A Gothic Surprise

First glimpse of the mysterious gibbet

One of the many things I love about Northumberland is its capacity to surprise and amaze. Just when you think you know everything possible about your locale, you can discover something totally unexpected- something that if it were "down South", would have featured in magazines, adverts and film locations by the score.  

Today's "double take" moment was finding a gibbet standing next to one of my favourite stands of beech trees. At this point there's probably a chorus of Northumbrians rolling their eyes and muttering "That's only Winter's Gibbet -it's been there forever, you idiot. How could you have missed it Mrs Claims to Look at the Landscape?!" 

But no, I'm definitely NOT talking about Elsdon's historic gibbet- this is a brand new one!! 

It stands in Gothic majesty up on the windswept moors, the black woodwork like a child's game of "Hangman", a crudely carved wooden skull, gently swaying in the breeze, its empty eye sockets blind to the golden autumnal landscape. A brilliantly thrilling discovery!!

Gibbets may be generally out of vogue, but carved skulls are the height of fashion- so I hesitate to reveal its exact whereabouts to the whole world for fear of someone stealing the fabulous skull. So if you want directions, you'll have to come into the gallery and ask!! 

Of course, it might just have vanished without trace by the next time I go for a walk there.... So I'm glad I've got some photos.

Pondering this new discovery

Skull - glowing in the sunshine

Suitably Gothic Arch formed by beech trees. 

If you want the rational explanation for this new gibbet, follow this link http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2665965

Santa's Not-So-Little Helper

I'd imagined that applying the new webbing to the sledge would be the easiest part of the whole restoration process. It looks straightforward enough- a spot of simple weaving and a few judicious whacks with a hammer would do it.... Simples!  I soon discovered that this was not the case. The brass upholstery nails bent and buckled on first contact with the resilient hardness of the solid oak chassis. I was very quickly forced to conclude that Santa is very unlikely to want me as his not-so-little helper, because I'm rubbish at simple sleigh repair....... that and the (possibly unfestive)  swearing!!  

But after sleeping on the problem, I decided to apply the pins along the edge rather than underneath and to use my trusty framing awl to bore guide holes to help place the nails. This made the job possible, and the resulting line of  brass looks suitably decorative too. I'm delighted with the results.

Now does anyone have some lovely old brass jingle bells that need a new home?!?  

Window Dressing

I love my gallery window. It's like creating a wonderful, changing "still life". And it's the best possible way to show the world my eclectic range of Art and hand crafted items.  I always know that I've achieved an effective display when I can see that it's slowing down the traffic along Bridge Street (but please don't tell The Highways Agency!)


This year a main ingredient of my Christmas window is a oak vintage sled bought on eBay. It's a lovely old sledge, with eccentric curved ends to its runners and enough dents and scratches to prove that it's had a long and fun filled life. Personally I hate those occasions on "The Antiques Roadshow" when they inform someone that a toy would have been worth so much more if only it hadn't been taken it out of the box and played with!! None of that nonsense for us!


Admittedly my sledge was a bit grubby and neglected by the time we bought it, giving it a slightly melancholic, Tim Burtonesque air. But it's really responded to the hours of judicial cleaning and a lovingly applied layer of wax polish. Now I only need to replace the old webbing seat and it'll be ready to take centre stage in my window.


Of course if we have snow again this Christmas, I may just have to remove it from the window to give my adorable little granddaughter the occasional ride around the village. 


So if you visit Rothbury in late November or December and you see a big gap in my window display you'll know why. And if you see the pair of us, red cheeked and laughing, do stop and say hello!

A final polish for my vintage sledge

Waiting for the next Leaf to Fall

I always find it very helpful to get feedback from my customers- especially when it comes to that perennial problem of deciding which of my paintings to have made into prints. So I've been showing my latest canvas to my "regulars" to gauge their response. The consensus seems to be "I want a copy once it's a print!" So that's good enough for me. 

But I hadn't expected one of my customers to observe, "It's very like a David Hockney. I love Hockney's work, but  I can't afford it... But I can still afford yours" I'm taking this as a compliment!

Thanks folks!  

Waiting For the Next Leaf to Fall- Autumnal Trees on the Banks of The River Coquet at Harbottle.