Something Fishy At The British Museum

I had a little trip to the British Museum this week. It's nice to get a bit of a culture fix now and again. I was quite amazed to find so many artifacts related to fish or fishing. I suppose I shouldn't have been really. It's been an activity humans have enjoyed since we've walked the earth.

Detail of above

Wood Carvings

I was walking around one of those parks at the weekend. You know the sort, a sanitised man-made version of the countryside, with lots of signs telling me where to walk, and what I should be looking at. It was nice to stroll out with Lady Sarah though and we did stumble across this beauty.

I do love to see a good wood carving, it really is a fine art. I was reminded of the wonderful carvings of Brian Mills which were regularly advertised in Carpworld in the 80's.

I bet his works  of art fetch a fortune these days. I wonder what became of him.

Angling Art - Eelus

I thought I'd share with you this lovely stencil and papercut artwork by my favourite urban/graphic artist 'Eelus'. I believe it was a commission piece, not commissioned by me unfortunately.
The man is incredibly talented and I have collected his work for a while now and was lucky to receive the following piece as a gift with another purchase. It hangs above my angling bookcase and always makes me smile.

Check his website Here.

Another urban artist who most will be familiar with, Banksy, has also, in the past, taken to spraying fishy themes.This little fellow was found beneath a bridge by the canal at Camden.

Peter Drennan and Bernard Venables

I thought I might share with you some details of a touching Christmas card we received in the shop from Peter Drennan.
The front (above) carries a reproduction of this wonderful study of roach.
Inside it says, "Bernard Venables was a great angler and a poetic writer with a rare ability to draw fish. He lived into his 90's and the last time we fished together, I remember him saying:'Your tackle box is better set up, I'll have to sort mine out for next season.' May we all be looking forward at 90 years of age!"
 On the back is this fantastic photo of the pair of them.

The text reads..."Bernard Venables and Peter Drennan, circa 1994, examining Bernard's watercolour which is the subject of this years Christmas card."

What a wonderful tribute to the late Bernard Venables this is. An influential gentleman of our pastime he was clearly held in high esteem by his peers.

Around The World In 80 Fish:From Minnows To Marlin

A fellow strolled into the shop a few weeks ago,proclaimed that he was an artist and was having a major exhibition in a hotshot gallery somewhere in London,and that his paintings were based on fish and fishing around the world.Although I am actually a keen collector of art,I hadn't taken the time to look at the website on the flyer until today.
I have to say that I am trying to keep this blog as uncommercial as possible and don't know this artist (Richard J Smith), but I will give credit where it's due and these images are fantastic.My particular favourites are the Barbel and Low Water Salmon.You will need to click on "Works"....http://www.frostandreed.com/London/Exhibitions/CurrentExhibition.asp?ExhibitionID=110......Enjoy.

More Fishy Art

One of my favourite artists,Melissa Haslam was kind enough to send me a version of this image "Girl with fish" as a gift with another purchase,I love it.She hails from Melbourne, Australia and has a fantastic blog which you can access via my "Sites I like" section.

Wonderful Watercolour

I attended an art exhibition at Tate Britain a couple of weeks ago, and whilst there took the opportunty to peruse some of the glorious JMW Turner pieces that were left to the nation upon his death.I was delighted to stumble across the following watercolour entitled"Two Tench,a Trout and a Perch".Have you ever seen such a finer representation of our stripey friend?

Turner was himself a keen angler and I'm told he was a founder member of the elite Houghton Club in 1822 , around the date of this painting.