Nearly Thirty Years Later

Last Thursday evening I had the pleasure of demonstrating at Roche Art Group, they hold their sessions at The Carnegie Centre in Stapleford. This wasn't the first time I had been there because nearly thirty years ago I was presented an award in 1988, by Lord Richard Attenborough.

I had entered a competition whilst I was at school to design the new Coat of Arms for Stapleford Parish council.

I remember the evening in a very vague way I remember not really understanding what was happening and being quite overwhelmed by all the attention and adults around me.

I was totally aware of the importance of Lord Richard Attenborough and didn't actually believe he was going to be there in Stapleford!

But he was and he was lovely (his grandparents used to own a bakery in the town) and I have dined on the experience ever since. These things are wasted on the young although it featured for many years on my CV! But unconsciously I believe it was this achievement that really gave me confidence to give a career in design ago.

 So to return last Thursday evening much older and not much wiser was a real privilege, I was allowed by the Town Clerk to enter the chambers and view the coat of arms in the flesh and view the near thirty mayors who had worn it on their chains. The Town Clerk gave me a badge of the coat of arms and I will cherish it.
The whole revisit was fabulous as now I appreciate what it all meant when I was 15 I really didn't understand.

The demonstration went well and I painted a scene from my recent holiday to Menorca finished piece is below. Above is a picture of me in the chambers with Janette Cordon of Roche Art Group.

http://www.staplefordcommunitygroup.org.uk/2014/08/25/lord-richard-attenborough/