P&O Azura Cruise Ship

This image of the P&O Cruise Ship the 'Azura' is very much 'work in progress'. The 22 x 18 inch canvas board needed two coats of (The Works) acrylic gesso to cover the previous sprayed on testing work from when I was into trying to use an air brush and had divided this canvas board into four sections.  The (Winsor & Newton, 'Galleria') Burnt Sienna acrylic also needed two coats. I was warned that the pigment wasn't strong, but if it's all you can afford, then it is simply all that you can afford.  But as you can see; I'm down to starting the (Lefranc & Bourgeois and Galleria) acrylic colours now. 

So far all of the painting has been done with a 3/4 inch 'one stroke' brush shown in the photograph, but I'll probably use a short handled No.12 'Filbert' brush and a 1 inch 'Script', if only because I bought them a few weeks ago for my Pochade Box.  They will probably help with the detail on the Azura.  Especially if I use the artists pigment 'Cryla' on the P&O ship.  I also intend to include one or two modelling acrylic colours on the sea. You know the kind, the ones that you use to paint toy soldiers. So with that in mind, it's time to soldier on, splash out the black, ultramarine, and titanium white and do some more very enjoyable painting.

22 x 18 Inches

Work in progress. I have been planning this idea in my head for some time and managed to snaffle a good photo of the ship earlier today from a friend. It is intended to be the P&O Aurora Cruise Ship in acrylic on Winsor & Newton 22 x 18 inches Canvas Board using a mixture of Winsor & Newton 'Galeria' acrylics (cheap and on offer where I shop for 4 x 60ml tubes (colours of your choice) for only £10, Daler Rowney 'Cryla' artists quality acrylic with a superior pigment and colour flow (along with a superior price of around £7 for 70ml or so), Lefranc & Bourgeois 'Louvre' which I find are a pretty good acrylic product (and were a gift when I retired), and believe it or not 'Boldermere' from the Works, which are pretty poor, but good enough when that's all you can afford.  I can't recall if these were a gift or I bought them to try to complete a large piece which in all honesty wasn't one of my best goes.  They will also do, as I work through using them rather than wasting them or donating them to a charity.  So all in all, different manufacturers and different acrylic paints. Working in acrylic is fairly new to me, and so far, I'm finding it all good fun. My former acrylic painting style was very much like painting by numbers.  Specific colours in modelling acrylic and use that colour to fill a specific area of the painting.  These days I mix my acrylics and would be just as happy with one blue, one red, and one yellow, along with a white to lighten the mixed colour or to provide highlights on an image, and a black to darken it.  So the two tubs of various acrylics that I have acquired over the years, could just as easily be 5 tubes. Using acrylic is less precise than watercolour painting, but some of the watercolour techniques can transpose into acrylic painting. Not that I care, as I'm having a hoot just slapping it on.

My social media art work in progress gallery is apparently sitting at www.facebook.com/ArtRBA or so I think that it is.  I have acquired a real passion for art, and enjoy forming images through words and various solid artistic mediums such as the aforementioned acrylic painting, using watercolours, mixed media involving mono-printing ink and soft pastels, oil and or soft pastels as stand alone pieces, and various pencil work form a range of HB to 9B, to inktense pencils, watercolour pencils and good old coloured pencils. I don't sell my work, but I do enjoy showcasing it in its various forms. I also like showcasing my poetry and a small percentage of my artwork is now linked to specific poems that I have written. 

Art

Two acrylic paintings have been completed today. The first one was on canvas board bought from Poundland and took two hours at MIND this morning. That scene depicts a sailing ship with a dark moody sky. Whereas this evenings painting has no central focal point, and is just a sea and sky. It was painted with cheap acrylics on gesso prepped plywood and took 30 minutes. 300 channels and nothing on the TV, so the paints just called. I used burnt sienna as a base colour, and then burnt sienna, cadmium yellow, black, white, and ultramarine to paint the scene. 

All Rights Reserved, Rba 2016

Hot hot hot

With the UK weather as it is, I thought that a hot theme for this post was appropriate:

I dislike 'Hot Pressed' watercolour paper with a vengeance. Now don't get me wrong; because I don't regret buying the Daler Rowney Aquafine Smooth 'Hot Pressed' watercolour paper. Especially seeing that it was a 'buy one and get one free' promotion. Superb for a botanical watercolourist, but not much cop for the sweeping and extract landscapes of yours truly. Fair play, the paper is more like card, but the watercolour just dries too fast. So here I am on the morning of Day 4 of my current aspiring pastelist art course, and I'm quite happy to slap on some watercolour to a 16x12 inch sheet of the aforementioned 'Hot Press' in order to give myself a background for a pastel drawing later today. You can buy pastel paper and card, not pastel colours exactly (although they sell those as well) but colours suitable as backgrounds for pastel drawings. So that might include a dark brown, a dark blue, or a vibrant red. Those of you who are friends of mine on Social Media; will know that my current banner image is a Venice Scene on pastel paper in the style of Whistler, whereby the paper colour has been deliberately allowed to shine through.  By applying watercolour to white paper or card, the artist can create colours for specific areas and then choose to (1) let that colour shine through, or (2) use that colour to reinforce the intensity of the top colour, or (3) use the watercolour to ensure that none of the white of the paper shines through where there's unintentional gaps in the pastel application or pastel falls away during transport or storage. So writes the man who knows nothing. Hey ho, the pigment calls, so I have to press on elsewhere. . . 

