Paintings and Prints of the East Anglian Coast
Fly Agaric
It is fungi time of year and just like last year on the 15th Fly Agaric became the subject of this weeks sketch again. I remember last years sketch as it was also from Walberswick up past Hoist Covert car park in the woods. So these I also found in Walberswick too although out on the Heath in among the Silver Birch trees down Palmers Lane. Fly Agaric are very dramatic with their bright red caps with white flecks BUT also poisonous so please be careful.
Well it’s week 39 and that means we are 3 quarters the way through the challenge and 3 quarters through the year and now definitely Autumn and what could be more appropriate than Horse Chestnut Conkers. It was quite a surprise to me that in Wrentham there should be so many laying on the ground as in my youth they would have been gathered up by the village children.
An grey afternoon sketch on the Blackshore, Southwold harbour. Old favorites moored up at the end of a platoon as the tide ebbed its way out, behind are the old huts on the Walberswick bank where the hand rowed ferry crosses. Several times during the sketch the flock of geese that feed in Walberswick town marshes were spooked and took to the air briefly flying around before returning to settle, gulls also circled waiting for on the visitor to jettison some chips.
Painted mid week on the promenade at Pakefield just below “The Jolly sailors” at the tail end of storm Aileen. The dog walkers were all heads down in the strong winds. I was fortunate to be in the lea of the cliff out of the wind. By now the sea had calmed down from it’s rage earlier in the morning.
I was born just 6.5 miles from Bungay castle and as strange as it seems this is the first time in my life that I have been. What is more strange is that until this week I was unaware of it’s significance. So how is it that on the numerous times I have been to Bungay it has remained hidden? The truth is that it is not visible from any of the main roads and unless you actually seek it out it will remain hidden. I have even asked many of my friends and none of them knew of its location although many thought they had heard of it. So once I knew, I had to find it and paint it for this weeks sketch. Bigod’s castle as it more correctly named begun being built in 1163 by Hugh Bigod who was the powerful Earl of Suffolk. More detail on it’s history can be found here http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=4721 .
Entrance (with a small charge) can be gained through Jesters Tea rooms and although not extensive it is still interesting and worth a visit. However you can just see the Castle as shown in my sketch from the park.
