Painting Skies (4)

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Painting Skies (4)

by janetweightreed @ 2009-04-30 – 07:04:46

Just like everything else in life, the sky constantly changes.

Jenray reminded me yesterday in her comment how she misses seeing the night sky.
As she said so beautifully, the night lighting 'removes from us our sense of place in the Universe.'

That got me thinking about young people brought up in cities, who have never seen the magic of a night sky without artificial interference!

Then I thought of Planetariums - I love them - It would be a great idea to take every school child to a Planitarium. Actually it's a great idea for me to go again myself, soon.

When I returned to the UK in 1994 to live in Crickhowell, Wales where the Black Mountains meet the Brecon Beacons - I was suddenly reacquainted with a pure night sky. I would often walk at night, just to see the zillions of stars, seemingly almost within my reach.

This following illustration from the 'Christeve of Crickadoon' series of books for children that I worked on from 2000 til 2004 - shows Christeve the Cat looking over Crickadoon as the night begins to draw in.

During this exercise I will post some night skies....watch this space.

For today a more generic sky.....

My first marks on white paper.

In this image, I am setting things up to bring 'volume' to the clouds. Here, I am using loose paint, on a dry surface. The paint bleeds where it touches against my original marks.

Leaviing some white paper, I am using a 'clean wet brush' to pull out the edges of the paint already on the surface. I have added some yellow ochre.

PLAYING - I have added some permanent white gouache to the mix...
By the way a wonderful colour mix to produce volume in clouds...is Winsor violet mixed with yellow ochre or naples yellow

Here, I have thrown some trees into the bottom of the image to give context.
Also note, in this case I have left some white paper showing through.

Julia Dennis of Arts Link sent me two images that she painted yesterday....
Before I show them, I just want to give an example of the power of the spoken word.

Julia ran an Arts Link workshop several years ago in Cornwall. The tutor, from Wales, (who it just so happens I knew) was and is a very negative person, and certainly NOT a 'generous' tutor.

A very derisive comment he made to Julia, has blocked her from painting skies since.

Thank goodness the block has been removed.

Julia's two sky images

Anyone else who would like to show their image on this blog, please send to me at janet.wr@hotmail.co.uk

On the 22nd of May I will be giving a portrait demonstration/workshop for Arts Link. For all details contact Julia at artslink@blueyonder.co.uk

A Bientot
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Tags:
- night
- stars
- cornwall
- sky
- wales
- crickhowell
- planitarium
- london planitarium
- crickadoon
- christieve the cat

25 Comments to Painting Skies (4)

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- jillkohlmeyer1 (Visitor)
- 2009-04-30 @ 09:39:33
Dearest Janet, I have been away trying to move to West Chester although my goal is to live in Europe. Around "Like Minded Artists and People ". My days here in this U.S Town have come to an end. I am so grateful to know you and your work !!! Your Soul Janet , is beautiful. Thank you for these shareings of paintings. Really I just want to be more free and live to Paint and weave....and share and teach. The States, as you know do not appreciate Artists as Europe would no longer go without food or the Arts !!! Much Love.
Oh by the way Love , Claudias' portrait.... the night skys and dawn and twilight are what my current work is about . It is small but filled with the colors I have seen on this hill last year as I looked !!!!! Pinks, purples, blues greens of leaves yellow ochre, Remember the dog that ate the yellow ochre ? and some silver lurex for the cool morning dew. Much love as always to you Jille Anne, I am feeling apprehensive about moving "back" to West CHester as I haven't really enough money for the prices they want and the town has a whole new face....and faces...is this just my memorie ?? I send you this with love I will write to Jarrod as I have lost his Phone No. I must move by the 30 th . I write this to you in this collumn because everything we experience has color and shape to it ....much love Genavies and Jille
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- janet weight reed (Visitor)
- http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
- 2009-04-30 @ 12:36:34
Hi Dear Jillie

Moving back to West Chester, Wow! As we both know it has always been an afluent town, but when I was back last May for the first time in six years, I couldn't believe how 'up market' it was. As someone said, the new deli in the center of Market Street is as good as Harvey Nichols food hall...and they were right.

Anyway the superby good news re West Chester, is that my dear friend Carolyn Comitta is running for Mayor, and all things being equal by the end of May she will be the first female democrat mayor of West Chester.
Given that it's always been a republican strong hold, run by the 'good old boy' society, this is fabulous news.

Also another good friend, the very fine artist Valetta is doing all sorts of fascinating things re the arts in the West Chester area.

Maybe you should connect with her - she might have some ideas. Valetta and Carolyn Comitta have both visited me in the UK and of course I always see them when I am there.

Keep painting, weaving, loving nature and animals.

Yes I do remember when Baird Brinker's dog ate a tube of my oil paint, and when Tushy my cat had a permanent stain of alizirin crimson down his lovely white bib for months!