Ceilings all done

So the ceilings are done. The new 'T-Lock' is heavy, but not as heavy as the 16 footer. To protect the rooms off the landing, I had all of the doors closed, and phew it was baking hot up there. Off the half landing I was using the 8 foot fully extended, and thankfully only partly extended reaching out from the main landing.  I also created myself a new brush extender :-) 

Essential to reach a two foot length just off the top of the stairs where the stepladder and the main ladder just won't reach. I picked the size 10 art brush up for 75p and I'm looking forward to using it with oils or acrylics over the Bank Holiday 

Hello

Well it's been almost a month since I last posted here, so I suppose that I should say 'hello'!  The Primary stage USA Presidential campaign seems to be in its endgame. You will all by now know the Cruz News. I feel sorry for his running mate, as now I suspect she can't be chosen by Trump.

But that of course is at the dizzy heights of world politics, and not the foot firmly on the ground type of life that I lead. So my mundane news, is that having glossed both sides of the new interior doors, I've now started the Hall, Stairs and Landing decorating. Okay, I have to be fair and mention that I've had a few easy going (and essential for me) days in-between; these rest days even included a trip to Cardiff. But we're  back on the decorating, and so today has been a day of prepping with polyfilla, and decorators caulk. I've also bought myself two new toys from Clements in town; namely an 'Axus Decor' roller and an 8ft 'T-Lock' double click extension pole, to reach the high ceiling off the landing. I bought a 16 footer one of these two years or so ago, and used that to reach the gable end of our house when I repainted it that year. An awesome bit of kit, and the new smaller one was only £11 so all in all I've got to be happy with that.

The next job is to clean up the ladders and get them inside to reach the ridiculously high window and give it a good clean before starting to paint the ceilings. Why did the silly architect some 35 years ago; put a ridiculously high window that can't be reached without a ladder, and then use the few brain cells that he had, to fit a top opening casement window into the frame. Wanker, that folks being a technical term #AYearofDIY

Cruz News

Cruz has picked a 'Running Mate', really? 

That comes across as strange, and despatate.  The news coverage even included someone who has apparently tweeted that this is an act of desperation.  Whilst I have to agree with that appraisal, it's also worth mentioning that this is all quite sad.  He's not winning in the Delegate count, he's received less votes from those that have taken the time to vote, and for me, he doesn't seem Presidential in any stretch of the imagination. 

When you're losing, life can be sad.  When you've lost, it probably feels worse.  But then again, that's only the case when victory feels more important than the journey.  It's time now for Cruzy to walk away, along with that other chap, whose name I can no longer recall.

Art and Poetry

A new Tesco store is being built in our nearby town. I'm not going to get into the 'ins' and 'outs' of that development, as some people can become a tad emotional when discussing the issue. But I am grateful to the opportunity the developers afforded MIND Aberystwyth; by handing over several 8 x 4 or larger wooden panels for the Art Class to paint on.  This is my 20 hour effort using acrylics.  Not my favourite medium, as like oils it just takes too long. Even though I spread the hours in short bursts over many days, it was still too long.  I know acrylics don't take as long as oils, but hey ho, some of us need to get on and paint another picture.  Not hanging about to wait for stuff to dry, or being part of a slow application process.  Give me a water based medium, or soft pastels any day. 

The accompanying Poem shown on an adjacent panel was also written by yours truly. 

The reason I'm posting this today, is that a friend who knew that I painted the image and wrote the poem last Summer, told me this week, that she saw a chap look at the art and then read the poem and then turn away crying. 

Words can create imagery, and physical imagery can enhance words. I suspect that the readily available explanation behind the artwork; reinforced (or maybe a better word is 'enhanced') that combined process. 

Although it was never my intention to upset anyone; as an aspiring artist, there must also be a small feeling of satisfaction.  In that the words and painting caused a reaction. 

As usual: all rights reserved Roger Bennett for the poetry and art. If you want to use both or either, then please track me down and ask for permission :-)

More Presidential Stuff

Moving on from my January post about Shirley Who:

The Republicans can't blame Donald Trump for their inability to propose credible alternative candidates.  I've quite forgotten who the 4th and 5th candidates are, but the apparent inexperience and wooden top nature of their candidates lying in 2nd and 3rd place, simply shines through.  In fact it screams at you, more than merely shining.  If I was American, I would want to make America Great Again (as opposed to 'whole') and I wouldn't vote for neither.  

So if I wanted a candidate with a chance of beating the Democrats, then ole Donald would get my vote, simple as. 

But it's not his fault that he is looking more and more like the Republican first choice.  To me, Trump is looking like the only choice.  Surely, amongst the Republican Party, there must have been a handful of potential candidates, some of whom at least had the ability to appear Presidential and the credibility and allure to attract voters.  Donald Trump is starting to appear as if he can be, and does have, and the others left in the race are simply thrashing around, and from where I stand, are beginning to look really foolish.  

