SNOW AT ROSE COTTAGE

Leaving a sunny Cornwall and driving to Devon, we were amazed to wake to thick snow the following morning. It was already melting when I went out to walk the fields with my camera at 7.45 am. The morning sun glistened on the white crystals - a treat indeed!

The new lane across the hay field.

The hay field with Dartmoor in the distance.

The corner of my studio.

The hay field in the sun.

The smallholding with my studio in the valley.

And Jazzie loved the snow.

Brrrrrr! Wendy, Charlotte and no name, pedigree Exmoor Horn sheep.

Vehicle tilt platform

All lorries, buses (especially double decker) must be tested for tilt. This tilt table is 9m x 3.2m and has a maximum tilt angle of 45 degrees.

from Biglorryblog

Tilt testing gives rollover thresholds, tests for side slope operation, stability giving important information for suspension development, all important in military all terrain vehicles etc.

Crossland Tankers

And of course, this is very important for tankers and lorries.

Within my vision of geometry, I see the 45 degree angle as a pleasing angle to work with creating perfect balance in a square.

TANKER TART - The Wheels

One of the funniest things was to see the drivers' faces when I asked if I could take a picture of the tanker wheels. I could see their bemused looks as they scratched their heads.

A yellow tanker wheel. Again, the geometry in the circle.


A moment captured...

The scarlet lorry wheel.

.........fragments into so many shapes. '...a wheel within a wheel...'

'The constant whisper

Time stands still

We sit motionless

But the world whizzes by''.

All images are copyright.

TANKER TART - The Slurry Tanker

From my previous small selection of lorries and tankers, one stood out, so I have decided to give it a blog of its own. Whilst driving past Bristol one day, I saw one of these which was black and white. Detective work necessary to trace it.

This one I chased through Taunton on to an industrial estate. The guys were fun. I find that there is endless source material in this one.

Page from my sketch book just to give the imagery another dimension. I was thinking about a stiffer material and huge print with the additional detail

And another slurry tanker was transformed on another day.

Another poncho idea, or coat



Three sketches of ideas. Lots to do but at least I am enjoying myself. This gives me ideas for using other fabrics, i.e. crushed nylon and for exploring wearable shapes in a different way.

All images are copyright.

LORRY TART - The Lorries.

I have always been keen on geometry and here is a gathering of squares and rectancles whilst the tankers are circular. The breakdown of the shapes, i.e. the division of the shape by the doors, is echoed in the work of Ellesworth Kelly and Terry Frost who I am researching.

This unusual chap lies in the dockyard at Newlyn. I just love black and white, especially stripes. It is chic and striking. Also, a detail.
Another black and white lorry at Newlyn.

I chose this Sainsbury's lorry because of the interesting inscription on the back:-

'This is a dual fuel lorry, fuelled by a combination of diesel and landfill gas. CO2 emissions from landfill gas are more than 60% lower than diesel. Our values make us different.'

Well, I didn't know that!

The driver of this lorry really did think I was bonkers, asking to take pictures of his lorry in the torrential rain. Lots of geometric shapes in this one, and colour.

I telephoned Highways and spent a day with the manager of the depot. Each driver is responsible for his own lorry, keeping it clean etc. and I was so impressed with their pride. This driver insisted I take photos of the arrow pointing to the right with the arrow lights on, and another with the arrow to the left.
And with this lorry, one with the top lights on and one with the bottom. I was treated like royalty and had such a laugh.

Can you tell where it is yet??

This image is similar to that used by Terry Frost.

No matter what your source is, you will see the shapes you see and with this one, the red reflector around the doors could be one of my scarf designs. (If it's not, it probably will be - one day!

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TANKER TART - The Coloured Tankers

Another collection of interesting coloured tankers. We went out the other day and I had forgotten my camera. You should have seen the strange monsters that 'got away'!

Ah. The 'Scarlet' Tanker. How I love scarlet!

A golden cement tanker

This black tanker is the only one I have seen with a square casing around it. More research needed here.

I think this is a milk tanker.


I was delighted with this blue Highways tanker.

And this cleaning lorry, a circle with circles like some strange alien being.

Quite a few of the lorry drivers are overweight. Of course, they are probably compelled to live on 'takeaway' meals and burgers. I can see the echo in the roundness of the tankers and I am sure this will permeate my work somewhere.


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Envelope Art. RALPH FREEMAN

I became fascinated with Envelope Art when reading about Takao Tanabe's work. (see previous blog).

Recently, I discovered the work of Ralph Freeman who talks about the envelope.

'The envelope is a symbol of time. It contains something that is created in the present, sent to the future and received from the past'.

'The Letter' Ralph Freeman. Oil on canvas

'Notes on Notes' Ralph freeman

' Enveloped' Oil with collage on canvas

I love the idea of 'secrets' tucked away under the flap. The envelope may contain a letter of love, a bill, a nasty correspondence, notice of a birth, a christening, a birthday, party or just printed matter. A letter from a friend is always more appreciated and special than an impersonal E-mail but they are sent less and less now.

The envelope travels through time, often kept for years as a reminder of past loves.

TANKER TART - White tankers.

Travelling long distances on dual carriageways and motorways, often in three lanes of solid traffic, I have become fascinated with 'lorry bums'. The variations in design and geometry have caught my imagination. But my frustration has been paramount because I cannot take pictures of them while I am driving. I have been known to trail a tanker through a town onto a trading estate, or follow it to its depot, into the services etc. Drivers have, so far, been pleasant, fun and very curious, obviously thinking I have a screw loose.

Often, however, it is not appropriate to ask permission. The curtains may be drawn as they doze in their cab.


Last week we spent most of the week in Norfolk, visiting the Sainsbury Centre on East Anglia University campus to see the exhibition, 'China, China China' and Lord Sainsbury's permanent collection, which I love, and also attending a brilliant lecture. We stayed on an amazing organic farm where the food was wonderful. The journey was tedious, having to go round London on the M.25. and seemed to take forever. But it was an opportunity to take pictures of lorries with interesting design, excitedly following some into services and laybys! I gathered many more truck pics under my wing.







I fell in love with this tanker and followed it for miles, off the motorway until it stopped in a lay-by close to Sainsbury in Taunton. Such clean lines and simple patterns. One of my favourites to work from.


Detail


This lorry was parked in a layby. I love the simple circle surrounded by angles.


Having followed this tanker along the dual carriageway, I finally caught up with it in a services lorry park.

This B.P. lorry I followed for miles coming home from college the other night, often at 30 mph. Eventually, I gave up, accepting that it may never pull off the road. Suddenly, I came across a B.P. garage, quickly indicated and pulled in and was so thrilled the lorry pulled in behind me. The driver was bemused when I asked if I could photograph his tanker.




As we drove into the services on our way to Norfolk and parked in the car park, I was eager to explore the lorry park. Suddenly, this tanker pulled in front of our car. I leapt out and took a couple of pictures, forgetting to turn off my flash. He disappeared very quickly indeed. Definitely another favourite






We followed this tanker with its blue pipes several times, once into the services, but lost it. Later on, we came across it again on the motorway and I managed to take a picture.

A septic tank tanker,I understand - so many interesting shapes. I am becoming fascinated by the pipes too.

Dirty white oval tanker going under a bridge.

I am hunter gathering at the moment but can't wait to draw and experiment with some of these shapes - and these are just the white tankers!

What are they carrying? Who is the driver and what is his journey? Does he have to keep his lorry clean? What about colour, design, geometry, shape, decay. Terry Frost painted lorries I discovered recently. I look forward to taking this further

All images are copyright.