Love you Jill
Janet
- - David (Visitor)
  - 2009-06-25 @ 21:26:27
  Wow! I was researching some artwork and came across this. I grew up in Kennett Square and went to school with Baird and we were pals. I was in West Chester a couple years ago (I now live in NC and FL) and was charmed at how nice the downtown has become. West Chester has also benefited from some artistic "spill over" from Chadds Ford (althought I was sad to see how commercialized Chadds Ford has become). Jeez... the Chadds Ford Tavern is now a "respictable family restuarant"!
  Fortunately, I have been able to maintain residency in nice little art enclaves such as Wilmington, NC and the west coast of FL. Cohabitating with an art collector and having a sister that is an artist in SE PA keeps me abreast of the art world as well.
  
  Oh the good ol days when Alfie LeConte and Jimmy Lynch would peddle thier artwork in the bars for beer money.
  
  Thanks for the memories!
  David
  - - janet weight reed (Visitor)
    - http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
    - 2009-06-26 @ 08:21:04
    Hi DAvid
    
    I don't know how much of my blog you have read, but I visited West Chester for six days (the longest period since my return to Europe in 1994) last May. Oh my is it 'tres chic' now!
    I actually stayed with good friends Carolyn and Tom Comitta. On a very positive front Carolyn has just been elected the first femail, democrat mayor of West Chester, something that the 'good old boys' who ran the place when I was living there, would never have thought possible.
    
    Since leaving the States in 1994, I have had bitter/sweet feelings about the West Chester, Chadds Ford area. This past trip sort of healed all of that for me.
    
    My son Jarrod and daughter Christie still live in the States, and so I do visit other areas, and over the years have given workshops and lectures on the creative process in the South, the West and New England. However, my life is now back in Europe were I grew up. It is my home.
    
    I have a flat in the London area and a very boho studio in S,W France - not too far from Carcssonne.
    
    Hearing Baird's name is certainly a 'blast from the past' - and Jimmy Lynch...wow old memories indeed.
    
    Please tell me more about your own work. I love N. Carolina, especially the Ashville/Flatrock area, although I haven't been there for a long time.
    
    Best wishes
    Janet
    - - David (Visitor)
      - 2009-06-26 @ 23:15:11
      Here's some other Chadds Ford Inn "oldies" -- Jeffery Theodore (his mother, Dorothy owned the Inn), Jamie Wyeth, Kim Milliner (with his trademark "Bowler" and clarinet). My sister, Leslie, dated Jeffery and Jamie.
      I was broken hearted to see that Hank's Diner was so different and the place was overrun with "chincy" shops. Was was able to visit my dear old friend Dana Talley when I was in CF. I wonder if Rea Redifer is still around. He was one of the better artists of the area.
      
      Remember the old joke about the streets in West Chester -- it was said it was the only place you could go in High (st) and come out Gay (st). LOL!
      Glad to hear there's been some shake up of the "good ol' boy' network that ran the place. Kim Milliner's Jazz Band used to play at the Turks Head Tavern.
      
      Longwood Gardens has always been "Mecca" to me. I know I've been there well over a hundred times and am still awestruck every time I go there (it used to be free admittance).
      
      My artistic endevours have always been in wood. I was designing and making major architectural pieces until I had a severe reperatory condition that brought it to an end about a year ago (probably due to the dust from exotic woods). In fact, I caught up with Baird a few years ago when a mutual friend told me he was into woodworking. I gave him a call on the phone and we had a great conversation. He was always someone I liked a lot. He got into some trouble many years ago and I lost track of him. I was glad to hear he's doing just great. Great guy!
      
      One day I'll have to take a trek back up to the area. My parent's request was to have their ashes skattered on the 9th hole of the golf course at the Kennet Country Club (where our home was). I'll haave to make time to visit old friends and appreciate the charm of the area.
      
      Ashville is certainly a lovely bohemian community and not far from the charming Campbell Art School. I've been wanting to get out to Campbell and take some courses, but never seem to get the time. I'm expecting to get out to Boone, NC sometime in late summer.
      
      How did you know Baird?
      
      Kindest regards,
      David
      - janet weight reed (Visitor)
        
        http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
        
        2009-06-28 @ 08:21:17
        
        It is fun to think about old times. I remember Dorothy Theodore very well...what a character. Jamie Wyeth and Kim - oh my goodness talk about memories. I think I might have met your sister Lesley....
        
        Do you remember Charlotte and Betty who owend Chabet the boutique in the Chadds Ford Barn Shops and of course Frolic Weymouth. Oh boy did we have some wild times.
        
        yes, I have many happy memories of Longwood Gardens.
        
        With regards to Baird...I really liked him a lot, but when we knew one another things were difficult for both of us. I would love to connect with him one of these days.
        
        He was certainly a fine cabinet maker.
        
        How sad that you can no longer do your work. Are you able to pursue any other creative paths, i.e., drawing, painting?
        
        I used to enjoy going to the Brandywine River Museum...and yes Maxwll Parish painted beautiful skies.
        
        I am sure I will come up with more names and places. How sad about Hanks. I hate it when places like that become very fashionable!
        
        Janet
        
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        david (Visitor)
        
        2009-07-02 @ 22:30:35
        
        Charlotte & Betty! OMG what characters they were. The second they closed the shop every day, it was across the parking lot to spend whatever they made that day on drinks at the Inn.
        