#TrumpForPresident 

#WhoisRubioCruz? 

Shirley Who

"In the end, anti-black, anti-female, and all forms of discrimination are equivalent to the same thing - anti-humanism." 

Shirley Chisholm (1925-2005)

Shirley Chisholm survived several assassination attempts, and was the first woman to run for the office of President of the United States of America.

The Force Awakens with an Imperial Rebel Scout Team in Graphite Pencil and Derwent Inktense

This A3 sized piece of Star Wars themed art was the marrying of two formats (graphite pencil and Inktense pencil) without knowing in advance if such a mixed media combination would work.  Better still (or should I say, foolishly) I went and selected a large A3 sheet of Hot Pressed watercolour paper to trial the idea.  I mean, common sense suggests that I should have tried it out on some scrap paper or at least on something small like A5.  Hey ho, it worked and I enjoyed the artistic progress.

The graphite pencils were HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, and 8B.  Whereas the Derwent Inktense (ink) pencils were a Series 2 twelve piece set with the addition of some extra nine Series 1 and 2 colours.  I suspect that there were two Series; because some of the additional pencils are straight edged rather than round along the pencil shaft.  Apparently the earlier issue of Derwent Inktense contained some five (out of seventy two) rogue colours that were not as colour or light-fast as the later Series.  But this may of course just be rumour, and the colour range was the same with the first issue, I simply don't know.  What I do know is that I love these pencils.  Inktense colour and shade well onto watercolour paper, and come alive when you carefully apply water. Although I do recommend using a small rather than a broad brush to tease out the vibrant ink colour saturation.

Star Wars Scout Sniper Team - Spotter and Rifleman

The Star Wars Sniper or Scout Team figures have been completed previously by other artists and have appeared online for some time.  The figure on the left is usually found facing left (but I have seen it facing in the other direction where someone had mirrored the image).  The Star Wars scenery in which the Scout is set, is often moody and almost monotone.  I also found the right hand Star Wars Sniper figure online.  This cropped figure was presented as a square set up, almost like a sort of cameo.  Again, with a moody and limited colour palette.

My main drawing challenge was to combine the two Star Wars Sniper figures in a realistic manner.  A design that suggested their interaction within the scene was reasonably represented.  This took almost a whole day of online research for the appropriate images and then the juggling of the two photographs that I eventually set my mind on.  Unlike my father 'Saben'; I am not a portrait artist.  So the idea of a figure or figures with masks appeals to me.  But even with the face hidden, the detail was too much to draw freehand (if trying to accurately represent the original drawing).  So I opted for fixing the watercolour paper down with masking tape and then marking the tape to provide a 'cm' grid for the two areas where the Star Wars Snipers would be located.  These grid-line pencil marks had to be very slight, so that they could be erased or overdrawn before completing the final piece.

The next challenge was to change some of the scenery in the background, expand that scenery and then try to suggest that the Scout Team were on the high ground.  I changed the rock in the original broad image hosting the Sniper with the binoculars; so that the rocks being lent on, became a tree.  This leads the eye towards the second Sniper that is better hidden within the foliage.  

All of the graphite range of pencils were used, and some graphite was also laid down on quite a bit of the coloured areas, before applying colour.  The camouflage effect was created with a combination of two Inktense colours; where the colour from both pencils was lifted using a wet brush and then mixed.  This Inktense mixture was then applied to the drawing using a brush.  Of (my now) 21 Inktense pencils, the following were mainly used (in no particular order of importance):

Willow
Sun Yellow
Sherbert Lemon
Bark
Apple Green
Baked Earth
Sea Blue
Deep Indigo

and to a lesser extent; Teal green, and Tangerine.  When you look at what was a new set of 12 Inktense Pencils now sitting back in their tin, you can see that for this image, both Apple Green and Baked Earth took the greatest hit.

The Star Wars Sniper Team image is called: 'Looking for Targets' and took a total of 16 hours, split into 13 drawing sessions, that were spread over 8 days.  I fixed the final image with Daler Rowney Perfix Colourless Fixative. This is also my now first choice fixative for Soft Pastels when sealing between layers.

May the Force Be With You. 

Some more art

The Beast was dropped off for repair early this morning, so it's now a case of settling down and deciding what to start creating with the new art materials that were bought for me over Christmas and on my Birthday.

Today's Art is a tad complex and needed some lining out to help me with the combination of Graphite Pencils and Derwent Inktense Pencils. I don't know if that pencil combination will work, but we will of course find out over the next few days. The other advantage of lining out; is that watercolour paper is expensive. So I don't want to waste a sheet because of drawing errors.  The intended image consists of broadly copying two separate pieces of Star Wars art that have appeared online. The main character is an Imperial Scout Sniper sat next to a tree, and who appears to be only half interested in what is going on. To try to enhance that often copied composition, I've gone for adding a second Scout Sniper who seems to be more focussed, in that this figure has the scout rifle in the firing position.  I envisage this second member of the team to be in a hollow to the bottom and foreground of the tree. But alas, imagination and execution can often be quite different. So we will have to see how this one pans out, and whether or not I obtain the much needed relaxation and enjoyment.

