Sunday Times Winner
First Prize in The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2012 goes to Mark Elsmore for this detailed painting of a "wasteland" with the sarcastic title The Potteries National Park (2012). CLICK for a larger graphic and to read more about the winning artist. The exhibition of 92 paintings (out of almost 1,000 submitted this year) by 72 artists will take place at the Mall Galleries in London, from 17 to 22 September, admission free (CLICK). A must.
posted by Unknown @ 29.8.12
4 comments
4 Comments:
Thank you very much for showing this painting, Coxsoft; it looks just like a photograph, the quality is that good.
The artist says "My painting updates the sarcasm and turns it around".
It appears he is being complimentary about the way the City reclaimed, and landscaped, many of the old industrial sites - particularly in the 1970/80s. There are some very large areas where several defunct collieries' pit heaps were levelled in the process.
Each of the Six Towns has its own Edwardian formal park - so the new landscaping was designed to encourage natural habitats for wild-life. There are networks of signposted paths to give access to walkers, joggers, and cyclists.
The process actually started in 1953 when remnants of the derelict Newcastle Branch canal were turned into "Coronation" gardens with lawns and flower beds. The people working on it is one of my earliest memories. Railway lines axed by Beeching in the 1960s were also reclaimed as countrified walker/cycle paths.
Having said that - it must be admitted that many of the new building/road developments have been eyesores that will not weather well.
Unfortunately the massive decline of the iron, coal, and pottery industries has made it one of the country's worst "no hope" places for the younger generations.
Thank you for that explanation. I did read about the turned-around sarcasm, but to be honest didn't really understand it. To me, sarcasm is sarcasm and I like to keep my posts brief.
Hi, Andrea
Yes, the photo realism is superb.
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