of the prints that were out on loan, to the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club, Mount Batten Watersport Centre and others “exiled” have been ingathered.

The Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club still retain and rightly, the 2 beautiful 24″ x 36″ paintings by my hand, in their member’s lounge.

Those were commissioned when Captain Paul Willerton (MN) was Commodore.

The then committee having under Paul Willerton’s very able leadership, steered the club through a difficult period into brighter days wished to commemorate for future generations, some thing of the club then.

Hence the 2 fine paintings, one of an event involving  HM the Queen and Royal Yacht Britannia, the other club racing on the home waters of  Plymouth Sound.

I still have a problem recovering paintings from Gallerie Marin, Appledore.

Audrey Hinks is not answering my messages and has not paid me for a painting she said she sold in Feb 2009…

Audrey was always very enthusiatic about my work, sold lots, the best gallery owner I associated with so I am fearful for her health and well being, she is a lovely person but getting on a bit, any news would be welcome…

Anyone from Plymouth going to Appledore and able to help?

This ingathering of my “children” is basically in preparation for a new strategy to show and sell more often in both England and France.

The catalyst has partly been the invitation to show my marine painting at the European Parliament, Brussels.

The news is causing much interest and some excitement already and of course is a great stimulant for any artist.

I am told I am the first marine artist, first artist from Midi Pyrenees, first from Plymouth and definitely the first from Itzac to be invited to show at the European Parliament, really, ever ever!

~

The weather here has brighted up. 

Temperatures have remained below zero all day.

I suppose if most of us think of wine and vines at all we think of vinyards basking in warm sunshine?

Right now we here in the Tarn have vinyards blanketed in snow! 

Ditches are decorated with cars and vans so all is very peaceful if some what chilly.

~

The time today has been well used though, reorganising my stock of marine prints and paintings.

There is a list of the  prints below, the paintings list is not yet complete, maybe tomorrow?

Over recent years numerous exhibition offers have been declined, so which offer and where will be first to be accepted after this re grouping?

I have been just to busy and stressed to cope.

However the prospect of an exhibition at the EuroP has raised my status (a huge thank you to the MEP responsible!).

It seems I am now flavour of the month?

Even the blindest of galleries can now see value in showing an exhibition that has just come from the EuroParli… well well well…

Of course you and I know, this has nothing to do with my work improving or what ever.

One can see the same dedication in paintings and drawings from 20 and 30 years earlier so what is this all about?

Granted I am now much better know, even a little famous.

I doubt that is what is making the difference though.

I think it has much more to do with the quality of the people I am now able to meet, partly thanks to this amazing medium, the Internet.

Do you have an opinion on this?

~

As I write this evening, the temperature here at Itzac  is – 6 C this evening.

The day has been very pleasant, quite a lot of sun, surprisingly warm when one is out of the wind. 

Still not warm enough to thaw any ice.

Tomorrow we are fore cast to have + 5 C, enough to make a difference, you tell me?

~

Gradually the problem of cataloguing my marine prints and marine paintings is being sorted, my excellent friend Francoise Boitel being very supportive and helping “organise” me today.

All the prints have been listed and re packaged, packaging being marked to save time in the future.

Not “rocket science”, time consuming but an investment.

Next on this agenda will be the landscape paintings followed by the paintings currently unframed and unlisted on my web site.

I have some exciting experimental landscapes to show and set pieces like the study of the “Flying Scotsman on the Tamar Bridge” (I K Brunel’s Royal Albert Bridge) with Pullman coaches Available in print but not yet on the web site so email me for details.

I’ll try and post the news as soon as I have it.

~

Christmas is coming, or so I am told?

To late now to order a gift from my print list  for Christmas …

see

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

I heard today from Richard at the Tavistock Inn, Poundsgate, Dartmoor,  re his copy of the picture of “Jane Banks entering Bermuda” (you may recall Jane Banks was the final running mate of the more famous Waterwitch (both now available as prints exclusively from this web site).

Richard texted: “the picture picked up and your right it looks like an original.

I’m absolutely thrilled with it.

I’m sure my mother will be  too when she visits  me tomorrow“.

List of available framed prints follows below (soon that is).

~

Winter solstice on the 21st, or in more pagan terms, paganus meaning rural as we all know, the moment of rebirth, regrowth…
Itzac is ready, charmingly decorated by devoted villagers.

I don’t know how old the lavatoire shown here is, do you? 

People have been using the lavatoire for how many generations, since pre Roman times maybe?
I guess in former times it was one of the centeres of village life, how many clothes washed and tales were told there?

I’ve not seen anyone using it recently in this weather…  

I have noticed a double earthen bank astride the road that runs into the village.
No one knows the earth works origin, that includes the + 80 plus year olds who’s first language is not French it is L’Occiataine.
The double banks and some other features here look to me reminiscent of a bronze age hill top settlement, pre Christian, pre Gallic, pre Gaulic, pre Gaillac, pre Gaelic what ever, you tell me maybe?
No one has ever investigated remote, tanquile Itzac.
Now Hanukkah is past and Christmas 2009 is almost upon us, soon it will be new year, time to rejoice and move ahead!
December is ebbing away fast?
Are we heading for a white Christmas with snow bells? 
God only knowing what we’re heading for?

~

Oh, and that list of the prints you can’t have for Christmas?

Prints in frames        Dec-09        Stock list

Title                                              size inc frame                             details

Ice Maiden                                        730 x 625        No .284 ~ signed by Tracy Edwards
I have urgent dispatches            860 x 760        Artist’s proof 5
A dispute settled                            870 x 660        No 1
I have urgent dispatches            670 x 600        Nos. 2, 16
Roaring Forties                               740 x 600        Nos. 23, 24, 31 ~ signed by R K-J
Mauretania                                       820 x 690        Artist’s proof 2
Royal Yacht Britannia                 720 x 630        No. 46 & artist’s proof XIII
Vagrant off Cowes                          445 x 340        open edition
A dispute settled                            445 x 340        open edition
Advocate off Cape Town             445 x 340        open edition
Cutty Sark and Thermopylae    445 x 340    open edition
Seal of Aproval                               445 x 340        open edition
Port of Chester 1863                     720 x 530        Nos. 1, 203, 302 ~ signed by the mayor of Chester
Trees in a breeze                             690 x 600        artist’s proof
Trees in a breeze                             610 x 520        artist’s proof
Waterwitch off Gribben Head    760 x 590        No. 9
Trafalgar Dawn                                 1150 x 530    No. 10
Roaring Forties                                980 x 780        No. 5, ~ signed by R K-J
I have urgent dispatches              870 x 760     Artist’s proof 4
Jane Banks entering Bermuda    760 x 590        No. 2 ~ at The ArtCentre, Kell Bray, Cornwall

List of paintings in stock and unframed prints available soon, whoppee?

~

And the best way to move around the Tarn at present remains …