This one is A3 size on hot press watercolour paper (smoother and dries quicker than cold press [which is also known as NOT]). The A3 size of course is less the 1cm all round to tape down the watercolour paper to mark out the lines and to try to reduce curling when I eventually wet the surface. Another good thing about taping down is that the paper should survive being but aside now and again, as I expect this piece to take a few days. I don't do pressure, so if the mood slips away, so does the art.

Some chronological errors

I resized some of my images and that has made a few posts skip into the wrong dates. But hey ho, so what.  If you read then previously then you will know that they are a repeat of distant things.

Christmas was a dreadful affair, but thankfully the New Year was perfect (a long and leisurely Dinner out with my wife and one of our daughters), and my Birthday a few days later was pretty good as well.  I talked too much at MIND yesterday and only managed to get the outline of an intended art project done.  But today is another day and chronologically this should be the first one that you read of 2016

Schmincke, Sennelier, and Rowney Soft Pastels are all out. So now it's time to create: 

Well chuffed

I'm well chuffed with this watercolour depicting the road into our village.  It was completed today, and I hope that the recipient is just as chuffed when the gift is opened on Christmas Day.

The painting is approximately 9 in by 6 in (including the 8mm White border where the masking tape is positioned). It's been painted on Cotman 'Cold Pressed' Gummed watercolour paper (a 9 x 12 sheet cut in half). I predominantly used Artists quality watercolour paints (Winsor & Newton) plus a smidging of two pigments from my Daler Rowney Artists Oil Pastels. I put on my fluorescent jacket earlier in the day and popped out if the village to take some photographs to help the composition.  The sky idea came from a photograph taken by a friend of mine. 

I'm really pleased with this one, as it's a huge step in the right direction on my artistic journey. 

Waste

Well those who know me, know that I hate waste. This is a piece of watercolour paper that someone had stuck down to a drawing board at MIND, but left alone for many many months (maybe longer) unused.  This waste had been bothering me for sometime. It is quite a large piece of paper at approximately 20 x 15 inches. Lots of paint and crayon had been spilt onto it, and where other boards were taken out or put back in place, the board edges had indented the paper.

So this week at MIND Aberystwyth, I decided to do something about it. Most people would have thrown the paper away, but for me it became my art project of the session. The final image was created using soft pastels, watercolour pencils and watercolours:

MIND Aberystwyth

I've been to Art at 'MIND Aberystwyth' today (I tend to think of the weekly meeting as a lifeline and become quite anxious if the arrangements change), and to Circuit Training this evening.  Not that I'm doing very well with the Circuits, it's sort of walk when everyone else runs, and modifying many of the exercise stations, to suit where I actually am in the lack of fitness game.  But at least I'm there, and that's the important thing.

I managed to complete a simple beach scene watercolour at MIND and then made a few art acquisitions ready for the next series of paintings: (1) the new ARCHES watercolour paper is as good as it gets, and I've been waiting to take delivery of this beauty for a while, (2) the art easel was dug out of a storage box and cleaned up (the easel belonged to my father who passed away 30+ years ago), and finally the china and loggoed up Winsor Newton brush pot, which was a delightful gift that I received from the lovely people at the Art Shop in Pier Street, Aberystwyth.

Yes the ARCHES watercolour paper is expensive, and yes, I had to raid the piggy bank, but I simply had to have a go. Not that it's opened yet, knowing me it will be put to one side for a while and then after procastination on my part, it will at some point be opened and used.  Whereas I suspect that the cleaned up pot will be holding a brush or two by midday tomorrow. Don't even ask about the easel, as that's now an ornament in the corner of my den.

Snow Time

This is today's piece. There was another one completed yesterday (an A3 Portrait view from North of Brodick on the Isle of Arran in Watercolour, Watercolour Pencils and Oil Pastels). This was on top of finishing the view from Arran towards Holy Isle which was painted in landscape format.

Today's piece is on 16 x 8 inch watercolour paper and the intention is again to use oil pastels and watercolour pencils to complete the piece.  It is interesting to see the changes in style as I develop as an artist. As usual, click on the image if the formatting is cropped and it should open full size.

Roger Bennett

Watercolour and mixed media painting: Looking out from An t-Eilean Àrd

This one was painted on Daler Rowney Aquarelle 'Cold Pressed' (also known as NOT) 8 inch x 16 inch watercolour paper.  If the watercolour painting is cropped; then simply click on the image to see it full size.

It's a view from the bay at Lamlash (Scottish Gaelic: An t-Eilean Àrd) in North Ayrshire on the Isle of Arran, looking towards 'Holy Isle' on the Firth of Clyde. 

It was painted using watercolour pencils, oil pastel, and watercolours.  

This is one of a series of images that I have produced after our lovely, albeit short holiday on the Isle of Arran.  I promised my mental ill health counsellor, that I would do some watercolour painting while on the Isle and upon my return.

