Sea Breezes, Glenorchy the marine painting is in the June issue which is on sale today.
We had a slight problem because of the tight deadline.
I have an excellent 5″ x 4″ transparency of this beautiful marine art painting but no high resolution digital image and my Epsom Perfection 2450 scanner is currently NBG, refuses to talk to Vista.

~

Glenorchy is on the Sea Breezes gatefold in this issues, a rare chance to have a nice print of this classic Glen Line ship and Empire class tugs, some of the ex William Watkins,  Alexander Towing Company tugs.
You can find the picture and more text on page http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/glenorchy_thames.html.

The pop up on this page shows you the painting about life size but is not as crisp, sharp as the original consequently the colours have suffered a bit.

Of course, many of the illustrations here and on www.frickers.co.uk you can view larger than life.

Recently for your enjoyment, we have started to include a grey and a colour scale with the pictures thus if you wish to se them as close as is possible to the image we place on the web you can adjust. yourscreen.

I hop you think, still fun to see though?

The editor is would like to use more of my pictures in the future, probably “Plymouth Cattewater” featuring the crack clipper Samuel Plimsoll next.
Sea Breezes are preparing an article on the Samuel Plimsoll.
I mentioned to my friends at Sea Breezes, the exceelent new-ish Nicolette Jones book “The Plimsoll Sensation” to them (ISBN 978-0-349-11720-1).

The scene is based principally on my numerous memories of Plymouth Cattewater by moonlight and shows the “crack” clipper ship Samuel Plimsoll during the 1880’s, loading emigrants Australia Bound. Colour and tone bars are placed here in the picture margin so you can adjust your monitor/screen if you wish to better view this new marine painting

This painting is intended as one of the center pieces for the exhibition next year offered me at the European Parliament; ~ unless some one makes me an offer I can’t refuse!

I also hope this formidable marine painting will inspire Plymouth City Council to make better use of the site in the same sort of way the splendid “Port of Chester 1863″ inspired Chester council, a splendid story documented on page http://frickers.co.uk/marine-art/chester.html which included a civic reception for the painting and artist.

You can pre order a copy of this painting, quickly, safely and securely  for as little as £150.00 using page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/making-a-payment/

~

There was a time when Plymouth was the preferred venue for emigration from Britain and only London and Liverpool saw more emigrants leave.

The facilities (the buildings on the right) at Plymouth were the best in the country by far, some thing Plymouth  can always be proud of.

This historic  site has been semi derelict and very neglected since the two large buildings were demolished in the 1930’s and is now up for re development.

The building nearest still stands and is the home of the Mayflower Sailing Club.

Cattewater? because this was a secure anchourage.

In former times ships would load in Sutton Pool and from adjacent beaches and coves which we now call Plymouth.

Then the ships would anchour and await favourable tide and wind.

When departing the anchour was raised and to re secure the anchour a type of derrick known as a Catte  was used.

Plymouth as many people world wide are aware was a point of departure for numerous emigrations probably the most famous being the settlement at by the Elizabethans inspired by Sir Walter Raleigh

Prior to the site being used as an emigration depot it’s history includes use by the British Royal Navy as a victualing quay up to about 1840  before  the construction of the victualling yards on the River Tamar at Stonehouse.

The Roanoke Colony settlers,  the first English colony in the New World, sailed from Plymouth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Colony) as splendidly documented in the book Elizabeth Big Chief The historic site of the Roanoke Colony is off of U.S. Highway 64 on the north end of Roanoke Island, North Carolina

The infinitely more famous Pilgrim Fathers emigrated from Plymouth in the Mayflower, boarding Mayflower from about where Gordon Frickers has composed this painting .

Thousand more people emigrated from Plymouth following those adventurers and famous voyages too numerous to cover here started from Plymouth Cattewater, to name drop a few, Francis Drake, first captain to circumnavigate the world, the Elizabethan fleet to combat the Spanish armada, James Cook navigator and discoverer.