        Oh... and of course, after the Inn closed, it was off to Frolic's for "Breakfast" while he played "As Time Goes By" over and over on the piano and the drinking and merriment continued until dawn. And then trying to figure out how to get out of his house driving hill and dale over the fields. When Dorothy died, she left the Inn to Frolic, knowing that Jeffery would drink it up in a month.
        
        Last I heard of Kim, he had settled down a bit and was teaching at the Westtown School. What a talented guy he was! And living in the fishing shack down on the river. Remember his annual River Rat Race/Party? Where contestants raced down his horrible "driveway" for the prize of a bottle of ginger brandy. Farmhand Ray won pretty much every year with his wheelbarrow. Kim drank that nasty Green Chartruse...YUK! And then of course there was the "Re-enactment of 'the Battle of Turks Head'" that Kim and I cooked up and ended up in the West Chester Jail. I think Bill Eckerd's wife bailed us out (we ended up getting a $15 ticket for paradeing without a permit). For some reason they decided public drunkenness wasn't a problem. Who else...? Kim's neighbors on the river Charlie Trout and Patrick Davish (Patrick did a nice job of fixing up his little fishing shack).
        
        How about Alfie LeConte? Remember him? He was hillarious!!!! I can't imagine his liver is still alive. I saw something not long ago about Rea Redifer doing playwriting in Kennett Square.
        
        And then there was always some character (if not Jeffery Theodore) living in that little 2nd floor apartment across the parking lot from the Inn.
        
        Last I heard (maybe 3 yrs ago) Baird was living in West Chester. I heard at a school reunion (Unionville) that he was married and had 2 kids. Which kind of surprised me because for some reason, he set off my gadar. He and I actually dated the same girl - 10 years apart - and she had wondered the same thing. That, of course, had no bearing on still liking him a lot. He got busted for bugulary and thats when I lost track of him. I think he went to jail for a little while. I also heard he got tangled up with alcohol (as did I) and had some problems with that (just rumor).
        
        Bill... what was his last name? He was a great portrait artist that painted in the fashion of the Dutch Masters. Another of the Chadds Ford school that went virtually unrecognized. I used to go to all of Andre Harvey's (sculptor) opening shows. He was really a fabulous sculptor and his work is on permanat display (I think) at the BRM. Andre, his brother Rusty and I were a bad mix that usually turned his opening shows into wild drunken fiascos.
        God, those were wild fun times! Surviving them was a miracle. Quitting drinking 25 years ago is probably the only reason I survived or didn't spend my life in jail.
        
        As far as my creative outlet having given up my woodowrking... a very strange thing happened during my illness. Among other things, I had a stroke with some relatively minor dibilitation on my left side. As time went on, the sides of my brian switched. Is that weird or what? So I went from being astsy and creative and unable to balance a checkbood to figuring out complex mathamatic formulas that I never even knew existed previously. I applied these strange new formulas to tracking the stock market and developed a system that the big hedge fund managers, financial advisors and the largest brokerage house in the world are fascinated with. I have yet to fully conclude exactly where I'm going to go with it, but I've enjoyed the fruits its brought to my own investments.
        This wasn't something that really ever occured to me. I remember lying in the hospital thinking that if I couldn't do my woodworking, I'd end up being homeless. And then a couple years later, I'm paying cash for my vacation home in Florida. Just bizzare!
        Although, I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised -- I was a woodworker, then a legal consultant, then owned a company that dealt with high tech environment products, then was a minister, then a woodworker again... why not a stock analyist next? Butcher, Baker and Candlestick maker are still on the list of "things to do".
        
        I'd be willing to bet that you and I have sat elbow to elbow at the Inn sometime. Well...glad to "see" you again!
        
        David
        
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        david (Visitor)
        
        2009-07-05 @ 11:52:08
        
        Just remembered the last name of the great portrait artist in Chadds Ford -- Bill Ewing
        
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        janet weight reed (Visitor)
        
        http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
        
        2009-07-06 @ 09:45:06
        
        Hi David
        
        Yes, I do remember Bill Ewing. He dated a really lovely girl with very long blond hair, and I remember being at an opening in his Chadds Ford studio where he highlighted paintings of her. I can't remember her name, except that she was lovely inside and out.
        
        Kim at Westtown School....my son went there..it's got a good art department. I guess there comes a point where we all have to settle down a bit, either that or die young!
        
        Rea Redifer, Alfie LeConte, - and again Charlotte and Betty. I always smile when I think of those two. I wish I knew where they are now. Maybe I will do some research and try and find out. Last time I saw them was in 1994 just before I returned to Europe.
        
        Yes, I had heard that Baird had some alcahol issues, which I am sure we all did....and had been in some trouble. His father was a bit of brute to tell the truth, and I think he was very hard on Baird.
        
        Did you ever come across Bertie Kerstetter, John Manning who married the woman who started Somerveille Manning...can't remember her name.
        
        I am fascinated to hear about your stroke and how it has clearly changed your mind set up. You should write a book about it.
        
        Amazingly, between 1968 and 1972, I worked on Wall Street, and became the first femail block stock trader for White Weld & co.
        Actually I am posting right now about the time that I first went to the STates in 1966.....
        
        It's a long story, but as a single Mum living on Staten Island in 1967 my first husband disappeared, not to be seen again until my son was 27. Anyway, I needed a job, or would have to return to the UK.
        