For the sky: Watercolour pencils were used near to the horizon and dabbed in some places higher up, then wetted. Winsor Blue Red Shade watercolour paint, my favourite 'grey' of Venetian Red and Prussian Blue in varying intensities, and a mixture of Chinese White and Yellow Ochre.  The latter being replicated in the sea along with Winsor Blue R/S.

As is usual with all of my poetry, paintings and drawings, all rights are reserved, Roger Bennett

Africa watercolour painting

. . . and here is another watercolour painting for my friends, especially those in or from Africa (Patricia, Tamara, Michael, and Jeffers AKA Jeffery).

This painting of the night sky and its mass of stars, was constructed in watercolour and pen and ink and a tiny bit of watercolour pencil on an approximately A3 sheet of Daler Rowney 'Aquafine' 'Hot Pressed' smooth watercolour paper.    The paper size is an Imperial measurement of 16 x 12 inches (which is a tad larger than A3).  

The black ink aside, there are four prominent colours in this watercolour image, all Winsor and Newton Artist Quality paints, namely: Prussian Blue, Indigo, Winsor Orange, and Rose Dore. To a significantly lesser extent, there is some Yellow Ochre. 

The pen is a Staedtler pigment liner size 0.05 which is waterproof once applied to paper.  The main art brushes used for this piece were my expensive Rowney 'Diana' series Kolinsky Sable in various sizes up to size 7 and my latest minor acquisition of a Daler Rowney 'Aquafine' Liner. The latter brush offers better control than a 'Graduate' Size 1 Rigger brush. 

As with all of my paintings, drawings, and poems: all rights are reserved, Roger Bennett

Vive la France

I have been working on this square shaped watercolour painting 'Vive la France' for several days now. It is my Liberté, égalité, fraternité image, and my small way to pay respect to those who have suffered terribly during the series of dreadful murders in Paris.  The three figures and their shadows in the foreground are painted in the blue, white and red colours of the French flag. The black car is my take on the small black car that was prominent in early news reports.  The figures in the background represent those that lost their lives during these dreadful and unnecessary atrocities.

The French scene was painted square, so that the image would easily upload as my Social Media profile picture.  The exact size was wholly dependent upon what size quality watercolour paper that I had in my stash at home. I opted for probably my best watercolour paper; namely 'The Langton Prestige' 100% Cotton. This 14 x 10 inch pad came in at £14.10 for 12 sheets quite a few years ago.  But alas this particular watercolour pad lay lingering in an art folder, simply because I neither had the skills nor the confidence to use it.  So for this painting, I removed a sheet and squared it off at 10 inches (250mm).

I used watercolour pencils to map out a similar image to one that I have painted several times before.  The bonus of using watercolour pencils is that the colours fade into the painting and the artist is not left with unsightly pencil construction marks. The planning stage meant having three prominent and distinct figures and the French flag in the foreground and the tower in looming the background.  But this is a 'wet on wet' watercolour process, so the flag, and the three prominent figures and the Eiffel  Tower were all masked off using a masking fluid pen like applicator. This would keep these areas clear of watercolour paint until the later part of the art process. 

The sky was painted first, using a combination of Winsor Newton Blue Red Shade and Winsor Lemon having first wet the paper. Greater detail was given to the car in the painting by using three different watercolour pencils, and then carefully wetting the image.  The same method was used for painting the Eiffel Tower. But of course these pencil images could not be drawn until the paper was perfectly dry.  The same applies to removing the masking fluid; if you try to remove it while the paper is damp, then there is a risk if tearing the paper or allowing paint seepage into the area that you are trying to keep clean.   Lines were constructed lightly in pencil for the Liberté, égalité, fraternité text, and the letters were then drawn using a pencil.  The pencil lines were there carefully erased, which also removes part of the shapes of some of the letters.  So a black watercolour pencil was then used to reconstruct the letters.  This was then finished by over painting with Winsor Newton Mars Black using a lining brush.  So the process took several hours a day over three days.

One of my mental ill health issues that interfere with my art; is the hang ups I have been getting about signing my name.  The small 'Bennett' has become 'Rba' with the date, and now somehow over the last two pieces it has become a broad and confident 'Bennett'.  Not that this confidence is mirrored in life.  Especially after the minor assault the other day, and the phone call I received from victim support yesterday.  But that's another story, to hold back for another day.  Today is a day of rememberance and sympathy, and a desire that all of those who were involved in any way, even a minor way, are caught and punished.

I'm pleased with the result, as it's satisfying to make a statement of solidarity.

As usual with all of my paintings, drawings and poetry; all rights are reserved 

Imitated Elliott Style Art but in Watercolour

This scene of a harbour on the east coast of the Isle of Arran was painted on request of a friend of mine called Nia, who had a particular artist and style in mind when I offered her a painting.  The artist whose style that I have tried to imitate, appears to work in acrylics.  Not that I am certain, because I have never scene one the original pieces.  Whereas this scene has been painted in watercolours.  I simply used two pieces of art as a reference point for the style, and then set about choosing a scene that I wished to depict in watercolour for Nia.

Having just returned from a short holiday on the Isle of Arran, this seemed to be an ideal setting for the artwork.