We know the ancient Phoenicians were here trading for tin, they used the beach opposite under Mount Battern and probably the beach where Phoenix Wharf quay and the emigration depot were eventually built.

All would have departed from this same stretch of water, Plymouth Cattewater.

You can pre order a copy of this painting, quickly, safely and securely  for as little as £150.00 using page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/making-a-payment/

Of course the history of this splendid port goes back way before the 1880’s as shown here and it is to be hoped Plymouth City Council will develope the site sensitively for our future.

When I have more time I’ll add here credits, principal sources and some of the story of the Clipper ship Samuel Plimsoll, watch this space!

I have the marine painting “Cattewater Plymouth, Australia bound emigrants prepare to board the clipper ship Samuel Plimsoll” 98% finished, here is a detail, I’ll show you this complete major painting on this blog any day now.

I have been looking for good photographs of HM Submarine Unique. I found a link that took me to the Submariners Association only the page was blank.

Or was it? I am reminded of the joke about the model of a stealth ship in a museum, it goes some what like this, “The models were wonderful, so detailed until I got to the Stealth ship, the case was empty… or was it?”

Why the  British U class submarine HMS Unique?

I am preparing a painting for the son of her last commander Lt R.E. Boddington.

British U class submarines are not to be confused with the German U Boats.

The U class were a class of 49 small submarines all of which had names beginning with ‘U’, built just before and during the Second World War originally intended as unarmed training vessels.

The boats ( in the Royal Navy submarines are called boats never ships…) mostly served in the home waters and with the 10th Submarine Flotilla based at Malta.

The submarine Unique was part of a second batch, the group included a number of submarines that would  become particularly famous.

There was a grim price though, only three out of the twelve survived the war.

Unique became overdue after being ordered to patrol on the surface off the Spanish Atlantic coast.

Her loss with all hands has never been explained.

My submarine painting will be a special family memorial and tribute to the lads who never came home.

~

I am also trying to find out how to define the ensigns flown by British war ships during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.

We know there were Admirals of the Blue, Red and White so the questions are who flew which ensign, where and why, did the ships under their commands fly the same colour ensign?

I’d particularly like to know which colour ensign was flown at Gibraltar on the 10th December 1796 by HMS Captain and HMS Minerve?

While in that period It would also help to find some or all of the flags and signals of Admiral Popham’s code (published 1803), or at least some of the more famous signals.

One of the reasons for this supplementary question is I am about to begin a marine painting of the action in which the Spanish frigate Mercedes, carrying near a million in treasure, tragically blew up and sank

~

Also on the stocks is a marine painting I have been ‘threatening’ to produce for about 6 years, a new version of Trafalgar Dawn

( http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/trafalgar_dawn.html ) only this time we will see the view not from HMS Victory but from the French Flag ship Bucentaure.

I have the research as complete as I can manage although as usual with historical scenes it is only a best guess all be it a very well informed guess.

Typical of the problem is the French seamen  did not always conform to the regulation book issued by Napoleon in 1803.

Similarly we do not know exactly what the order of the  British fleet was so have to estimate some of the ships and this after reading logs and eye witness accounts ~ unless you know better in which case tell me and I’ll see you have a complimentary copy of the picture, one of our Prestige prints on cotton canvas, numbered and signed, the sort of collectors item you can order from the www.frickers.co.uk Marine Print Gallery (http://www.frickers.co.uk/prints.html)

~

This week in the Tarn,  following 2 days of some times heavy rain we have had clear blue and mostly vapour trail less skies with temperatures over 10 C at night climbing to the high twenties during the days.

The light has been at it’s luminous best.

This is spring in the Tarn and forests of Siven and Grisigne although to me it feels like high summer in Cornwall.

The birds and small animals here know better and are apt, minds focused on procreational problems, to forget their curb drill so most of us drive at not over the speed limits here because it makes sense and besides the wee beasties lives are hard enough with out some nitwit doning 90 mph instead of 90 kph.

They make a heck of an ‘amoure’ driven racket including at night constantly reminding me I exist very alone.

