Well January was really intended to be a holiday away from printing or any form of art to recharge the mind and get the brain working again and it did make a change to begin with. Although listening to howling winds, watching grey skies and rain streaming down your windows isn’t quite what makes a break. I couldn’t even get into the garden because of the weather and when I finally did I managed to crock my back and then the break from work became enforced, like it or not. Getting old is not for the faint hearted that’s for sure. So having tidied up and re-organised my little studio it was time to get back to work. We’d been informed that our eldest grandson ‘wanted a painting based on the images of the North East in Grandad’s sketch books’, images that come from the period 1963 to 1967 when I was at Art School. Would my memory still function going back that far? I can’t show you that image yet because it will give the game away before the birthday and no spoilers are to be allowed. This is a subsequent painting and number two in the series and now I’m interested in doing some more before I go back to printing. I’ll post the first nearer to the 8th of March and now it’s time to start the third.
John Richardson Lino Prints 
I recognise that bridge in the background – I’ll bet it transports you right back home.
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It certainly does Martin and well spotted through the smog! ATB, John
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The landscape and skies have changed a bit since then John. The Creek has been altered to manage flooding, the houseboats and shacks are gone as are the WWII anti-glider posts, wellheads and derricks of the brinefields. The unique skies of the area are gone as they are no longer coloured by the combination of chemical pollutants, red sinter dust and fiery flare stacks.
I’d like to say that the loss of industry has improved the overall environment but unfortunately the area is now ringed by landfill sites, waste incinerators and redundant chemical plants. It’s a little bit sad.
Hey ho, painting’s looking good
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Gavin, a second attempt to reply! Thank you for the reply. I remember not so long ago, well twenty years ago Sue and I went over the Transporter and I took a few photographs of a ‘chemical facilty’ on the way to hartlepool but before Greatham Creek and the sign on the inside gate that was maybe ten feet further in read something like ‘Hazmat and protective suiting must be worn beyond this point’. Obviously that short distance made a big difference! Anyway maybe those days were the good old days? It sounds a bit depressing now. Thank you far sighted local and national politicians. ATB, John
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