This square shaped watercolour painting took me exactly six hours to complete.  How do I know that?  Well simply because I attend two hour painting sessions each week at MIND Aberystwyth, and I decided to make this my 'Tuesday Monkey' for three of those sessions.  I finished the piece today, but alas I have left it at MIND because the rain is tamping down and I got sodden on the short walk to the nearby Coffee Shop.  So Nia will have to wait for a week or two (weather depending) before she can snaffle up the watercolour, and hopefully go on to hang it on her wall.

As my 'art' has developed over the last few months, I have experienced great difficulty signing my paintings.  I didn't want my name interfering with the image or taking up too much space, or an error occurring as I signed a piece, and that error going on to spoil the artwork.  Indeed, I moved from previously using 'R. Bennett' to only writing 'Rba' on my more recent watercolour paintings.  With this mental issue in mind, it is pleasing to note that not only did I boldly sign the finished piece (imitating how the original artist signs her name [her name is different than my surname Bennett, so there's no fraud or misrepresentation involved; as my piece is mine and signed as such].  As well as using my name, the scene is also original to me.  It is my interpretation of a small harbour just north of Brodick on the Isle of Arran.  The only similarities; is that I have sort of tried to adopt the other artists style, albeit in watercolour and not acrylic, in order to quench Nia's thirst for her work.      

(Click on the image to open the watercolour full size if it appears cropped)    

As with all of my artwork and poetry, all rights are reserved.  

Poppy Fields

If I had to define myself these days, it would be as a poet and an artist. Not that I have sold or published any of my poetry for financial gain.  Indeed, I have three volumes of unpublished poetry and now close on 50 finished paintings in watercolour or soft pastels.  One of the paintings even has 3D raised edges as I develop into using other mediums.  The poetry and art goes a long way to offsetting my mental health problems, and I am indebted to MIND Aberystwyth for providing the weekly art class.

This is a monkey (tasks that are there but sought of never get done or take a long time to do) (they sit on your shoulders, often as a burden) that has sat there (in my head) waiting to be completed for about 3 or 4 years. I wrote the poem, and individually developed each of the military figures, including cutting them out and moving them around to get the composition.  The idea is that there is a poem and a linking image.  The left hand soldier is from the Boer War or early and that part of the scene is Africa. The middle soldier is a World War I stretcher bearer and us wearing the corresponding 'SB' armband.  The middle scene being the muddy battlefields of France.  They are clearly identified as British.  Whereas the clarity between nations for a modern soldier is harder to define, so the right hand figure wears a Union Jack on the left arm.  This soldier is saying thank you, to those that care for others.  That could be someone who donates during the annual Poppy Appeal.  The modern soldier scene is set in the Middle East, but the kit is deliberately greener than desert fatigues because our soldiers are trained and called to respond anywhere in the World.  

The theme was there, but I knew that the execution wouldn't be.  Especially seeing how poor an artist I was back in 2011.  Thankfully I had some marvellous watercolour painting lessons, including on how to paint poppies while on holiday on the P&O Ventura cruise ship this year.  The original draft drawing was too crammed.  I had used smaller sized paper and had written the poem too large and too close to the left hand figure.  

A few months ago (before the summer holiday); I redrew the poem (Poppy Fields) and the military figures onto a bigger sheet of better quality watercolour paper.  But alas I still set it aside as a future task given that my art was still developing.  So with the 2015 remembrance week looming, and poppies being a major theme, I decided to crack on with the painting a few weeks back and managed to finish it today. 

The final Stanza of the poem refers to the fact that members of our military still die, and that each death is a return of the 'Poppy Fields'.

(Click on the image to open it full size in order to see all of the scene).

All rights reserved (poem and artwork)

Roger Bennett

2015

#IStandWithAhmed

#IStandWithAhmed

Nothing more to be said really. 

The Brimmon Ancient Oak Tree

The Brimmon Ancient Oak Tree located near Newtown in the County of Powys is some 500 years old.  Which is pretty cool, as you can well imagine what has passed by in that time.  You could also try to imagine what could pass by this Ancient Oak Tree in the future.  But alas you don't need much imagination to do so.  The reason being, some really silly people are trying to build a By-Pass around Newtown that will interfere with the aforementioned Ancient Oak Tree.  Now you would think that the silly people would have planned a road route well away from the Tree.  Well that would be asking too much wouldn't it?  I mean, after all, this is Wales, and we sort of know lots about our bureaucracy, and its failings.  Avoiding a 500 year old Oak Tree would have been an obvious thing to do, but we don't do obvious.  No, instead we all too often do really silly stupid things, which can only result in a conflict outcome.  Common sense involves a whole new higher level of bureaucracy, and of course a much higher pay scale.  Maybe there should be an AS Level in common sense, with a retrospective requirement for bureaucrats to hold at least a Grade 'B' in Common Sense.  Although I do fear that a lot of people would lose their jobs; as it's quite apparent that they would struggle with this particular AS Level. 

The thing that gets me the most about this story, is that people are bandying around £56m figures for the road.  But in doing so, they are forgetting, one simple and fundamental point; it ain't a £56m road, it's just ink on paper.  

ANCIENT AND TRUE AND NOT SOMETHING NEW

I'm a real tree, 

Me, in this field,

Stood alone for Centuries gone.

