Alongside some of the 'proper' salvage bits I'm bringing along to TAUNTON'S VINTAGE & SALVAGE FAIR this Sunday, is a bit of 50s style as well!
This fabulous coffee table was made by Hago Ware, who hailed from Bognor Regis!
With the smooth and simple wooden top, to the metal magazine rack underneath, it oozes 50s cool.
And it has the added touch of the little plastic atomic ends on each leg and rail!
So if you fancy this fabulous Fifties table, then run along to Taunton's Vintage & Salvage Fair at Woodlands Castle in Somerset, entry to the event is completely FREE!!!
This is my last shout out for tomorrow's big event at the Avenue Stadium in Dorchester ... the Dorset Art Market!!!
I've been showing some of the items I'll be bringing along in my blogs this week, so you'll have a bit of an idea of what you'll find on my stall!
One last pic to show you here, a jolly scene of well-dressed 1920s Grandparents, with their slightly shy Grandchild, on Margate seafront.
With, of course, the famous old ditty above it!
If you fancy this pic then come on down to the market tomorrow!!
As I'll be at TAUNTON'S VINTAGE & SALVAGE FAIR at Woodlands Castle on Sunday, I thought I'd better dig out a bit of proper salvage!!
And at the back of the ArtPix Storeroom I found this classic example ...
A salvaged, very old and very rusty boot scraper!!!
Its purpose is of course in the name!
Always placed at the front door of a house, they would have been a handy way of getting rid of the worst of the mud from the grimy streets or lanes outside.
My first thought was Victorian, probably early Victorian, but looking at the style and decoration, could actually be Georgian.
Which makes this piece very interesting indeed!!
It can still be used as a scraper if you wanted, but it might be nice if it could live out its retirement inside the house, maybe as a doorstop!!
If you want this unusual item, then run along to Taunton's Vintage & Salvage Fair this Sunday!!!
One of the many different things I'm bringing along to this Saturday's DORSET ART MARKET in Dorchester is a selection of my digital collages.
I've always loved doing these, as I can mix my love of all things vintage, with my very own photographs.
This one below is a classic example ...
Made up of all sorts of images, with the baby doll's face being a photo I took of an original porcelain head I bought at a flea market.
The anglepoise lamp is one I bought and sold at vintage markets. The futuristic buildings are from photos I took of places in Brussels and the other images are from vintage magazines.
Together they create a striking, dark and slightly sinister image!
For more of these and many other things, just hop along to the Dorset Art Market and find them on my stall!!
This Sunday I'll be at TAUNTON'S SALVAGE & VINTAGE FAIR in Somerset, and as this is a new and exciting event, I thought I should bring along something a little different ...
A fantastic vintage fairground sign for a Donkey Derby!!!
This hand-painted sign would brighten up any home, and be a great addition to any collection of quirky items!!
So if you fancy this, and also want a brilliant day out, then come along to this fair on Sunday at the amazing Woodlands Castle.
See you there!!!
This Saturday I'll be appearing at the fantastic DORSET ART MARKET in Dorchester.
I'm bringing along all sorts of bits of my work, but it will also be a nice opportunity to show some of my photographs.
I love taking photos, (although I'm very much an amateur), and can't resist tweaking them a little afterwards. I always think taking the photo is just the start of something.
As I haven't done any art markets for years, my photography has been left behind a bit, and I never show any of my pix anymore.
But I've dug out this one, taken in the French village of La Borne, which is right in the centre of France.
The scene couldn't have looked more French, a classic 2CV, next to a typical old shuttered house.
This picture, plus quite a few others will be on my stall at the Dorset Art Market, so run along and see what you can find!!
For this Sunday's TAUNTON'S VINTAGE & SALVAGE FAIR I'm bringing along this amazing sepia-tinted print ...
But just who is the mystery girl???
And how old is it???
Tantalizingly, it has some writing on the back, written in pencil. But the only bit I can make out are the words 'brown eyes'. Which was probably written by the photographer.
At first glance I thought it was Edwardian, but looking closer at the hairstyle and the style of the dress, it could actually be from the 1920s.
The print is actually quite big, measuring in at 50cm x 40cm, but unfortunately has suffered a bit of wear and tear over the years.
Especially the 'tear' bit ... as it had been torn into three pieces and thrown away.
So I rescued it and have given our mystery girl another life, and hopefully a new home.
If you fancy having a go at solving this puzzle, then run along to Woodlands Castle this Sunday and find this on my stall!
For the upcoming DORSET ART MARKET this Saturday, I'm taking along an artwork I've done of a local landmark.
St Catherine's Chapel is one of the most iconic and beautiful spots in the whole of Dorset, so it made sense to take some photos and have a go at a collage!
The other elements on the artwork are photos taken from more spooky and unusual places around Dorset!
I've got a gorgeous framed version of this artwork, so if you fancy it, run along to the Dorset Art Market at the Avenue Stadium in Dorchester this Saturday!
Looking forward to a fantastic weekend ahead, where I'll be at TWO brilliant events!!
First up is the DORSET ART MARKET, at the Avenue Stadium in Dorchester on Saturday 27th July.
I'm really looking forward to being part of this amazing art event, as I'll be going back to my roots.
I started my ArtPix enterprise 9 years ago by doing lots of Art Markets in Essex.
So it'll be great to once again have a showcase for my vintage inspired art, photos and collages.
One of the things I'll be bringing along is my range of popular 'Dazzling Decades', the series features a collage of every decade from the 1910s to the 1980s.
They've all been put together with vintage and retro pieces from my own collections, and stock that I've sold at fairs.
I'll be blogging this week about other artworks and photos that you'll find on my stall!
Then on Sunday 28th, I'll be in Somerset for TAUNTON'S VINTAGE & SALVAGE FAIR at Woodlands Castle.