        The woman, Mimi Kollf who I rented my cottage from on S.I.
        was well connected and got me an interview with a chap named Sandy Lewis (Salim Bonner Lewis) son of Cy Lewis who was then Chairman of Bear Stearns. Cy Lewis had begun one of the first block stock departments on the Street along with Solomon Brothers and someone else. Anyway Sandy wanted to do the same with White Weld.
        
        He interiewed me for a Gal Friday position....I was 22 years old, and didn't have a bloody clue about business, Wall Street, stocks and bonds, etc. Grew up in an academic household, and had a very fine art school training under my belt.
        
        During the interview Sandy asked me the normal stuff...could I make coffee, etc. and then asked, if I knew what a wasp was. Fresh off the boat so to speak, I said it was a little insect that flew around. He said, if you don't know it means white anglo saxon protestant - you have the job. He said, he was half jewish and half english and had a real hang up about it!
        
        He took me on before the trading desk was built, and nonen of the traders had been hired.
        
        In short I got to do things I would never have done had it already been set up. Within nine months, I had my registred representative license...and became the first female block stock trader.
        
        When I remarried in 1973 to Bill Reed, and moved to the West Chester area, I then packed up all things Wall Street, and began my art career, and that's what I have been doing, non stop ever since.
        
        So it would seem that you and I have quite a lot in common.
        
        Much fun to have this communication, and I really am fasctinated with your story.
        
        Janet
        
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        David (Visitor)
        
        2009-07-08 @ 21:21:08
        
        Quite remarkable to switch from the business world to the art world (or vice versa). I always felt a bit unique to be an artist with good business sense. But those dichotomies permiated my life -- a straight gay activist, a liberal republican...
        
        Alfie and I were constant companions. I do remember Bill's girlfriend and beautiful she was! I think I was at the same show you are talking about that Bill's work was on display -- the gallery was right behind the shops at the Inn. Alfie and I showed up completely inebriated in some sort of wild costumes and Bill had little choice but to find it completely hillarious.
        
        You are right about Baird's Father being a bully. Eventually, Nancy, Baird's mother divorced him. Baird's older brother, Bill was my age and I used to go to their house with some regularity. Bill took after his father and bullied Baird. I always hated that and I know it put a warm spot in my heart for Baird because of it. Even though I was supposedly at their house to be with Bill, I remember directing my attention to Baird -- a much nicer person. Even though Baird got into some trouble, I never thought he had a mean bone in his body. He was a gentle and sweet guy.
        
        Your son was fortunate to attent the Westtown school. While other parents were sending their kids to Tatnall and Tower Hill so they'd be with the "right" kind -- Westtown was a much better school. If you remember Bill and Ann Eckerd, their kids went there. Sadly, their eldest daughter, Lisa, was killed by a drunk driver (after she got sober at the young age of 16).
        
        A little off the path was "The Aolian Palace" (Tom Bostell's studio -- and Tanya Boucher) at rt 100 and rt 926 on the bank of the river next to Lenape Park. Many hours passed sitting around the pot belly stove drinking a jug of cheap wine and discussing various philosophies on everything.
        
        I suppose the Inn was the Haight and Ashbury of it place and time. What interesting characters passed through there!
        
        How amazing... I haven't been in touch with any of that crowd (except by distant rumor from my sister Leslie) in over 20 years. You, a person residing in London that I've never met, are the only person I "know" now to have shared that experience with.
        
        Oh...Oh... Oh... remember the pumpkin carving on the front porch of the Inn? Bill Ewing and I got into a pumkin pulp fight that caused lead to our "ejection" from the event.
        
        Yes, we've definately crossed paths. I suspect when you saw Alfie and I stuble in the door, tumble over the threshold into a drunken puddle, you had the good sense to completely ignore me.
        
        I caught a TV show last night about people who have had portions of their brain removed and how other parts of the brain took over. I could certainly relate. But then again, I rarely used half my brain anyway.
        
        David
        
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        janet weight reed (Visitor)
        
        http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
        
        2009-07-11 @ 18:12:06
        
        Tom Bostelle, Tanya Boucher and the Aolian Palace...wow yes I do remember Tom and the Palace so well, and oh the pumpkin carving contest. I would go every year with my son Jarrod and daughter Christie. Loved it.
        
        Although I always came across, especially when drinking as a very confident person, in many ways I was quite shy, and so it is very likely that our paths did cross, but I probably appeared to be aloof...it was actually a case of shyness. Really funny when you think of it.
        
        Do you remember Sue Hineman, married to Eddie Hineman. They lived in Chadds Ford. Sue committed suicide in 1995 about a year after I returned to Europe. I have a water colour I did of her many years ago in my flat in London....it is indeed such a small world.
        
        I lived in the West Chester area from 1973 til 1994 when I returned to the UK. During the last two years I lived in a house on Route 100 in Chadds Ford, not too far from the Museum. It was owned by Dick McClure, (a wild man) and was built by the Amish...you might know it.
        
        Does the name Sammy Kenworthy ring any bells?
        