The bird song here is constant including our first cockoo over 2 months ago and nightingales at night to accompany the crickets and singing of frogs – and for frogs I mean frogs, not the Toulouse Rugby supporter sort, these are more likely to be heron’s dinner sort of frogs,  they can be very noisy in full passion!

This evening about 20.00 I went for an evening run by the lakes at Vere one of which is a summer pool drained over each winter, being refilled now.

I do not kid you, you could hear the joyous frogs at least 300 yards away maybe more!

My only problem is my shared studio is to small for meduim sizes paintings which causes problems while painting any picture over 2′ wide as it is adequat to get to the right viewing distances.

Eventually I’ll have to move but to where and how much will it cost?

I have often wished I was painting landscapes and building on the tan I acquired after Easter at the Antibes Yacht Show however the demands of marine art are holding me in the studio.

The roads are suffering  – again… This time it is shrinkage that is the problem, Chasse Deformer is a frequent road sign around here as surfaces distort some quite dangerously.

Difficult for drivers but it is never a good idea to speed around here not so much because of the flick rather the plants and animal wild life are having a great time particularly the latter.

Went to Gaillac, shopping for food, not exciting ?

The first of the new fruits are “in”. h

Huge baskets of huge succulent strawberries, 1.5 Euro, the first melons a euro each, and lots of other delicious foods are appearing all cheap,  little wonder French women are not fat like so many Brits and Americans.

We have so many very tastey healthy things to eat here in the temperate South West of France; I had half a perfectly ripened melon for breakfast, great start to the day.

It is a novelty for me with my roots in S E England in the aftermath of the second world war, ration cards, oranges a luxury for Christmas, I still think of these foods as luxuries but they are not luxuries here, nor is asparagus, artichoke and a tasty heap of other good eating.
Problems?

Well yes this is a flawed paradise, chocolate melts.

This is the renowned marine painting, reproduced in several learned books and considered by some leading experts the definitive marine painting of HMS Pickle, a painting from which even the prints have created a history with copies going to among others, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, The Royal Naval Air Service and the New York Yacht Club!

I have urgent dispatches is still available as a prestige limited edition.

Signed by the artist and at very affordable prices, as are many of the other prints in the Gordon Frickers growing selection.

I’m just starting to re optimize my web site, a job that is overdue and very likely to increase sales however only The Schooner Vagrant is currently at risk of being sold out.
You can check these prints out on page http://www.frickers.co.uk/prints.html, also place your order securely and easily online from this page

~

Other Nelson news is the attached picture of Nelson at Gibraltar, while still a long way from finished as you can see from the following pop up pics, Nelson at Gibraltar is beginning to be detailed so completion is probably only about 20 hours away ~ but it has to compete with the Samuel Plimsoll for my attention!

As usual with my significant historical paintings there are some neat touches appearing.

For example when you read about this period some odd ship names keep coming up in the Mediterranean like Tartan and Xebec so thanks to my very rare copy of Serres great book guide to marine painters we have a Tartan and a Xebec in this painting.

Can you spot the Tartan and the Xebec?

Part of my intention is to recreate the business of Gibratar and it’s bay at that period hence the inclusion of the Tartan and Xebec.

Who knows which is which and what they were?

Of course the rigging of Minerve is barely started and the rigging on most of the other ships are incomplete however there is now enough detail to begin to guess how this marine painting will turn out particularly if you have had a long look at some of the pop up details on www.frickers.co.uk in the marine gallery.

Nelson is beginning to be identifiable, the uniforms of the Marine guard I think are correct (you know some thing I don’t? If so please speak up!) as are many other clothing details and away in the middle distance we can now see crew at work on the 74 gun ship of the line HMS Captain.

I hope by now if you are unfamiliar with my marine art you will have realised I carry out more than average research?

I consult some rather special sources and have even sailed on a square rigger which was 10 years older than the Cutty Sark!

For sure, Nelson at Gibraltar direct from me, it won’t cost the lucky purchaser anywhere near the asking price of the original of I have urgent dispatches!