I can't wait for this either, as I've been veering towards salvage items for a while now.
And this is the perfect opportunity to have a go at a real-life salvage fair!!!
This is their first event, so I'm hoping it will be a roaring success and we can all come back next year!
Just one of the interesting bits I'll bring along is this brilliant handmade wooden medical box.
In a stunning green with white crosses, it's actually a portable box, that opens up to reveal different compartments.
It could also be attached to the wall, to make a really fun and individual medicine cabinet!
Again, I'll be blogging about other great vintage items I'll be bringing along, so don't forget to keep in touch!!
Had a fantastic day today at the Somerton Vintage Market!!!
What a lovely place as well, with the Buttercross being a unique and interesting setting for a market.
And we had the added bonus of NOT getting soaking wet, the weather miraculously behaved itself throughout the whole time we were there.
I had a fantastic space to show my vintage goodies, but as I thought it was going to pour with rain all day, I didn't bring a lot of things along.
So I'll be back on August 16th to have another go and enjoy another day there!!
My next stop will be THE GIANT SHEPTON FLEA MARKET at the Bath & West Showground near Shepton Mallet, in Somerset, this Sunday.
This really is a giant event, so arrive early to see everything, especially my stall!!!!
See you there!!!
One of the hundreds of items from my ArtPix Storeroom is this stunning vintage print of an illustration by the artist Muriel Dawson, entitled 'The Fairy Boat'.
It features this gorgeous woodland scene of a small child, and her two faithful dachshunds, down by a pond looking at the tiny boat she is sailing. It looks like it dates to the 1930s.
Muriel, (1897-1974), was originally from New Zealand, and came over to the UK to study at the Richmond School of Art, Southend School of Art and the Royal Collage of Art.
Her love of landscapes, animals and children led her to far off places like Devon and the north of Scotland, where she found her niche as a children's book illustrator.
The print is mounted on hardboard, and is an impressive size, at 90cm x 56cm. Which is roughly 3ft x 2ft in old money!
It currently looks great propped up on the floor in my studio, but is now looking for a new home!
So if you find yourself in the town of Somerton in Somerset this Friday, then lucky you, as I'll be there at the brilliant SOMERTON VINTAGE MARKET, and you can pick up this gem!!
I'm very pleased to announce that this Friday I'll be at the Somerton Vintage Market!
Based in the beautiful rural town of Somerton in Somerset, this is a new event for me and I'm really looking forward to being part of it.
Held right in the centre of the town, my stall will actually be in the stone structure known as the Buttercross, which was built in 1673 and is Grade II listed!
I've been busy gathering together loads of my usual vintage & retro items to bring along, including this gorgeous blue and white stripey cup and saucer ...
At first glance you'd think it was a bit of the classic Cornish Ware, with those iconic stripes.
BUT! Its actually part of a range called Chef Ware made by Staffordshire Potteries Ltd, and dates from the 1950s.
So run along to Somerton this Friday and find this and many other vintage goodies!!
SEE YOU THERE!!
The top-level modern day game is getting further and further away for most punters, but down at non-league level the spirit of the game is absolutely alive and kicking.
I've been watching football for years, but I made my first trip to a non-league ground last Friday, to watch Weymouth play League 1 side Southend United.
And what a joy it was!!!
I'll be honest, most of my live football experiences have been watching Chelsea, and I've always enjoyed the tension, the trouble, and the terror that seeing them back-in-the-day used to entail.
So much so, that I seemed to lose the real spirit of football and the fact you don't have to be on your guard all the time, watching your back, from the police, away fans and even your own fans.
So I was full of wonder when my brother and I breezed through the (very rusty) turnstile, to just wander about and mingle with everyone inside the ground.
I was also amazed that you could walk around the whole ground, completely unmolested by any stroppy steward or police etc.
Taking into account that this was a very relaxed pre-season friendly, on a gorgeous July summer's evening, this is apparently quite normal.
We ambled about, with me marvelling at the old-school terracing, and loving it.
I haven't stood on a terrace to watch a match since the Shed End closed in 1994!!!
The match was a typical pre-season affair, with a mix of youth team players, triallists, players coming back from injury, or from the summer holiday beach.
But there was plenty of football played, Weymouth pass it around well, and are no 'hit-and-hope' hoofers.
And Southend seem to have a crop of decent youngsters coming through. I was really impressed with a couple of them, as they really thought about their passes, and played it out with a purpose.
A 2-2 draw was probably about right. Both had plenty of chances, with Southend's keeper called upon a few times to repel some rasping shots from Weymouth, and the visitor's pressure nearly producing a winner near the end.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening, and left thinking, why haven't I done this before?!
I'll be checking the fixture lists of not only Weymouth, but my other local side, Portland United, as well.
Long live non-league football.
Outside the Bob Lucas Stadium ...
Yes, it really was only £8 to get in!!
The rusty turnstile and entrance!
Dogs on leads here I'm afraid ...
The Main Stand, which seems a long way from the pitch!
Parking spaces for your shopping trolley ...
The Home dug-out.
The curious staircase for the Main Stand.
Proper terracing at this proper ground!
One man and his hat look towards the Main Stand.
Also nice to see an good old-school floodlight at a ground, not those rubbish ones stuck on the stands!
The place could do with a bit of weeding though ...
One woman and her dog ... and it has its lead on!!!
What a perfect way to watch football ...
A warm, sunny evening, and no bovver anywhere.
Corner flag, floodlight and moon in (almost) perfect alignment.
Popped into the well-stocked Club Shop after the game, and bought this badge as a souvenir!
Up the Terras!!
I could easily get hooked on watching Weymouth and the non-league football scene, so expect to see me at a few games soon!!!
