… Torquay is situated in what is called the “English Riviera” and could easily be one of those destination points that you keep returning to!… This is also known as “Agatha Christie country” for those intrigued by her many books on crime and by the subsequent TV shows that followed … My walk to town took me past the Torquay harbour (bottom left) and sight of the quaint charm of this seaside town emerged (bottom right) …
…This is a “picture perfect” town, with it’s marina (below left) … and backdrop of gleaming white buildings (below right) … such a relaxing joy to walk the marina and the surrounding area…
… Shadowing the marina (below left) is the lovely Torquay Pavilion with its Victorian architecture … this unique shopping Pavilion was once the hub of “social” venues for music and concerts, and some time ago, Dame Agatha Christie regularly attended concerts here (lower right) …
… The interior of the Pavilion is every bit as interesting inside as out… The upper floor eating area (below left) offers a great artistic “ambience”… I thoroughly enjoyed my tea and scone with strawberries & clotted cream in this setting … all the while taking in the detailed pillars, mouldings and stained and frosted glass windows (lower right) …
… Through the glass doors (lower left) was a roof top patio to take in the fresh sea air, if one desired … and more Victorian details are repeated on the lower floor retail space … a great setting for artisans to display their work (lower right)…It’s rather interesting to me that this was all once Agatha Christie’s “playground”…. hmmm … much food for thought!..(if you’re an Agatha Christie fan!)
… The view of the pavillion (below left) from Princess Park (named after Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter Princess Louise), with a closer look at some of the pavillion details (below right)…
… This ornate fountain in Princess Park (lower left) was an absolute delight for me, as it’s base featured some extremely ornate and guilded ‘classical dolphins (lower right) … I’ve always been attracted to these and have incorporated them into a wall mural I did in a private residence back in Canada … These gardens were also a setting for a scene in “Hercule Poirot” as well as being a feature of both the Agatha Christie Mile and the Agatha Christie Literary Trail.
… During my Exploration of Torquay I couldn’t help but capture a couple of quaint churches (one finds many, many churches and cathedrals in England) … Below left is St. Luke’s perched on its small hillside and below right is St. John the Apostles, which can be seen from many vantage points in Torquay … exploring old churches would be a major part and passion of my “England” experience….
… Everywhere you looked … there were great architectural buildings …. This clock tower (below left) stands in the town square, and (below right) once housed the Devon and Exeter Savings Bank but is now known as Banx Coffee Bar, just a delightful old building …
…A visit into the heart of town was in order to find a few “special” bits to take home. It is here I found a most marvellous drawing set with graphites and charcoals in a lovely wooden case. One of my most prized “finds” and a pleasure to use in my work…
… And of course I had to visit Torre Abby which is Torquay’s oldest building, dating back to 1196… unfortunately it was under reconstruction and I could not get inside (below left and right)…
… (below left) A delightful night view of Torquay overlooking the seawall walk … lit up with thousands of coloured lights… and alas, lower right, I await the train for the next leg of my journey …
… Even the platform (below left) at the train station in Torquay exudes that old Victorian charm, with its painted wrought iron gussets, hanging plants, and well preserved buildings … Here I sit, below right, putting in time … wondering what palette waits to greet me around the next corner to bring inspiration to my artists eye …
… Hope you’ve enjoyed my ramblings, and will join me in upcoming posts as I travelled through England …
This thatch-roofed village…
… is a must see … just 1/2 mile from Torquay, Cockington village is a prim and proper picturesque Old English village, just beckoning to be put on canvas … The site was founded some 2500 years ago during the Iron Age. It later became a fishing-farming village … and is also mentioned in the Doomsday Book … going forward … It has also been said that Dame Agatha Christie use to ride horses through the country lanes of Cockington Village … but enough history for now … a few pics to confirm it’s beckoning nature …
… The cottage (below left) is nestled into a bit of a hillside, and blends the presence of man into nature … all the cottages in Cockington have thatched roofs and many or perhaps most (below right) are now some sort business catering to the tourism industry …a sign of the times… perhaps a bit of a shame for this little village …
… But I guess without the tourism, it would not be preserved for all to visit and enjoy … the Rose Garden Tea and Gift Shoppe (below left) … and the interesting curved roof of this small dwelling (below right) make unique looking shoppes today … one has to wonder who might have lived in these structures in years gone by …?
… Again (below left), the sculptured thatch peak and white stucco reminded me of Anne Hatheway’s cottage and (below right), the rough timbered styling of this peculiar cottage really can set the imagination wandering … I could just picture the activities of a Hobbit family … (this one really beckons my paint brush!)….