Maybe that makes it a great bargain?
It’s what often happens to my paintings, I have to watch them re sold for far more than I got, ahh well, ce la vie and good luck to all the owners of my “children”.

Nelson at Gibraltar is not pre sold.

I am happy for who ever purchases, I aim to give excellent value to every clinet, my clients in turn have enabled me to have an amazing 30 years painting and I’ve learnt the ultimate compliment is I think, “I’ll buy it”!
~
I am also working on a second version of Trafalgar Dawn, this time the French view at 06.05 but it is not sufficiently advanced to  show just yet.
I have though started the drawing. So what you yawn? Give me a break mate, this has taken 7 years to research that is a detective story in it’s self!
This is going to be a famous painting, make no mistake about that.
The French I discovered refer to Trafalgar as “the catastrophe of Trafalgar“.
That said, most of their people as is not generally known in Britain, fought very bravely as did many of the Spaniards.
The French have always had a great maritime tradition as alive today as ever.
~
Thus, I was recently asked by the president of the Laperouse Society to make enquiries in England about the possibility of working with other museums dedicated to great navigators and explorers with a view to jointly raising European funding.
There are numerous historical replicas built and building in France, maybe we could involve the French in one of our Pickle nights?
~
I still love boat building.
I was super fit in my boat building and dinghy racing days, sadly I am going soft here in the Tarn ~ I must go down to the sea again…
I am being asked to helm a Wayfarer at the World Championship this year and am worrying that I’m not fit enough to cope.
I stopped sailing dinghies (mostly Laser) 4 years ago…
I wouldn’t mind a dinghy for day cruising and to keep fitter but my days of winning at national and International level are history.
A winter capsize from a Laser at Plymouth taught me that!

I’ll be in England end of May and most of June, after a brief stay in S Brittany (Loire Atlantic).
The general quality of life here in France is wonderful, the French work hard and know how to party and play, seem to like me and lots of people say “why would you ever want to go back?“

I am not pleased about that!

Why?

The principal difficulties are lack of studio space and moonlight.

The latter is simply difficult.

I have always been in awe of the night sky and happily here in SW France the night skies are often stunning.

The small painting and the one recently sold via this blog of  Talthybius are intended as test pieces for the large version of  as yet unnamed but more or less about “Emigration, The Samuel Plimsoll at Plymouth Cattewater”.

The idea came from often seeing the Cattewater after an evening racing with the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club and some stunning moon rises more recently in SW France.

The idea to show the Samuel Plimsoll was part luck, part inspiration.

I could not have chosen a more appropriate ship.

Samuel Plimsoll, named by and after her very famous name sake, this splendid clipper, a product of the same yard that built the renowned Thermopylae, regularly carried emigrants out to Australia and returned with wool.

Samuel Plimsoll was also recognised as a “crack” ship making many very quick passages.

The Cattewater is a very historic stretch of water and has witnessed countless voyages commencing, hundreds of thousands of people departing, many never to return.

~

The frustration here is caused by a lack of studio space.

It is very difficult to work on a 48″ wide painting in a confined space.

It is a mostly issue of viewing distance while painting.

One can’t tell, only guess how the picture will look at 15 or 20′ if working in a 6′ space.

This in turn makes both composition and colouring more difficult.

On the plus side unlike many amateurs, I am aware of the problems and know the solutions.

Of course when ever the studio is empty I can make more rapid progress and this picture will be finished quite soon ~ Failure is not an option!

My host and friend Chris Boddington does his best to accommodate me but, it is his studio and he invited a third artist to join us, great fun but it has further reduced the space available for me to work in.

I am confident that given a larger studio, at least 4.5 x 4.5 m, I would be more productive, able to work faster, but where?

The new marine painting “Racing Yachts” featuring Swan Nautor type yachts is almost complete.

Based on my experiences producing the Yachting World Prize for previous Swan European Regattas the new painting will be offered for a modest £1,000.00

The Gordon Frickers Yachting World prize caused quite a stire and was much admired by the competitors.

