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This week we have enjoyed three fine days. Tomorrow with also be fine. Today it drizzled most of the time. This, however, did not phase John Jones, an artist friend who had planned to depict the garden and was duly delivered by Paul Clarke this morning.
John happily became ensconced in the greenhouse where he drew until lunchtime. He didn’t seem to mind the cockerel following progress.
Jackie laid on a splendid lunch of cauliflower and stilton soup, crusty bread, cold meats salad, and cheese and biscuits.
Afterwards John applied watercolour.
Remembering what I was always prone to do when painting, I instructed the painter not to dip his brush in his tea.
“How exciting!” observed Jackie. “An artist in my greenhouse”.
Despite his difficult vantage point, John managed to produce excellent compositions in pencil,
and in watercolour.
As, early this evening, we drove John to New Milton to catch the train to his home in Southampton, the rain had stopped and,
especially across Christchurch Bay, the sun blazed in the sky.
Walkers strode along the cliff path at Milford on Sea.
The Isle of Wight was in clear view.
It seemed as if the crumbling edge is further approaching the pedestrian thoroughfare.
This evening we dined on Mr Pink’s fish and chips, pickled onions and gherkins. I finished the Cairanne.
P.S. Note Jackie’s reply to paolsoren in comments for the soup recipe
The title sounds like a great title for a book or movie, don’t you think? Mr. Jones could illustrate it!
Great idea, GP. Thanks very much
Double the art! Someone working on paper and someone taking photographs. This was one of your best posts, Derrick! Thoroughly enjoyable!
Very many thanks, Elizabeth
I agree; in fact I would even say that this is the best I’ve seen. 🙂
Wonderful comment, Mary, Many thanks.
Two lovely photographs of the bright sun.
Thanks a lot, John
Great photos, Derrick, especially those dramatic ones of the stunning ‘blazing’ sun over the sea.
Many thanks, Roland
Terrific photos, Derrick. I especially liked the one with the Isle of Wight in clear view.
Thanks very much, Sofia.
How exciting!! <3
You and Jackie think alike, Pauline. Thanks a lot
What a cunning scheme! Catch artist; lock in greenhouse until a work of art is produced. I’d try it if we had a greenhouse.
… or an artist. 🙂
🙂 Good one, Leslie
Interesting views of the artist so focused on his renderings; you have the touch with people. I sure like what you saw/I see thus far! Is that a palm…? or another sort of tree mimicking a palm, which I don’t recall having seen before?
It is a Cordyline Australis, Cynthia, wonderful scented flower spike if you are lucky, despite it’s looks it is frost hardy. It thrives by the coast too. Makes a statement don’ you think?
Indeed, it does!
Thanks very much, Cynthia. It is a Cordyline Australis otherwise known as Cabbage Palm. It produces wonderfully sweet smelling flowers.
Love that, such a juxtaposition of elements 🙂
Artists in greenhouses shouldn’t throw paint – not that he did.
🙂 Many thanks, Bruce
It was so much fun to watch the artist. I liked the pictures of him sitting in the greenhouse and the rain leaving a sheet over it. Really wonderful photos. The day sure turned around and was lovely once agian.
Thanks a lot, Lynn. That is often the pattern with our days
What a lovely way to spend the day!
Man thanks, Leslie
Beautiful post, Derrick, and splendid photos of artist, art, and the landscapes.
Jackie might have a new business venture with artists coming to sketch and paint in her greenhouse. 🙂
Good idea, Merril. When we exhibited the before and after photos of the garden a number of the other artists expressed an interest. John is the only one who has actually come. Many thanks
Artist with a cuppa – perfect. 🙂
Many thanks, Widders
Hi Derrick and Jackie 😀 I loved how your garden was painted! I’m partial to water colour art too. Does your greenhouse stay open all winter? I thought the photo of John through the rainy window was very nice! I’ve always imagined a beautiful annex to my country house, full of plants with nice iron work running across the gable and maybe even exoctic butterflys floating around, LOL! Sadly, I neither have a country house nor bundles of money. Will you frame your water colour for hanging? The colours are so pretty. Cheers!
Many thanks, Boomdee. John has taken the picture to show our mutual friend, the nonagenarian artist Hilda Margery Clarke. He will return it and it will be hung. The greenhouse will be closed in the winter.
What an exciting day. Good job you put in the greenhouse not so long back. It looks delightful, as is this post. Great lunch too! Bet that’s one artist who will return.
Many thanks, Gwen. John really enjoyed it and will return
What a great day and such a wonderful mix of experiences.
Many thanks, Peggy
Nice pictures, nice painting, nice garden but where the ….. is the recipe for cauliflower and stilton soup??? And if I can’t get stilton what else? Now all I’ll look forward to is Heinz tomato with grated cheddar.
Hi Paul, The recipe(if you can call it that!) is as follows-
Make a roux with flour and butter and I use semi skimmed milk, add crumbled Stilton to taste, (I like a lot!) or any strong flavoured blue cheese would do at a pinch I suppose.
Meanwhile cook the chopped cauliflower and broccoli in stock (I use knorr chicken stock cubes if I have no other stock)
Next blend the two together when they have cooled and then bring to the boil and then turn down the heat to simmer the soup until cooked through. Sorry it is not precise but I do a lot of guessing and tasting as I go along. Hope you can get something from this.
Yes. Thank you. I don’t have scales or measures so I usually throw it in and see how it goes. I will certainly get something from this.
John the Artist, looked like a piece of artwork himself, beautifully framed by the Greenhouse…
Many thanks, Ivor
How exciting that must have been! I smiled at your advice to the painter. I didn’t know you could wield a brush too. The weather out there is beautiful, the light on the cliff path is magical.
Many thanks, Uma. My art is mainly photography now, but I’ve had times when it has been more drawing, some of which has been featured, e.g. https://derrickjknight.com/2012/07/15/portrait-of-a-lady/
No wonder you shoot with your heart.
🙂 lovely reply
Painting the garden from the greenhouse surely means the artist is in residence 🙂
🙂 True, Osyth. Thank you
Two artists at work; first working with brush and colours and the other one producing masterpieces with his camera! Really outstanding in every way. :))
Very many thanks, Harbans
My pleasure.
the soup sounds divine too <3 may give it a whirl <3
Thanks very much, Kim
That artist must have a wonderful time at your place. Beautiful paiting!
That sun looks startling it’s so bright.
Thanks, Brenda. Normally I avoid shooting into the sun, but I did this to show the contrast with the dull day
Wonderful piece of installation art – Man in a Glass Box. Better than the shed they built at Nottingham Castle.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/browniebear/533858904
Many thanks, Quercus. I hadn’t knkown about that 🙂
Stainless stell shed with holes in it and lights inside. Much less interesting than yours!
You do capture excellent shots, Derrick – as said above, two artists at work – both producing lovely images! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Very many thanks, Rob
The artist is doing an excellent portrayal of your gardens. I think the sunshine coming from behind the clouds is luminescent and full of Grace. Thanks for taking the time to photograph the artist while you may have been in rain.
Many thanks, Robin. Especially for noticing the rain 🙂
Reblogged this on Green Living 4 Live.
Thank you for the reblog and follow
The greenhouse looks like a peaceful place to paint on a rainy day. Nice work!
Thank you very much, Lavinia
What a great piece of art I hope you mat and frame it
We will, msw. Thank you