A recommendation

Re: the Painting School of Montmiral, Francis Pratt asked me a few days ago to recommend his teaching art work on his Linkedin page, I am also on linkedin.

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!

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Electrical Storm, stand by for a new phone number and CdM news

I’m online at the beautiful 13th century Bastide Castelnau de Montmiral for the first time in about 2 years.

The electrical problem at Itzac is a pain in the bum, some times it is not difficult to see into the future, this was obvious to me a crisis was going to happen at an inconvinient time.

Does a crisis ever happen at a convinient time? Murphy’s laws maybe you are familiar with these clearly predict?

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From the Plymouth Evening Herald

Cattewater painting for Brussels

HISTORIC: Marine artist Gordon Frickers finishing the painting of old PlymouthGF_n_Catte_IMG_7862_d.jpg

A PAINTING of Plymouth Cattewater showing a scene from the early 1880s is to be one of the centre pieces at an exhibition at the European Parliament.

Marine artist Gordon Frickers, from Plymouth, has been asked to submit the painting, entitled Plymouth Cattewater, which shows a clipper loading prior to her imminent departure for Australia.

It is believed Gordon will be one of very few British artists ever invited and certainly the first marine artist from Plymouth to exhibit at the Parliament building in Brussels.

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Naval Book publishers for Sale

Here is a rare opportunity. If you heard about it first on this blog and buy the business don’t forget who your friend is.

To be fair I heard of this via John Hepburn, wearing his Maritime Plymouth hat. You can find John and Maritime Plymouth via~

www.maritimeplymouth.co.ukmewstone.enterprises@nulltiscali.co.uk

I’d like discounted books and you can offer my marine prints, open and limited editions as part of building your business ~ done? (who said done and you have been? ahh yes Moriarty in the Goon Show).

Plymouth publisher, Mike Critchley, writes to tell us he would like to find a successor.

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So how was Plymouth?

My visit to Plymouth, looking back as I try to catch up on work at Itzac, went quite well including some good PR; the bad news was getting up early to be with Gordon Sparks on BBC Radio Devon the good news, Gordon  Sparks Sparkie is great fun to be interviewed by,

There will also be a a piece in the Plymouth Evening Herald ~ (circulation about 250,000) by Tristan Nicholls of whom some including David Folley say “the best journalist on the Herald”  about the new large marine painting Plymouth Cattewater and the invitation to exhibit next year at the European Parliament in Brussels. RPCYC_IMG_7648_d.jpg

The photo here is a different view of the the Cattewater, River Plym, Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club from which I used to sail in former family days and looks towards the east shore and my former home at Plymstock.

Besides visiting familiar places and there is more to tell!

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Last Monday I crossed the English Channel and now I need a new studio…

I sailed on 19,500 tons of  Brittany Ferries new “Amourique” then stayed my first night near Redon.
I have the keys to a friends house where I often help out while passing through, then eventually found my way back to Itzac in the Tarn, Midi Pyrenees.Geoff_n_Wendy_HouseIMG_5767_wp.jpg
I have been mostly cleaning my house since. How do so many spiders and so much dust get in a closed house ~ and 3 frogs in the bathroom?
The picture of my cottage was taken last year before the house warming but balloons apart the place has not changed much for 50 years and was in 1825 the village forge.Soir_de_la_Fete__ma_maison_IMG_4606_wp.jpg
Yesterday re started painting, a large landscape painting and a marine painting, a new “Trafalgar Dawn”.

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Plymouth Evening Herald

As a result of speaking with Ian Criddle and Nigel Overton, the Plymouth Evening Herald (circulation 250,000 +) has asked for an article on my new marine painting Plymouth Cattewater GF_n_Catte_IMG_7862_d.jpgand the offer of an exhibition at the European Parliament for which the painting is intended as a centre piece (unless some one makes me an offer I can’t refuse!).

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On air, BBC Radio Devon

The radio Devon interview, BBC Radio Devon, Gordon Sparks Show, went well this morning. GF n Catte IMG_7864 wp cropped_1.jpg
Sparksie had that train painting, of the Flying Scotsman on his PC screen as the Royal Albert Bridge is hot news in Plymouth at present (are we missing out).
Nice to be painting topical subjects!

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