DRAWING ON ALBANIA

 Albania Sketchbook: Rugged mountains extensive vast plains welcoming coasts, fertile river valleys. A fascinating country and cultural influence on the rest of Europe!  

Download a PDF of a sketchbook of our eight day journey from this link here here: https://timbaynesart.co.uk/product/drawing-albania/

During our time in Albania our constant companions were the Drino river, the country's longest and the Vjosë, one of the last intact large river systems in Europe.

From Byliss down to the Vjosë, River

The first in a series of Albanian paintings. Gouache on Paper. 30 x 40 cm.

See the painting being created here Link https://youtu.be/ro9KeXZxtZE

Celebrating the country's rugged mountains, vast plains and fertile river valleys. Rivers begin in the east of Albania and loop towards the west into the Adriatic. During eight days in Albania our constant companions were the Drin river the country's longest and the Vjosë, one of the last intact large rivers in Europe.

Second Painting:   Gouache on Paper 30 x41 cm. 

We had stopped on the way to Butrint,  just outside the kiss-me-quick town seaside town Sarandë  and gazed across to Corfu. A chalk white track cut through trees and sage bush and deep orange soil. See the painting being created here https://youtu.be/AH2bG_95770

Add to this the country's quite remarkable history...The rule of Greece and Rome, then a Byzantine playground and they stepped aside for the Ottoman turks: Fast Fwd to a post WW2 Communist rule (42 years). Independence at last from 1992.

A fascinating country and cultural influence on the rest of Europe!

Free to download from timbaynesart

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WILTSHIRE WONDERS 52 FORTS

 

Five miles along the busy A419 is much-loved destination: Castle Hill. It quietly waits the end of a straggly road (Burytown Lane) on the edge of Broad Blunsdon village. Siân and I discovered it soon after our arrival in Wilts. It has been a leitmotif, the inspiration for a number of my paintings and drawings. 

 

This  Iron Age hillfort is something of a conundrum. It is on private land, though apparently frequented by local dog walkers. Although privately owned it is under the dominion of English Heritage.  Look  north to relish some magnificent views across the Thames valley into Gloucestershire.

 

There is a story about this place being built by Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell’s men were also supposed to have had a shot at the Highworth church from here, with the cannonball that made the hole in the tower*. A crack shot sir!  (from 4 miles away). 

 

How many Hillforts are there in Wiltshire I wondered?  Wiltshire farmer Mr. Timothy Daw. He has visited and written about all fifty two. Each is celebrated on  his web site https://www.sarsen.org/2022/10/the-52-hillforts-of-wiltshire.html.

 

Tim also has another blog, about Stonehenge Replicas, yes, you guessed it called Clonehenge. 

Barrow Boy* 

In 2013 Tim was given planning permission for a project for a 50 metre-long barrow where families would be able to lease a space inside to deposit six to eight urns containing the ashes of the dead. This is within sight of the ancient Silbury Hill and, on the skyline ridge, the West Kennet Long Barrow built slightly earlier 3650 BC.

 

Oh! The wonders of Wiltshire!

Tim also writes about the joys of life on Substack https://timbaynespainterandwriter.substack.com

 

 

A BONZA BIRYANI IN DEHLI

Lunchtime takes on a special meaning in New Delhi, we enjoyed a wonderful Biryani called Hydrabadi Dum Biryani,  a little on the spicy side for an English boy but really excellent! And nice to sit down in the  kitchen with the team and debate the cuisine of the sub-continent.

BBC - Drawing on Experience - Thank you

Dear BBC.com thank you for continuing to use my drawings

A WORLD IN PICTURES: Nike Town London

The other evening I enjoyed a personal tour of Nike Town London with one of the principle ‘architects’ of its creation, Ms Sophie Jourlait-Filéni, now a marketing colleague of mine at BBC Worldwide.

This thrilling experience was a ninety-minute crash course in branding, merchandising and staying a head of competitors. One high spot was Ms J-F explaining the logic behind the Damien Hirst-like displays of football boots.

Nike Town might be a really good place to go do some drawings!

Meanwhile enjoy this homage to Nike click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hozw9qU3nP8

Train Faces

Oh that Jamie's commuting blog is so cool and it's not JUST because he features me sometimes . . although I am super-grateful when he does.

Thanks Jamie - sites like yours are a inspiration to keep going.

Linkie

COMMUTING, WE ALL DO IT!

Oh well we all have to commute at some stage in our lives, this week, school half-term holiday week is when the discomfort is acute. Last evening a teenager trespassed on the track at South Ruislip Station and threw two train companies into chaos (Chiltern Railways and London Underground).

How far can you go? Long-distance commuting to work in England and Wales has increased by a third over the past decade, according to researchers from Aalborg University in Denmark, who came all the way to London to report their findings to the annual conference of the Royal Geographical Society. More than 800,000 workers now travel more than 30 miles to work. Extract from The Guardian Feb 2012

Tube Trouble

Meanwhile The Rail, Maritime and Transport union has rejected a pay offer worth up to £500 for London Underground staff working during the Olympic games. The RMT, which represents thousands of tube workers, said the money was not an adequate reward for being on duty during the event, which will see a huge increase in passenger numbers across the capital for weeks. Extract from The Guardian

DON’T COMMUTE IN JULY

Companies are putting there life on hold during July 2012 because commuting (into London will be/may be more than unusually unpleasant. Heard in recent meetings.

ABU DHABI: HEADING OUT

Last day of conference yesterday.