        Did you ever go to the Quarry Swim Club in Westtown? We were members, and notorious for having skinny dipping parties in the middle of the night.
        
        I am sure I will come up with many more names.
        
        If you read my blog for the last few days, including today, I am talking about when I first arrived in the States in 1966, - and today about working on Wall Street.
        You might find it interesting.
        
        Hope all's well in your world
        
        Janet
        
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        David (Visitor)
        
        2009-07-12 @ 02:09:58
        
        My sister studied with Caroline Wyeth (Andy's sister) but then decide to make a radical style change and studied with Tom Bostelle.
        
        Remember the train that was always parked right there at Lenape? Were you around the area when a bunch of us took it for an "unauthorized" ride with Jimmy Lynch at the wheel. Never had such fun! A train robbery when you take the TRAIN! LOL!
        
        "The Quarry" LOL! We all had memberships there to use when we got kicked out of the Kennett Country Club Pool for our misbehavior. What great fun jumping off the "cliffs". Crazy... every once in a while I'll have a dream about that place.
        
        Sue's name sounds familiar. I think she was a friend of my sister's. Did Eddie have any brothers or sisters in the area?
        
        Wasn't that house (Dick's) on rt 100 right near the sharp bend in the road at the bridge? I think I remember Dick. He was more a "regular" at the Tavern (probably because he was "unwelcome" at the Inn). And speaking of the Tavern... how about Ol' Tommy Drain (the owner). He had that big handlebar moustache. I forget if it was Bill Ewing or Jamie Wyeth did a really nice portrait of him (probably for a lifetime drinking pass at the Tavern -- or maybe just to cover a past bill).
        
        Remember "Eachus" on the road out of West Chester heading to Marshalton (the Marshalton Inn -- and the annual Triathalon). I think it was Rt. 162? 842? Anyway, they had the best ice cream and milkshakes at Eachus.
        Marshallton built that building next to the Inn -- The Oyster Bar. That was a fun hangout for a while.
        
        Who was Sammy Kenworthy? For some reason that sounds familiar.
        
        ANother name was "Jack". He was a bartender at the Inn. Dark hair and a thin moustache. And Peter "Something" was a pretty accomplished photographer.
        
        Did you get down to Buckley's Tavern much (on rt 52 heading into Wilmington) in Centerville?. Thursdays were huge nights there, but I pretty much stopped in every day. John the Bartender was heavy on the pouring and light on the billing.
        
        How about "The Dirty 30" -- the 1330 Diner on rt 202? Man, those greasy omlettes were good around 3am! Oh... and not far from there was the Farmer In In The Dell -- a dozen steamed clams for a buck on Fridays.
        
        Interesting. You compensated for your shyness by being "aloof". I compensated for my insecurity by being pompous. Of course, booze was the lubricant for all things.
        
        There was another guy who's name was Tommy (can't remember his last name). He looked kind of like Al Franken. He lived in a big house in Rosedale (kind of near Longwood) and there was another guy there named Bill. My sister lived in that big house too and another girl named Leslie Moore. There was some SERIOUS partying that went on there!
        
        Wow... am I ever rambling on! Oh, the good ol' days...
        
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        janetweightreed
        
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        2009-07-14 @ 10:39:49
        
        Just wrote a long response and lost it. Will try again later.
        
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        janet weight reed (Visitor)
        
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        2009-07-15 @ 13:08:21
        
        O.K. I will try again.
        
        I think your sister's choice of studying with Bostelle was a good one. I felt that, other than Andy Wyeth, Tom was the premier artist in the area.
        
        I don't remember the train robbery, but if Jimmy Lynch was involved it had to be fun and crazy.
        
        We were members of the Quarry Club for quite a few years. It was great place for me to take the children when they were growing up, and also much fun for midnight skinny dipping, and yes, jumping off the cliffs.
        
        A man by the name of (I think Red Hammer) - produced several photographic books about Chester County. In the first one, The Four Seasons of Chester County, my daughter Christie heads the Summer section. She is three years old and in the Quarry Club. The picture was called The Serpentine Princess. Maybe you know the book.
        
        Sue' husband Eddie does have a sister and I think twin brothers....Rumour had it that his dad had been a corrupt (is there anything else) politician in Chadds Ford back in the fifties. You know the type, one of those guys that runs a little Fifedom. The Hinemans also owned the Tri State Lumber company which was on the left hand side on Route 202 on the way to Wilmington.
        
        I do remember Eachus and I think we were at the opening of The Oyster Bar. Didn't Jack McFadden run it?
        
        One day when I had my studio on Prescott Alley, I heard a commotion outside, and there was Jack McFadden and another very well known successful chap, (whose name I cannot remember right now) Mark something I think. Anyway they were having a minor knife fight! I asked if I should call the police, and said No. It was quite interesting.
        
        Sammy Kenworthy is gay and has been a close friend of mine since I was 27 and he was 20. We were wild! Anyway he was Nureyov's lover, and also quite friendly with Frolic at one time. However, like all of us he has calmed down a little.
        
        Buckley's Tavern was one of my favourite places. I loved getting drunk on the roof patio....it had good feeling.
        Oh and Farmer in the Dell, was absolutely one of our favourite places when the children were little. We could have a drink, and the children could eat as much popcorn as they liked - great place. Of course someone tired to gentrify it and completely buggared it up.
        