Whereas they the Planners,

Have gone mad,

And trust me friends,

You'll be had.

Because me, this tree,

Ain't ink on paper,

Just an idea or a whim.

No, I'm the real deal,

With leaves,

That feel the wind,

And memories of Centuries gone.

Poem about the Brimmon Ancient Oak Tree

Roger Bennett

Penrhyncoch, September 2015

All Rights Reserved 

Susan Connell, Swansea, Newport, and Wisbech

Our family are saddened to announce the passing of Susan D A Connell (Nee. Bennett) b.1949 - d.2015, born and raised of Swansea in the County of West Glamorgan, then formerly of Crindau and subsequently Pillgwenlly in Newport Monmouthshire, and lately of Wisbech, Norfolk. 

MY SIS

Man hath no greater emotion,

Than the love in his heart,

Towards his fellow man.

And no greater memory,

Than that of his close family.

Roger Bennett, August 2015

Susan Connell (Bennett) is survived by her two younger siblings, her eldest son, and her two grandchildren.  Susan was pre-deceased by both her youngest son Ian and her former husband, Merchant Navy Engineer, John Connell of Pillgwenly.  Our mother Mary (Nee. Walters) and father Sydney Bennett, both passed away in the early 1980's.

Venice in colour

Two hours at MIND Aberystwyth yesterday and about one and a half hours today (complete with Spanish Guitar music playing in the background to create my CALM environment at home) to complete this small watercolour memory of Venice.

The photograph shows a watercolour that I completed earlier today (if it's cropped, just click on the image to open full size)

Fabulous eating

We've done well over the last few weeks.  You know what I mean; you can't really go hungry on a cruise can you?  Especially one on the P&O Aurora.  A £26m refurbishment in 2014 equals a fabulous cruise ship, and one we would love to go on again in the future.  But now we are back on dry land and find ourselves in England. We ventured out for Part 4 of our Summer Holidays and found ourselves at the easily booked table in the 'Blue Mango' (located not a stones throw from Brindley Place in Birmingham).  We enjoyed a lovely meal, and some very good service from the staff.  The place was packed, but we weren't rushed.  The pompadums were lush, as were the chutneys.  The starters fair priced and amazingly well presented.  All in all it was a great experience, and thankfully given the portion size we only ordered one bread and one bowl of plain rice to share between two.  Well it had to be between two really, as there was no way that we were sharing this feast with another table.  Oh, and I found the Dosa.

The photograph shows my Dosa starters, which I hasten to add, was amazing.

Photos

If the photo looks cropped, click on it and the image should open in your browser. When I'm away from the laptop I am unable to resize images and Blogger just uses them as they are. 

Mango

We are now in Birmingham on what really is Part 4 of our holiday.  It's a friends 50th Birthday Bash tomorrow and we are all booked in to dine at a Marco Restaurant (with the friend paying).  But we all know that tomorrow is another day and we mustn't get ahead of ourselves, so we grabbed a panini earlier on today, amd on a friends recommendation (the aforementioned birthday boy) we have just booked a table at the Blue Mango for this evening.  The Hilton Brindley Place is lovely and the car parking isn't overly expensive.  Now we need to plan out our weekend and sit back to enjoy Part 4 before heading back to Wales. 

Blighty

Well we are now back in good ole Blighty.  We stepped off the P&O Aurora onto the hard ground of UK this morning and enjoyed a very warm welcome at my brothers home enroute to visiting one of our daughters.  It has been a great and much needed holiday!  The art classes were an added bonus.  the aforementioned daughter has already had two completed pieces off me: a pastel drawing of Pen-y-Fan and a watercolour of what I refer to as 'The Milan Shopping Centre'

It wasn't just about art, as I managed ten exercise sessions.  Which I suspect is more than most people do when they are away. I would have liked to have done more, but the sea-urchin spines stabbing took me out of the game, along with a calf muscle cramp that had me almost crying.  So it's a gentle swim for me and a sauna at the hotel in the next few minutes, plus a look forward to meeting distant (geographically) friends this weekend, and hopefully close friends when we return home.

The photograph shows the Aurora onboard Art Teacher (armed with a brush) and her 'Glamourous Assistant'

Art Classes

I popped along to art class this morning, mainly to sit amongst friends in a comfy chair.  I knew that I had three more scenes to complete if I was to gift watercolours to those who deserved them.  It was an enjoyable experience and I am now sat in Anderson's bar (drink free I hasten to add) ready to hand over the piece that is shown in the attached photograph.  It is almost A3 size, and I'm pleased with the outcome.  Art onboard the Aurora has been very therapeutic.  In many ways it has been my highlight of the holiday.   