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

One recipient was kind enough to say (and allow me to quote him) “I have won a few prizes in my racing career but I can assure you this will be one I treasure most“, M.J. Leadbetter.

More about Mike Leadbetter’s marine painting on page ~ http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/k_6888.html

Anyone know the name of Mike Ledbetter’s yacht, I have mislaid my record of her?

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

I made good progress today on the Gibraltar and the small Cattewater marine paintings, both are historical port scenes.

The Gibraltar painting now has most of Minerve’s crew painted Horatio Nelson is now recognisable (just!) and the beginnings of the back ground details.

The Cattewater, Plymouth (small version) today had the final paint applied to the sky and further work completed on the sea hills and buildings.

Further work was also carried out on the hull of the large sailing ship lying off Phoenix Wharf, the ship will become the famous clipper “Samuel Plimsoll“  which in turn was named for and launched by the very remarkable Mr. Samuel Plimsoll.

Both these new marine paintings, shown in earlier blogs this year will re appear ion this blog soon in almost finished mode.

It will be interesting to see if the follow Talthybius and sell in less than a month, see blog entries 07.02.10 and 03.03.10 ~ anyone taking bets?

On the subject of which here is in the best Blue Peter tradition, one I made earlier, a pic of a Swan painting I finished last year and which I intend to sell ~

Make me an offer I can’t refuse and it is yours?

You can pay for any unsold picture on the web site securely online using PayPal on page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/making-a-payment/

enjoy!

Today’s task is to work on the larger marine painting of the Cattewater, Plymouth by moonlight, a scene showing the  clipper Samuel Plimsoll loading emigrants Australia bound.

The studio space is very limited, I need more space but where and how, any suggestions?

Today we have 2 other painters in the studio owner, Chris Boddington and his friend Alan Ansell plus Lizzie the cat sitting as usual on her favourite chair or rather what was my expensive swivel chair…

It’s nice to have company but quite distracting when trying to concentrate on a large difficult painting.

This marine painting measures unframed, 760 x 1220 mm, 30″ x 48″.

The sun has broken through the wind swept clouds so the light is excellent.

The down side is the space I have to work in is tiny, 2.5 m by 1.5 m, solution?

~

The tasks today include adjusting the drawing of the ship.

I have 2 photographs of Samuel Plimsoll and have been having a long look at them.

The Samuel Plimsoll as shown at present  in my marine painting is not “lean, long ” enough, not hard to adjust.

I have been working on a smaller version by way of testing for the colours and tones.

Making a smaller similar version as a guide saves much paint and is probably quicker in the long run.

Plus there is the bonus of a second marine painting from the research, to sell!

Much harder will be to create the desired evening sky which is to be based on a moon rises I have seen many times over the Cattewater and a moon rise I saw last autumn.

~

Given so little space though, it is difficult to view the test piece while working on the major art and difficult to view the major art work from suitable viewing distances.

The latter moon rise seen last Autumn,  was observed at Hossigur on the cote du Landais, the most beautiful moonrise I have ever seen.

The camera could only capture the general idea, not the colours.

~

I retain my life long passion for photography which still influences my painting.

Even after all these years including my training at Medway College of Art (now part of the Kent Institute of Art and Design) and degree in photography I find cameras can be quite surprising as shown by a moon rise I photographed here at Itzac a few evenings ago using a “time exposure” and tripod…

This picture is so unusual I entered it in a Canon Camera web site competion titled: “How would you interpret “new” in a photograph? Send us your ideas“.

It will be interesting to see if the judges notice the photograph which has not been “Photoshopped”.

These days I mostly use a Canon SLR 350D.

I have used Canon as my primary camera through out my career following the recommendation of my tutors at Medway College of Art who said Nikon, Canon, and Pentax, were the best professional cameras in those now far astern days 35 mm of course.

I’m yet to see any other make of camera that can beat them, Nikon, Canon in particular and Pentax having continued to be market leaders and innovators to this day.

I’d love to upgrade my camera but am reluctant to spend the required  1000 Euros / pounds at present.