        I can't place Tommy at Rosedale, but oh do I remember Tommy Drane. I liked him. By the way yes Dick McClure's house was just past the big bend on Route 100 overlooking the Brandywine. The Amish built it and it had a big stained glass window in the front. I lived there for the two years prior to moving back to the UK in 1994.
        
        I saw a fascinating documentary the other day about a man who at the age of 20 had melangitus. He went into a deep coma...when he came out of it, he was a musical Savant. I was reminded of you and your life changing stroke. I brains are incredible things....we are only just beginning to learn something about he they really work.
        
        I am off to the Royal Institute of Science for a talk on the 'Science of Scent' Could be interesting.
        
        Another question? You live in Charlotte N. C. Do you know the name Hugh McColl Jr. I met Hugh when I was working on Wall Street back in the late sixties, and we always kept in touch. He and his wife Jane backed a project I was working on in 2000. The project went belly up, but that's another story.
        
        Janet
        
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        John Chambless (Visitor)
        
        http://www.tombostelle.com
        
        2009-07-29 @ 18:46:36
        
        Hello! I'm one of the trustees of the estate of Tom Bostelle (small world, eh?) Anyone interested in buying the Aeolian Palace? It is about to slide into the Brandywine and needs some brave soul to do something. It would cost almost nothing. -- John Chambless
        
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        janet weight reed (Visitor)
        
        http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
        
        2009-08-05 @ 21:17:07
        
        Hi John
        
        Sorry it's taken so long to respond. I have been back and forth to France like a yoyo....
        
        Anyway, yes it is a small world, and as much as I admired Bostelle's work, buying the Aoelian Palace is not in the cards for me.
        
        I don't know if this helps or not, but a very good friend of mine, Carolyn Comitta, has just been elected Mayor of West Chester. Unlike most of the 'good old boys' that ran that town for so many years, Carolyn is a sincere environmentalist and supporter of the arts.
        
        I don't think the Aeolian falls under West Chester jurisdiction, but one never knows!
        
        Good Luck
        
        Janet
        
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- Julia Dennis (Visitor)
- 2009-04-30 @ 13:36:29
Hi Janet
Love your night sky and the comments about stars. I remember, as a child, being in awe of the Milky Way and the excitement and curiosity and sense of the scale of things that this would give me.
Knowing my own London bred children miss this, I thought I'd take them to the London Planetarium next to Madame Tussauds, which used to be awesome - only to discover it had closed, through lack of interest maybe? How sad!
I am going to try at skies, because I love looking at the sky - it's one thing I love about now having a loft studio - I can actually see the sky from up here!
I don't mind sharing the comment that put me off.... This 'art tutor' said that my skies were to art what his dancing was to the Royal Ballet (and he was about seventy and not a quick mover). I think art teachers can do a lot of damage - I wish they were all as inspiring as you Janet!
Love
Julia
- - David (Visitor)
  - 2009-06-27 @ 16:17:32
  I think Maxfield Parrish mastered the "skyscape".
  
  Loved the Maxfield Parrish museum in St. Petersburg, FL.
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- David (Visitor)
- 2009-07-17 @ 01:21:19
I'm in Wilmington, NC (on the coast). Sorry, don't know your friends in Charlotte. But there is a well known McColl family here -- Louise McColl. And another Cathy McColl has produced some small films.

Tommy from Rosedale was ALWAYS at Buckley's. Had horn-rimmed round glasses. Remember Brian and Bill "Dad" Trench? They came in EVERY day after work. The rooftop was only open on Thursdays in the summer. You're right -- had a great feel. Once in a while John the Bartender used to spin records in the back room at Buckley's on Saturday nights.

Remember that huge canvas Tom Bostelle kept in the studio that he used to say he would paint on when he couldn't stop painting when another painting was finished. His theory was most artists don't know when to stop. He loved all that running thin paint dripping down the paper. Oh and his sculptures (usually one-legged) were fabulous!

This is too much... I HAVE that set of Chester County books!

Yeah, I knew Eddie's sister. I think she's younger than him.

Oh the stained glass window -- I know EXACTLY the house. Charming! I loved that place! Yup... just the one I was thinking of.

Farmer in the Dell was a great family place. You could get full and out the door cheap. Kids loved the big barrels of pretzels and peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor. You would get the salad just because it came in that cool little wheelbarrow (but the dressing was really good too). Their roast beef sandwiches were the best.
Oh... what was the place on the hill on 202 that had the great hot dogs? And then there's was Betty's for ice cream.

Hmmmm... studio on Prescott. Wasn't that where Baird lived? I went back to West Chester to date my old sweetheart -- Linda Stellwagon. She was an incredibly talented dollmaker there.

For a while there, Kennett Square came on the scene and the Kennett Inn (the old Green Gate) was a favorite night spot. Del Bittle used to spin records there. Seems like Kennett is in a bit of a boom of late.

Every time I get back to the area I have to go to the Charcoal Pit. They STILL have the best hamburgers and milkshakes anywhere in the world. And the place hasn't changed in 50 years (prices haven't changed much either).

