Move along now, nothing to see here.....

Another week has passed and the situation here in the UK seems to be just as bewildering as before. Obviously, the solution is to immerse oneself in art, or other creative endeavours that might take our minds off the relative chaos of the present muddle. I’ve been proceeding fairly slowly with my first attempt with gouache, which I must say, is turning out to be instructive. As I spent most of the last 50 years in various metal tubes at 35,000’ and was usually too jet-lagged to concentrate on experimentation when on the ground, I always stuck with pen and pencil on my travels and oils when home for my days off. Having the time to learn a new technique and medium is proving to be very uplifting. Chris Draper ( https://www.chrisdraperartist.com ) put me on to James Gurney’s videos on YouTube which I’ve found to be extremely helpful in figuring out how to proceed. You can check out his web site here: https://jamesgurney.com/site/, and his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/gurneyjourney. If, like me, you are new to gouache, there is a lot there to inspire and motivate you. If you are practiced in the use of the medium, there are lots of tips on composition and use of colour. Worth a visit.

My own first go at the medium is, as I said, proceeding slowly, as I experiment and find my feet with it. The subject commemorates the 80th anniversary of the entry of the DeHavilland DH 98 Mosquito into operational service in 1941. The specific scene is that of a group of volunteers at the DeHavilland Museum rolling their Mosquito B.MK.35 out of the hangar, an event that occurred during a Guild of Aviation Artists’ sketching day back in 2011. Here’s some background on this aircraft from the museum’s web site: ( https://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk )

“The Museum’s exhibit flew in 1945 as a B.Mk.35 TA634 and was one of the last Mosquitos built at Hatfield powered by a pair of Merlin 114s .This aircraft was later adapted for target-towing as a B (TT) Mk. 35.In November 1953 it entered service with CAACU moving to the HQ 2nd TAF in March 1956.Its final service duty was with 3CAACU at Exeter in September 1959 and upon its retirement it was flown to Speke Airport on the 6th November 1963 for the Liverpool Corporation to preserve in a new Terminal Complex.

The project did not happen and the aircraft became one of the Mosquitos that flew in the film “Mosquito Squadron” which took place at Bovingdon Airfield, Hertfordshire during June and July 1968.

It was last flown on 16th July when it was flown back to Liverpool by the late Neil Williams and on the 15th May 1971 it was officially handed over to the Museum at Salisbury Hall.”

I’ve wanted to develop this painting for some time now, and the latest lockdown provides me with the time necessary to devote to it. I’m not rushing through it, and I’m sure it will not turn out as good as I want it to be, but one step at a time….

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