Looking at the latest versions I would choose a Canon camera again for several reasons summed up as having the best spec for the sort of work I do, mostly action photography and recording paintings.

Thus I am stuck with what I have at present, minimum studio space and an adequate but dated camera and am grateful for what I have.

Chris Boddington has been very kind and tries to be helpful but we are physically limited by the space available.

Poor French and an erratic income inhibit me from moving, both make renting some where else in France difficult.

The former problem I can solve by attending classes in Albi, the latter is not so simple to solve.

Maybe time to move back to England?

If you have any suggestions for a more suitable work and living space for a dedicated painter, as an artist in residence or simply renting, do let me know!

I am still exchanging emails  re the European Parliament Marine Art Exhibition at Brussels.

Also on the stunning moon rises I saw from the beach last autumn at Hossigur.

You may not believe it to see the attached pop up progress report but, the scene will show the emigrant clipper Samuel Plimsoll and the (now demolished) emigration buildings at Phoenix Wharf.

Of all the boats I owned the one I miss most is Wellington, Wayfarer 6778, pictures here at Bodinnick Ferry, Fowey, Cornwall.

—– Original Message —–

From: AP

To: Gordon Frickers

Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 6:23 PM

Subject: For and against the face-veil

By Indlieb Farazi

A French parliamentary panel has recommended that face-covering veils such as the burqa or the niqab be banned in public insitutions such as hospitals and schools. The decision is the result of a six-month inquiry into full veils, after Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, said they were “not welcome” in the country. Here the issue is debated by Hadiah Ahmed, a niqab-wearing Muslim, and Shaaz Mahboob, vice chair of British Muslims for Secular Democracy. ‘THE NIQAB IS PART OF MY IDENTITY’ Hadiah Ahmed, 30, is a full-time mother of two in Manchester. She previously worked as an interior designer in London.“I am a Muslim woman, born and bred in Yorkshire. I studied in English schools, furthered my education to degree level and have worked with celebrity faces. I changed my whole lifestyle for my religion as it was the way I wanted to live. I started wearing the khimaar (head scarf) and jilbab (a long dress-type cloak). A good few years ago as I started to practise Islam more, and it states in the Quran: ‘And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty.’ (24. 31). “Targeting the niqab is just an excuse to target Islam, afterall why is it that Christian nuns are not pinpointed for the way they dress?” Hadia Ahmed It was solely my decision, and after all, we live in Britain, a place where we have freedom of speech, freedom to live how we want to live!!I can remember when I first went out in my hijab (Islamic dress), how people were staring at me and calling out things like, “You bomber!” It was quite funny how, before I started wearing my hijab, men would whistle and make comments and now it was the total opposite.  It’s so strange how people perceive you just by what you wear even though you’re the same person from within. I found that people were rude, talking to me as if I wasn’t familiar with the English language and as if I was stupid. Sometimes it use to annoy me so much as I was educated in Britain, paid my taxes and yet I was being told to go back to my own country!! Hello, I was born here!! But now I just laugh and think that it’s so ironic. Three years ago I went for pilgrimage to Mecca for Hajj and there it was when I decided to wear the niqab (a veil which leaves only the eyes uncovered). When I came back to England I kept on my niqab and the comments just escalated. Years on, I still get the looks and the comments. However, things are becoming increasing harder for a Muslim woman wanting to practise her religion. In my opinion targeting the niqab is just an excuse to target Islam. After all, why is it that Christian nuns are not pinpointed for the way they dress? Or that it’s OK to wear less and for women to be degraded and seen as sex symbols, but if someone wants to cover up and protect their modesty, then there’s a big uproar? I, as a Muslim woman, should have the right to wear what I want without any question as to why I want to wear it. It’s my identity, it’s who I am. We are a hard-working family trying to practise our religion whilst living in a Western society. In my opinion governments should use their efforts wisely to try and promote unity so that religion and society can go hand in hand, so that we can live in peace.” This choice of garment is not perceived as modest, rather as deceptive and suppressive. Imam’s who point out it is not directly required by the Koran are some times threatened. One in Paris was recently threatened with death while in his own mosque by a gang of 80 and called a Jewish Imam. There is no place in any civilized society for death threats to people who you don’t agree with. Such actions belittle Islam and proclaim it as dangerous and suppressive to liberty, enlightenment and progress. If that is what Islam is, then yes there is going to be trouble, like nothing you have see. As Islam sows, so it shall reap. In the words of a Dutchman I spoke with recently “we will resist”. The fundalamentalist would earn more respect if they devoted their energies to helping their less fortunate poor and sick, to honest education and personal improvement. But that does not suit the Imam’s who’s power they misguidedly think rests