Well, I don't know if I'm quite a "Wall St. Savant" as the result of my stroke. It is stange though, before, I'd go into my woodworking studio just for the atmosphere of creativity and feel like I was in heaven. Now, I couldn't care less and had all the equipment shoved out of the way so I could pull one of the Jaguars in there.

Hot and muggy here... makes me remember the quarry water was always nice and cool (even when the country club pool felt warm as bath water). Let's see if I remember the cliffs right. From left to right: "Lover's Leap", "Chicken's Nest", "Owl's Nest", "Crow's Nest".
I went off Crow's Nest "accidentially" when Andy Moore pushed me off.

Oyster Bar was an interesting mix -- it was sort of the Chadds Ford, West Chester and Unionville crowds all put together. Kim Milliner used to play there pretty regularily. Did you ever catch George Thorogood at the Tavern? He sure wen on to the big time. I crossed paths with him a few times since the old Tavern Days.
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- David (Visitor)
- 2009-07-17 @ 19:13:13
PS... of the Wyeth clan, N.C. has always been my favorite by far. His plates in Treasure Island are amazing!
Andy was always too "dreary" for me -- except his Helga series.
Jamie was too "trendy". Should have stayed away from Andy Warhol. I got in a screaming match with Warhol in the Inn and got thrown out. They should have thrown him and his can of soup out!
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- janetweightreed
- http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
- 2009-07-18 @ 16:24:43
It's quite likely that the McColls you know in the Wilmington area are realted to Hugh McColl Jr. I met him when I was working on Wall Street. At that time he was a VP with NCNB with Luther Hodges Jr at the helm. Later on Hugh went onto to be Chairman/President? of Bank of America and retired in, I think 2000. That was when he and Jane helped me a little with my project. He's an interesting man.

By the way I love your Any Warhol story....I can just imagine. I also prefer NC's work to Andy or Jamie. For me to be working as an artist right in the middle of all things Brandywine tradition, was a little strange at times.

Did you find the picture of Christie Reed as the Serpentine Princess in The Four Seasons of Chester County? I love that photograph. My Mother has a huge blow up of it framed in her house in Kent. None of us knew that Red Hamer had taken the photograph until the book was published.

I didn't know Eddie's sister well, but she was quite successful as a horse trainer.

Yes Baird did live on Prescott Alley. You are so right about him being a gentle good guy. Unfortunately I had a run in with his father, who I really disliked. It's a long story. One of these days I'll tell you about it.

Just hearing the name Charcoal Pit makes my mouth water. I am so glad to hear that it is still the same as ever. What wonderful burgers...and the smell as you approached the place was out of this world.

There was also a fantastic little seafood hut on the right hand side on 202 going towards Wilmington. It wasn't a restaurant, just a place to buy fresh seafood. Do you remember that?

I find these dramatic changes that occur through either medical reasons or some other kind of huge event in a persons life, fascinting.

Did you know immediately after the stroke that this had happened? How did the people most close to you respond to this change?

I might have asked you this, but did you know Bertie Kerstetter?

As names and places come up, I will write them down so that I can remember to ask you about them.

Very sunny earlier on, now quite blustery and cloudy, but o.k. Not too hot which suits me just fine.
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- David (Visitor)
- 2009-07-18 @ 20:14:06
I wasn't able to find those Chester County books. In fact, I haven't been able to find ANYTHING since Victoria moved in and we tried to smush two full households into one. We've been living in hamster tunnels!

Your run in with Bairds father reminded me of some sort of a run in I had with him when I was a youngster. The details are vague in my memory. What I seem to remember is that I was over there to see Baird's brother, Billy. As usual, Billy was being like his father and bullying Baird. I had had enough of that so I blew off Billy and was having a ball running amok with Baird. I liked him a lot better anyway. We did some crazy thing... something like climbing in the kitchen window... maybe broke it? I don't remember. All I remember was his father going ballistic and I had to sit in the basement until my father could come over to pick me up. Fathers talked (out of range of me) and I suspect my father being the consumate gentleman, offered to pay any damage. I expected to catch hell when I got in the car with my dad. Instead, he said nothing to me, mumbled something about "Mr Brinker" and that was the end of it. Dad's perpetual attitude of "no big deal" set in and he probably just figured "boys will be boys". However, I was never invited back. Oh well.. I could still see Baird at the county club pool -- without his jerk father or older brother! So what was your run in?

Don't remember the seafood joint. That would have been a pretty long haul from Kennett to get a flounder.

I had two of these major events (multiple organ failure). The first time, amazingly, I recovered pretty quickly. The second time was much more difficult. I had been in the hospital for over a month. I wasn't able to take care of myself when I returned home and had a nurse come in daily to take care of me. I was pretty heavily medicated and wasn't much aware of what was going on with me. I guess the first thing that I realized was a complete loss of interest in my woodworking. I didn't know if it was a genuine disinterest or just acceptance of the situation. But it didn't return. During this time of relative immobility at home for a few months, the only thing that interested me on TV was the financial channels -- CNBC and Bloomberg (when I used to watch all the home design shows and woodworking shows). I was looking at stock charts and it all seemed so obvious to me -- an inverse parabolic arc -- accellerated and decellerated -- coupled with a multiplex oscillator of schoastics, RSI, on balance volume and momentum. Two indicators would confirm/deny one another. These are formulas that I never even knew esisted before. I couldn't get it to work just right, so I figured out how to write the programming code to make it work. Programming code??? Previously the extent of my computer knowledge was that ability to get email (most of the time) and use basic commands in MS Word with the hopes of not doing something to crash my computer.