… the Weavers Cottage Tea Shoppe is set up in this 18th century cottage … it’s entrance pictured (below left) invites you into an outdoor courtyard for a bit of privacy … and next to it an entrance way to the ‘Drum Inn’ (below right) …
… The view across the back lawn of the Drum Inn (below left) … everything prim and proper and trimmed to perfection … up those stairs to the terrace where I enjoyed a lovely lunch, and customary Guiness … the unique little bar (below right) was reserved for special gatherings but it’s quaintness was inviting …
… As one stroll’s around the 460 acres of Cockington Country Park there is so much to explore … everything from the Manor House (below left & right) …
… to the cricket field and Cockington Court Cricket Pavillion (lower left) … to the Cockington Court Craft Centre (below right) …
… and once inside, can browse the rows of craft shops …
… It was once an actual court built over the remains of a medieval court … and it was here that Agatha Christie would participate in amateur dramatics, but is now filled with various arts and crafts studios, as indicated on the sign (below left) … A wooden statue stands to the side, an artistic creation inviting the curious to the points beyond (below right) …
… It is through the Cockington Court Craft Center that one enters the gardens … During my visit to the flower gardens, the roses (below left a& right) were in full bloom and the colour whetted ones creative palate …
… with all this colour, peace and tranquillity (below left & right), I had to sit amongst it all for a bit and take in the garden … smell the fragrance … a visual delight for one who has spent years painting roses … Each time I view this picture it takes me back to this wonderful tranquillity.
… Delightful blooms (below)… the rose to the right is perhaps one of my favourites, … this rose has found its way into a painting or two …
… Even the sundial (lower left) is created with artistic flair, and in keeping with the rose garden theme has a stylish realism to its weather worn brass origin … and lower right, another overview of the rose garden …
… And a quick mention of the organic garden (entrance way pictured lower left) and me checking out the composting area (lower right) … I’ve grown an organic garden throughout my life, so this was of personal interest to me … behind me are rows of an assortment of herbs, and plastic covered cloches can be seen in the background … all the bedding plants are also started in this area … it is interesting to note that organic gardening is very big in England, perhaps due in large to its biggest proponent, Prince Charles…?
… Further along the stroll through the park, one comes upon the ‘Church of Saint George & Saint Mary’ (below left) … this church (circa 1069) is picturesque in it’s setting atop a knoll … and the interior! …
… the interior is breathtaking, as are many of Englands small village churches …. with wonderfully ornate pillars and arches, lovely gothic windows with stained glass uppers (below left) … and (below right) the ultra finely carved wood finish of the knave … quite a sight to behold …
…Below left, the stained glass window behind the alter … and below right, the balancing left wing of the church …
… At lower left, my walk about continued to the hillside of the church and an exterior view of the ornate windows … I was intrigued by the effects of the shadows and light cast by the trees in the mid afternoon sun … and lower right, the aged appearance of the rock wall and ancient door, combined with the sunlight and foliage shadow gave this an almost pastel appearance …
… At the rear of the church, a small courtyard and stairs that beckon one to “come forth … ascend … a new adventure awaits you” … and at the top of the stairs one turns to their left (lower right) and a pathway flanked by wild flowers and green foliage invites you to follow … enjoy …
… I leave you with my memories of Cockington, and hope you will join me in an upcoming post on my time in Torquay …
…During my stay in London, I camped out at a hotel near Kew, which is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London … Even structures that were once functional seemed to carry an artistic touch, such as the Standpipe Tower (below left) at the Kew Bridge Steam Museum …
Being based here during my London stay, I quite often wound down the day with a stroll on the Kew bridge over the River Thames (above right, looking towards down town London), into a part of Kew where nicely quaint and manicured dwellings would capture light and cast shadows that intrigued me, and ponds (below) where I could picture setting up an easel and painting at my leisure …
… Kew is best known in tourist circles for its world famous garden along with it’s glass ‘Palm House’. Apart from its appealing architectural format, the Palm House is made up of hand blown glass panes (below left) an artistry unto itself … And of course the picturesque Kew Palace, the smallest of the British Royal Palaces (below right) … perfectly ‘Palladial’ … serenity balanced, if you can imagine …
…Ah yes, but perhaps the “happy” reason for my walk is ‘The Crown and Rose Pub’ (below left). So handily near by for sustenance at the end of the day… just a quaint little setting with its ivy scampering up the side of the building and simple Tudor architecture (beckoning to be a backdrop in a future painting?)… a walk down the pub’s side alley (below right) and one enters a quiet space…
…It’s quaintness and peaceful patio was a place to rest and revitalize before the next journey … such a private rear court yard (below left) to enjoy in good company… including the Guinness! (below right) …
…If the weather hadn’t been so lovely I would have situated myself inside the Rose and Crown. The quaint and cozy atmosphere and old country charm is so typical of the pubs I encountered in England. Not enough can be said about these “public” houses. They are in such stark contrast to what one would encounter back home. The details of the pub will make great reference material for future painting projects!.
Although busy London streets are not my “cup of tea” to miss a visit to Harrods Department store would have been a sacrilege … Harrods is a visual spectacle unto itself with it’s stately dome (seen at a fair distance below left) and brims with self confidence with it’s self portrait etched in glass (below right) … This store occupies a 5-acre site and has over one million square feet of retail space, with over 330 departments making it the biggest department store, not only in London, but in Europe!…
…Never have I been in a shopping place that has this much opulence … from the hand painted sculptured ceilings (below left) with their endless display of chandeliers, illuminating every inch of space for the ultimate shopping experience … to the numerous sculptures that are adorned throughout the five floor extravaganza, such as the marble sphinx (below right) … I found all of this to be a banquet for the artistic eye!