on control of other people. These clothes are used by terrorists and prevents honest people identifying the wearer and seeing their facial reactions a very important part of communication. Christian Nuns… ~ no comparison. I don’t like the Chatholic Church however I appreciate nuns do not cover their faces and perform much useful and charitable work. We have some other dotty religious orthodox in Britain and France of various religions, who wear quaint cloths. Differences are they don’t hide their faces or wish to convert all Britain, France and Europe to their religion by any means possible. This latter point is exactly what many Islamist are working towards, Islamic extreemists are simply the least patient of them. It is no secret, see for yourself by searching the Internet or living as I have with Muslims in France. She previously worked as an interior designer in London. ~ and now? Does she sponge off the state, the British people? Expecting them to subsidies her life style, most of these “religious” women do… It has an adverse effect on Their fellow Britain’s and they know this. The British also are increasingly aware it is no secret that the aim of Islam is to convert all Europe to their ways. “I, as a Muslim woman, should have the right to wear what I want without any question as to why I want to wear it. It’s my identity, it’s who I am. ~ yes, until it becomes anti social. We do not permit nudity or breast or penis exposure either, there are limits and rules in our generally liberal and tolerant society. We are a hard-working family trying to practice our religion whilst living in a Western society. ~ OK, good luck but as you have just said, this is Western Society and heartland of it at that! You must respect our rules, laws and ancient culture which have taken us over a thousand years to win and develop or forfeit our hospitality and friendship. In my opinion governments should use their efforts wisely to try and promote unity so that religion and society can go hand in hand, so that we can live in peace.” ~ I completely agree. However, this is a Western Society, more, it is Britain, Old England and it too has a right to have it’s institutions and traditions respected so start showing some respect and appreciation…. ‘THE NIQAB HAS NO PLACE IN ISLAM’ Shaaz Mahboob is the vice-chair of British Muslims for Secular Democracy, a charity which promotes religious understanding and addresses prejudice against Muslims. “Discrimination of any form is considered unacceptable is all civilised societies. Shaaz Mahboob believes the niqab should not have a place in civilised Western societies The burqa or the niqab does just that. It allows one person to remain anonymous during face-to-face communication, thus depriving the right of the other to reciprocate whilst registering the changes in facial expressions, which is vital in such communication, in conjunction to voice that is used for everyday communication.Whether in public offices, educational institutions or out on the streets, the disadvantage to those who are required to deal with women covered under a niqab or burqa is immense. Furthermore, to all the men out there, it is insulting since it implies that every man on the street would somehow get aroused by the sight of a woman’s face and in therefore to protect these women, they must be put behind a suffocating layer of thick clothing. This might be true for certain societies where men rarely get a glimpse of women’s faces or skin altogether, and any such sight might awaken their natural instincts. Whereas in Western societies, especially within the French society, this rationale does not hold much weight since members of the public are exposed to significant display of the skin of the opposite sex, which perhaps renders them immune to any such mental state where they would readily pounce on a woman upon seeing her uncovered face. “Not knowing whether an individual amongst them is a man or a woman due to their attire is deeply unsettlig“ Shaaz Mahboob The argument put forward by individuals and groups that somehow covering of women’s face is a religious obligation for the reason of their safety from the lewdness of men, falls flat on its face when recalling the etiquettes during Hajj.It should be remembered that during this holiest of pilgrimages, worldly pleasures and distractions have been removed by the Almighty, thereby allowing the pilgrims to concentrate on their prayers and associated rituals. During the Hajj, Islam forbids women from covering their faces, whilst at the same time removes segregation on the basis of sex during the days that men and women, who are otherwise strangers to each other, spend many days in close proximity to each other. No wonder even amongst the vast majority of women who do choose to cover themselves, only a fringe element finds the niqab or burqa a religious obligation, while the rest are content only with a hijab. Whether it’s security at airports, identification in banks or during job or dole (income support) interviews, it is the right of the authorities and businesses to be certain of who they are dealing with on the basis of identity and communication. Furthermore, it is perfectly reasonable that the general public feel reasonably secure about the persons sharing the same public sphere. Not knowing whether an individual amongst them is a man or a woman due to their attire is deeply unsettling and any such anxieties must be addressed by the relevant changes to law. Burqa or niqab neither has a place in Islam nor should it obtain a place in civilised Western societies where women are equal to men and public safety of all is paramount.