A R&R short trip down town early last evening: Stumbled across parking lots trying to find the Corniche, abandoned the idea and took cabs across to the Emirates Palace Hotel - a landmark of gold and marble. Fatigue setting in.

Whole team more than ready for sleep and gave thanks for the non-availabilty of alcohol as it was The prophet's birthday.

Saturday: Today. Project Office closed up. Everything stacked in reception, for the airport bus.

Home. :)

ABU DHABI DAYS

Show opens.

My walk on music Moves Like Jagger.

Then its up on stage, opening remarks and then over to the first speaker, links to the next, and so it goes.

And so it goes on. I do the wrap at 17:00, all on time.

After the show: Back to the Project Office, then through Reception, ice ordered for room.

Arrive before ice to have the vodka cooling whilst a swim.

Back down from pool to room.

Hot bath. Iced vodka.

All on time.

One of Bron's December iTunes mixes - glad I packed the speakers.

ABU DHABI daiquiri

Here we are, day 3 and we open tomorrow.

Minor chastisement from one of the speakers for making too many changes to one presentation! Oh Well!

Sunny (outside).

Sets being built still undecided about my walk on music.

ABU DHABI DELIGHTS

The balance of Sunday, through until noodle soup in one of the modest hotel outlets, was spent trying to turn dull presentations into communication of brilliance. Time flew and so to bed.

Today dawned clear and bright although there was apparently fog out at the airport during the night, delaying planes to London which had the knock on effect of delaying all delegates' flights out of London. Ooops!

Oh well, we ready ourselves in the project office for the arrival of 140 people at sometime!

My high spot today was a walk across to the Crowne Plaza for a haircut.

Illustrated here: The hotel and a landscape of Abu Dhabi captured on the way back from me haircut.

ABU DHABI DO

Here for a week. Conference facilitation. Airbus 340-600 touched down 0230 am. Hotel and in bed by 3am.

Sleep punctuated by sound of a racing car. Awoke to realise the Hotel (Yas Viceroy is actually sitting on top of the country's Grand Prix track).

In the middle distance, Ferrari World and Ikea.

Warming up, unlike England's cricket performance.

Commuting Home for Christmas

Up and down the country we were hurrying home to love ones. Cheek to cheek, toe to toe on the overcrowded trains, taking advantage of the services before they are reduced for the Christmas break.

Hurry Hurry Quick Quick!

Featured here the edge of Platform 3 at Marylebone Station in London.

CONGREGATION FOR THE CONFERMENT OF DEGREES

Tuesday 13 December 2011 at 9.45 am saw the culmination of an impressive learning journey: Private primary education, entry into the Grammar School system, spiced with adolescent anecdotes, such as an accompanied visit to a Police Station and very mild alcoholic poisoning and finally through to completion of an Bachelor of Arts degree course at the University of Leeds.

Megan Baynes was ‘admitted to the Degree of Bachelor of Arts First Class Honours - Sociology.

We had a nice cuppa in the Sociology Department after the Ceremony.

ON A COLD AND FROSTY MORNING

Here we go round the mulberry bush, On a cold and frosty morning

Cycle chum, framer, photographer and great friend Chris and I did not find a Mulberry bush but it sure was COLD on Saturday morning - Me ‘plates’ were frozen as were me ‘German bands’

Picture credits: My iPhone

Arguably the best part of Brazil is now in London!

If you wish for the best espresso just north of Oxford Street, or you need some great pastries for that early morning client meeting go here.

Maybe there is an impelling need to impress people from France with a really good croissant (in London?) then go to the Brazillian Gourmet at the bottom of Cleveland Street.

Director Manager Christiane and her team are wonderful and professional.

If you have been to Brazil you'll know what I mean. If you have yet to go to Brazil, go here! And then book that trip to Brazil.

When did I last wear that jacket?

The other day, in a desperate attempt to look smart I dug a seldom-used jacket from my wardrobe and fished this boarding pass from the last time I had worn it.

The memories of a few summer days and eating in restaurants by the River Nile came flooding back.

CANADIAN TENACITY AT ITS FINEST

I am sure many people like me share a love of Canada and Canadians! Recently new friend Rob Elliot took on the might of the dear Canadian banking system to get a cheque over to me for my book Drawing on Experience.

The chain of email between us reached nearly to Newfoundland before the money turned up on my door step! Check out the envelope and stamps.

This story is a testament to all that is wonderful about Canada.

And Rob has the tenacity of a RCMP.

Thanks Rob

See Rob at www.swizzlestudio.com

ROUND THE COAST WITH RUTH

My latest artistic collaboration is with walker, writer and photographer Ruth Livingstone.

Quote from her Home Page: "My name is Ruth Livingstone. I am a 50 something lady and I have set myself a task. I am going to walk around the coastline of the British mainland. Starting in North Norfolk, I will head clockwise around the coastline, following paths and tracks"

Please visit Ruth here

The arrangement with Ruth is that from time to time she sends me one her great photos and I turn it into a drawing and it finds its way up on http://ruthl.wordpress.com which is wonderful.

Example of the first drawing is here

This is a hugely exciting collaboration. Ruth's energy and flair bounces off the pages of her Blog as she walks round our coast and like my other artists she is constantly doing and creating!

Thank you Ruth x

Here is the second drawing

COLOUR ME JFK

Spotted at JFK airport last night.

Super-friend and West Coast girl Juliet Erickson and captured this retail rainbow on her iPhone. This colourful display is at the ever excellent and constantly wonderful Muji store.

Love the colour, love the store, and really love the thought!