…Every display is crafted with much care and artistic flare … so richly coloured and appealing to the eye … an artist’s eye anyway ..and opulent in its presentation (example below left) … At the time of my visit to Harrods, it was owned by Mohamed Al-Fayed who set up this memorial for his son Dodi and Princess Diana, (below right) …
… Having painted and done several graphite portraits of Princess Diana in response to this tragic event it was only fitting that I should take in this memorial …Being an artist who is driven to explore a great variety of artistic endeavours, sculpture, did not pass me by … In my early teens I dabbled with the art of sculpting, by both chiseling blocks of plaster of Paris, and moulding chunks of clay … Both methods intrigued me, and still do, (though time does not permit me to work at everything I would like to). My subject matter of course, was always the human form, and I have the greatest appreciation and respect for this art form, whether it be Bernini, Michelangelo, or the figures modelled by the very talented Marie Tussaud. (Yet, another great “female” artist!) Marie Tussaud first started displaying her works in Paris and after the revolution she travelled to London to exhibit her work. Unable to return to France because of the Napoleonic Wars, she travelled throughout England and Ireland exhibiting her work, eventually opening her own museum in London and … well, the rest is history. I’ve read of the trials and tribulations of this remarkable woman and her life has intrigued me, as well as the wonderful art form of wax modelling which became her legacy … so … a visit to Madame Tussaud’s “Wax Museum” was an absolute must while visiting London … …There are so many great wax sculptures in this museum, including some horrific depictions in the Chamber of Horrors, but I will just share a few of my favourites with you … Obviously I could not pass up the chance for a snap with Princess Diana (below left), even though it saddened me just a little … And of course one of my personal favourites (below right) … shaken not stirred …
…And another favourite (below left) … I asked John Travolta to dance, but he was lost for words … and of course Fidel Castro, who was once described by Pierre Trudeau as one of the most charismatic individuals he’d ever met …
…And I just couldn’t pass up this well done likeness of the Rolling Stones Keith Richards in his role as Captain Teague, in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean … and I will end with another shot of Princess Diana … note the queen mother in the back ground …
… There is still so much more I could share of these stops, but I hope you will be able to discover for yourselves … as for myself, I long to return to find new discoveries … I hope you’ll continue to join me, as I blog on with my visual quest of some of my favourite places in England…
...And Beyond…
England has always been a land that’s intrigued me. Not only did I have a keen interest in a number of British artists, (Gainsborough, Reynolds, Sergeant…and the list goes on) I’ve also had a keen interest in its history, architecture, and it’s quaint villages.
When my daughter moved to England it was the perfect opportunity for me to explore all its treasures! And although it would probably take a life time to cover all the places of interest, I did make a nice start by traveling for six weeks throughout the southern portion of the country.
Although I spent several days taking in some of the “highlights” of London that would interest the artistic eye and temperament it was by far the smaller towns, villages and historical places that captivated my visual senses! Acquiring a National Trust pass was a great asset to my travels, allowing easy access to historical sites many with lovely gardens.
I was also fortunate enough to be traveling in the months of May and June. This meant the weather would be “decent” for outdoor extravaganzas, and the gardens would have blooms to tantalize the artistic eye. June is also the month for the “trooping the colour” in London and the “Mall” was decked out in its finest, adding to sightseers “visual pleasures”.
Entrance to the Pall Mall
To Buckinghams Gate
Me in front of the National Gallery
The National Art Gallery
The National Gallery in London has a spectacular array of paintings by artists from around the world.
I was amazed and delighted to find many of my favourite paintings on these walls. And, as usual, you can expect to spend the greater part of the day inspecting the works of art contained in this large gallery. As with all the galleries photos are not allowed (unless you’re a real sneak and don’t get caught! … I’m not that brave.)
But art and artistry could be found throughout London. Trafalgar’s Square starts with it’s grand architecture, to it’s fountains in front of the National Gallery (above) to it’s statue (below left)…
…To statues depicting British rule and dominance (above right) … to the classical dolphins found at the base of many lamp standards (below left) …
…To the exquisite architectural styling of the Parliament Buildings (above right) and even an artistic flair of a stranded cargo troller at low tide on the River Thames (below)
A highlight of my initial foray into London was a quick trip (well, they are never a “quick trip”) to the Tate Gallery (below left) where one of my favourite paintings, The Lady of Shalott is exhibited… it is an 1888 oil-on-canvas painting by the English Pre-Raphaelite painter John William Waterhouse.
Tate Gallery
Lady of Shalott
…England seems to have an endless source of vast historical manor houses, castles, estates and cathedrals, and the thing to note when visiting these is the fact that they will always have paintings and sculptures in them!!! So if you are in England, and artistically curious, don’t pass these up as they are every bit as exciting as the formal galleries. The fact that paintings adorn so many walls of these historical places should be an inspiration to young artists and a reminder of the importance and high regard in which art has been held through the ages… … I leave you with my memories of the National Gallery and Tate and hope you’ll join me on my visual quest, as I present some of my favourite places in England in upcoming blogs …
