ANDREW REDDEN ILLUSTRATION
MY ENGLAND
England is the biggest country that I know. Not in size, but in content. It is packed full of interesting places, things and people. For an artist, it is a great place to live and work. Like the weather, the people are changeable and both can effect where and what I paint.
I used to take my dog with me on field trips and he would chase birds, steal food and annoy folks. I loved that dog.
I can see the Isle of Wight to the west when I cross the Downs at Falmer on the way to Rottingdean but I had never been there until last March. I liked it, a special place with good night stars and a lovely village shop in Brighstone and the best café at piers end in Yarmouth. One day, I may go back.
The best National Trust scones (cheese) seem to be at Mottisfont and the best National Trust scones (with sultanas, jam and stuff) are available at Stourhead.
Recently I have done a lot of drawings in pencil and charcoal, both great mediums for soul work. It takes a long time to complete each one, but so does an Irish stew, and you can eat that, but you cant put it on your wall.
When I used to go on holiday with my family to Cornwall, my father would stop the Mark 1 Ford Cortina 1600 E with rev counter and black and silver wheel trims every hour or so to clean the flies and bugs off the windscreen. No need to stop now, because there are no flies and bugs, I suppose we can all watch Blue Planet to see another old boy tell us why.
I recently added a lot of new work to this website, someone said to me that people cannot see my pictures when they are in a plans chest. Fair point.
I have also added some work by my friend Rigs. I quite like what he does but he is an unsavory, crude fellow that doesn’t do well in public places.
I have decided to do something different next Christmas. I say the same thing each year, but this time I mean it. Still, it’s a long way off yet. Daffodils, ides, buzzards, mayflies, light green, dark green and brown leaves. Water rails, kingfishers, nesting coots, scones, wasps and old mans beard have all got to come and go first. Again.