This splendid marine art has resurfaced in a private collection,  it’s  owners one of whom is a decendant of Vasco da Gamma are offering “Last departure“  for sale as they are retiring and down sizing their home.

This marine painting (30″ x 40″) shows the moments Ferriera ex Cutty Sark left her last port with a cargo.

The story of the painting is written up on this frickers web site under marine, merchant sail.

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

I have a very long association with the famous tea clipper Cutty Sark.

In some ways those days influence me still.

At this moment I am working on a painting which includes one of the rivals of Cutty Sark, the emigrant and wool clipper “Samuel Plimsoll“.

By the way this marine painting’s development has been and will be over the next 6 weeks, featured on this blog.

Besides your being able to watch the painting evolve, you will be able to read some of the stories of Plymouth and the sea, centered around the painting.

If history and marine subjects interest you, then you are in for a good read!

The painting, as yet unsold, is intended as a large (30″ x 48″)  exhibition piece to be shown at Brussels (the European Parliament have kindly requested a show of my work via MEP Brian Simpson) and after at Plymouth.

The latter beacause this new marine painting will be part of Plymouth’s heritage.

Anyway, back to the plot, I visited Cutty Sark several times when a child (school outings).

To many years to think on, lets just say later, I took my son and daughter to visit Cutty Sark, hence the photo here of Helmsman Graham.

Storm damaged in the English Channel, “Ferriera” had put into Falmouth, Cornwall, in distress.

Her crew self repaired “Ferriera” and we see her outward bound.

A happy result of this incident was Captain and Mrs. Dowman of Falmouth resolved to try again to buy the ship which in turn lead to her eventual restoration at Falmouth docks and her preservation ~ Until some careless fools let her catch fire at Greenwich…

Of “Ferriera” ex “Cutty Sark“, “Last Departure“, Brian Stewart-Brown wrote to me:

“Dear Gordon,

Some years ago in the late 1980’s you sold me the above mentioned painting.

You may remember my wife is Portuguese and you thought it would be an exciting painting for us to have baring in mind she is a descendant of Vasco de Gamma, the relationship between Portugal and England” (Port wine aside, England’s oldest ally) “and that Cutty Sark had been known as Ferriera”.

Ferriera was much loved by the Portuguese and owned by them for longer than she sailed under the British “Red duster”.

“Looking at your website and talking to various Art dealer friends of mine, my wife and I are wondering what the value of the painting would be today if we decided to sell it?

I would very much like to talk to you about this matter if you had a moment, my mobile number is 07713329567.

Regards Brian Stewart-Brown“.

Subsequently we spoke on the phone about “Ferriera” ex “Cutty Sark“, “Last Departure“.

Brian is seriously interested in selling this fine example of marine art, you can see a detail here and more on this web site under Marine Gallery, merchant sail.

Thus if you might be interested in owning this marine painting phone Brian or you are welcome to contact me, Gordon Frickers,  via this web site.