My radical departure from tradition was looking at the charts and focusing on when I would want to SELL rather than the way things have always been -- when to BUY. Again. all to obvious to me -- selling is what counts for making money. Any buffoon can buy. So I tuned/adjusted/coupled my indicators together for the points that I wanted to SELL and then just let the Buy point fall where they might. I also discovered patterns. If the trend turned on a day the price close down, it almost always didn't sustain. Now I could eliminate "false" signals. Backtesting, was nothing short of amazing results. That was all well and good, but I had to do more. I wanted to know the relative "strength" of the trend.I begand doing multiple time frame analysis. (i.e., day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month). Also, I coupled this information with it's position relative to the 200 day MA, 40 day MA and 14 day displaced MA. Finally, the equity is rated to it's peers in the industry, the industry to the sector and the sector to the market. This gave me an unarguable numerical figure of the strength of the trend. In addition to the clear Buy/Sell points, an unexpected set of signals were produced: Signals to take profit at high price, weak strength and signals to add to the position of lower price and gaining strength. This enable me to have two completely different investment style of aggressive and conservative... BOTH quite profitable.
To simplify, I use only a handful of ETFs. Those that track the major indexes and those that track the best performing sectors/industries. It's like having the key to the mint. There have been many days I've had better income in the stock market in ONE DAY than I has as a woodworker for a MONTH! Hard not to be enthused about that! Also, people wanted to use my system Now I'm desgning a way for that to work. Whew! Wat too much info there.

Here's another name for you. Remember that crazy old woman Kay Bart? She wrote a few little plays and I performed in them in various locations around Chadds Ford and all the way down to Staunton, Virginia. Crazy plays, but they were pretty insightful and cool. She died of cancer. The chemo made her hair fall out and her wig was usually on the floor, or on Alfie or Tommy Drain. After she died, Alfie told everybody he was going to dig her up for Halloween. Good god! Nothing sacred in Chadds Ford!

Going down rt 52 (from Buckleys) toward wilmington, just after you went under the railroad bridge there was an Irish bar (Kellys?) that was Mecca on St. Pats Day. On the day after St. Pat's on the front page of the Wilmington Paper was a picture of me on Alfie's shoulders, both of us completely tanked out of our skulls. I suspect my parents were real proud of that when somebody pinned it up on the bar at the country club. My brother kept a copy of it and showed it to me just about a year ago. Didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Okay, enough of all that. Big plans... a nap and then off to "Michael's" in Carolina Beach (5 minutes from here) for the best seafood in the area (thanks for the idea).

David
- - janet weight reed (Visitor)
  - http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
  - 2009-07-20 @ 08:03:10
  Hi David
  
  I continue to be fascinated by your experience, and might use it as an analogy to events in my own life in tomorrow's post.
  
  By the way if you follow my blog, particularly since July 4th, I have been talking about my early days in the States, and as we speak I am writing about West Chester, my divorce and so on.
  
  Tomorrow I will begin to talk about the studio on Prescott Alley, and then later my move to Chadds Ford. You might find it interesting.
  
  Your method of making money through the markets is brilliant. I can't say I understand it all, but clearly you have developed something of great value.
  
  Maybe your intrinsic understanding of the interconnectedness of everything (as a cabinet maker you would have that) has helped with this new part of your life. It may be an underlying sub concious element to what you are doing.
  
  Baird's father, was just horrible. I met him when still married to Bill. In fact Bill was a big wig with Gore at the time and old man Brinker was with DuPont. He tripped over himself trying to be nice to me at that point.
  
  When Bill and I were divorced...and I began to live my life 'as I really am' he called me every unpleasant name under the sun. He was a bully, something I really hate.
  
  I can't say that I remember Kate, but do remember Kellys.
  
  I hope you had some great sea food. I know where you live, it's some of the best.
  
  Do you remember Gay Robinson of Crebilly Farm, which was right across from the entrance to the Quarry Club.
  
  I laughed when you described your house...this always happens when two people come together.
  
  janet
  - - david (Visitor)
    - 2009-07-21 @ 16:53:35
    My father and grandfater were "Duponters". Brinker was a mid-level pipsqueek. Eeked out a reasonably good living but was some where between the misquito and the aligator on the food chain.
    
    Hmmmm... I was in school with a "Bill Reed". Probably a hundred of them, though.
    
    I'll have to check out you blog on the chadds ford days (daze?)
    - - janet weight reed (Visitor)
      - http://www.janetweightreed10.blog.co.uk
      - 2009-07-21 @ 17:43:11
      That figures re Bill Brinker.
      
      Bill Reed went to Haverford, then Phillips Exerter in New Hampshire...Princeton and Stamford. We both know it's a very small world.
      
      Continues to be nice and cool here.
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