Fine Dining

It was a Marco Menu again last night for the Gala Dinner and I really enjoyed the first two courses and the champagne sorbet, but alas the vegetables with the beef Wellington were a bit bland. Anyhow I soldiered on and completed all six courses including indulging in a glass of port with my cheeseboard.  The theatre show featured Roger Wright from the West End, and was probably one of the best shows that I have seen while afloat.  Better still we had also attended the classical concert pre-dining, so for us it was a truly entertaining night.  We retired at 1 a.m. this morning and with the gentle rocking we were soon fast asleep

Wet wet wet

So it always happens in threes, and the same applies on holiday. Number 1 must have been the sea urchin stabbing spines and the subsequent medical costs.  Number 2 was arriving back at the room last night to find that our safe would not open.  That had to be felt with by the aptly titled 'safe buster'.  Number 3 started at around 6 a.m. this morning with Wifey shouting for my help.  I woke up in a daze to see my shoes floating around the bathroom, and water lapping over the threshold into our cabin.  Apparently our cold water pipe had fractured.  The team were really efficient.  Reception took the message, the plumber isolated the supply, and the cabin team, used more towels to stop the lapping.  Then someone with a big sucker upper arrived and removed the water.  Which of course others thought was the steward with the Hoover and came out to remonstrate, and then seen the big thingy; went back into their room.  The aforementioned plumber came back to repair the pipe work, and then a team of two with the hot air blower arrived to dry the carpet.  They mentioned that I needed to leave the room as it was going to get very hot.  Meanwhile I enjoyed a glorious sunrise and counted eleven separate colours in the sky.  An early breakfast of cereal and if we hadn't already had enough; water.  This was followed a few hours later with a bacon roll outside with friends on Deck 12 at the rear of the ship.  Now sat in the Crows Nest, having handed out some artwork as gifts to a few of the staff, we can think about returning to our cabin and cancelling that order for two pair of wellies.

A day in Cadiz

Well Cadiz was lovely.  We thoroughly enjoyed our day roaming the streets and enjoying at various points; coffee, beer, tapas, and ice cream.  We found an astonishingly cheap cafe bar with outside seating by the Cathedral Square.  The best bit being the Spanish solo guitarist playing quality music as we enjoyed a coffee and pastry.  Wifey also had a coke zero and the total bill came in at only 7 Euro.  That should have been the bargain of the day, but as time pressed on we found ourselves at a traditional tapas bar in a narrow road just away from the tourist crowds. Four tapas, two beers, some bread, and olives; and all for 12 Euro total.  Okay my beer was larger than Pauline's, but you must admit, this was the real bargain. The shops were lovely, the people friendly, the architecture interesting.  A few years ago we were in Cadiz and soaked into doing an excursion.  This time we planned our day around what we should have done last time.  It was a great decision, and became the perfect last stop on our cruise holiday.

The photograph shows us both at dinner that evening on our return to the ship. We were given a large six seater table just for the two of us (out of choice) and enjoyed good food and excellent service. Normally one would ask the other to pass the salt, but on this occasion we asked each other to pass the iPad. 

Clapham Free Weights

Our first sea day towards Cadiz was an eventful affair.  I need my own space and managed to get that in abundance and thereby finished two watercolour paintings.  Mainly in the coffee shop, having raided the onboard library for inspiration.  One painting of the now disappearing fishing nets and a sunset in India, and the other that is akin to a Milan shopping mall. Today's painting effort has been a crowded market place in India (a stark contrast to the light colours and space of yesterday's image).  I think that I am gearing up to hand over watercolour paintings to five employees from India who have provided us with excellent service.  There have been more, but you have to be ruthless and leave the task achievable.  Otherwise it becomes all to stressful.  I'm sat down in the 'Crows Nest' on deck 13 enjoying a diet Pepsi and have taken a sneak preview at the subject for this afternoons Art Class.  It turns out that the intended subject is extremely good for me.  It's an African woman stood in a field and carrying a child.  With a bit of manipulation I should be able to make it an Indian figure, and thereby complete the third gifted painting. That would leave me two to do with three art classes left.  But that's getting ahead of myself, and you don't want to reach the finish too soon.  Which is why I am smiling to myself while sat typing this Blog post.  You see, we went to the cinema again last night.  This time to watch the second best hotel.  A lovely film with lots of India inspiration for me.  Like India; it was crowded, and the people wouldn't settle.  At one point, Pauli blurted out "it's like Clapham Junction in here".  It was Indeed, but after my personal training session learning how to safely use 'free weights' I was a tad too tired to notice.  But I perked up, when, twelve minutes from the end, a couple came in and settled down to enjoy the film.  By now I was giggling, as was Pauli.  Indeed I even clapped, but they, oblivious to their early arrival for the late showing, simply soldiered on.  Engrossed in the film, the penny never dropped until the screen went black and the titles rolled.  That could have been a perfect end to the day.  I had bunked off from the black tie evening and dressed casually had loitered around the ship wherever I was allowed to tread.  We had even been to the deck 13 cafe for dinner.  The first time ever for us on any holiday.  I just didn't want to play, and our cafe dinner followed by the pictures was going to be our evening out.  And as we wandered back, our new employee friends at the 'Glass House' beckoned us in.  I explained that we couldn't as I was not wearing black tie, but they insisted.  The best bit is, they don't actually get my business, as the drinks I order have to be fetched from other bars on board, and they scurry off to complete the service and each of those bars get the sale.  Which is why one of the staff is going to deservedly get first dibs with the 'India' paintings. Which of course, like the weights, it's going to be 'free'.