Section From The Temple Of Olympian Zeus 2013

This painting is based on a section of the temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens.  I've obviously added 'artistic license' because I wanted there to be more emphasis on colour.  This temple was the largest in Greece at the time that it was completed (during the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian c. AD 120).  It took over 600 years to be built and less than 200 years after its completion it was ransacked by a barbarian invasion of Athens.  Christianity became popular across the Mediterranean during these times.  When Christianity became the main religion of the Roman Empire (approximately AD 330) there was no use for a temple that was dedicated to the king of the Polytheistic gods.


Section From The Temple Of Olympian Zeus 2013, oil painting on canvas (80x50cm)

 

Yellow Flower

This is another Walkden Gardens inspired drawing.  I like capturing detail in my art work, especially in my drawings.  Working with smaller pieces is quite different to my larger drawings, because although the area to be covered is so much smaller, it also means a greater amount of detail in a small space.  I will continue with the smaller drawings and try to accumulate a larger number for next year for an exhibition.  I think they could look quite interesting when exhibited together.

Yellow Flower, fine line pen and coloured pencil drawing, A5 (2015)

December Exhibitions

I have two exhibitions which include some of my art work this month.  Art with a heart in Altrincham is having a Christmas Carol exhibition which includes two of my pictures, The Changing of the Seasons (left) and Winter Tree (right).  The exhibition will be showing this art work until the beginning of January.

 

 

The second exhibition which includes some of my art work is art the ArtismUK  gallery in Stockport.  This is a Christmas exhibition which includes the work of artists from ArtismUK.

Marsland Road

This is a road I used to live on from October 2000-August 2003 and is the road which Walkden Gardens or the Maze gardens are.  The flat we lived in for 5 and a half years before moving to Marsland Road was in a lovely area but was itself not maintained.  It had no heating at all when we moved into it in May 1995 which was ok because that summer was a heat wave.  The winter was pretty cold and the lack of heating was very hard.  There was no central heating or fire of any description.  We used to cuddle our cats for warmth or switch on our small Baby Belling cooker (with two electric hob rings!) for warmth occasionally.  I got quite ill with flu which was bad enough to have to call the doctor out and I think the lack of heating was what made me so ill.  We finally got a fire when one was donated to us by our inlaws in the spring (yes the landlord didn't mind installing a fire if we got one for them to install first).  Moving to Marsland Road was complete luxury.  We had central heating which came on before we got up in the morning (never had that at all until Marsland Road), we were in a good sized Victorian house with a lovely long garden and best of all, it didn't have any damp or rot.  In our flat previous to our removal to Marsland Road, the damp was very bad.  One time I walked into our bathroom and my foot disappeared through the floor leaving a large hole, which the landlord patched up a few weeks later. 

Marsland Road, fine line pen drawing and coloured pencil, A5 (2015)

Marsland Road was an optimistic time where I was able to get on with my studies (MA and PGCE) and finally start my teaching career.  I still get a nice feeling when I go back around the area.