Click on drawing to view.There's a little village, not too far away, that I love to visit. It's a brilliant place to go and draw. Every house is different. Some are hundreds of years old, actually, most are. Some are so tiny you can't imagine how people actually stand up in them. I collected all the items for this drawing from the churchyard in this village. It also has one of the best tea rooms in the whole of the Peak district. Yes, I believe I visited them all.
There is also a little charity shop there which I've never seen open, until last week. It's just a tiny room in a very old stone building. FULL to the brim of stuff. Like some other shops in this area it has the oddest of opening times - every second Tuesday after a full moon from about 9:45 to 11:15am. So I was really excited to finally find it open.
Inside there was enough room for two customers and the lovely old lady that runs it. She told me how she'd raised £95,000 for the charity since she'd started it. How the row of shops had belonged to her family for generations. How her grandparents and great grandparents used to be a butchers and bakers in the village. How that had all changed since supermarkets had taken over the world. How all the old shops were now all being turned into luxury apartments. After about an hour I had to be on my way. I couldn't leave without buying something but there was nothing really calling out to me. I was looking for something to draw but even though I was surrounded by so much stuff I was feeling uninspired. Of course, that was nothing a rummage through an old rusty tin of buttons couldn't fix...
18 comments:
I love this drawing - and I also love to rummage through buttons in charity shops! And when I was little I used to love playing with the buttons in my gran's button jar.
A wonderful story and a fantastic work of art, as usual!
Sounds like a wonderful spot!
OK, I was starting to think, wow, those buttons are in good shape for being in the chhurchyard! But I figured it out, you found them in the rusty tin. And a good find, too! And a great drawing!!
Your story, the houses, the old lady... tell much about your quiet and peaceful way of drawing (or maybe I imagine it this way) that I like so much.
your descriptions of the woman, the shops are so wonderful - i'd love to go there. and the drawings... who knew buttons could be so magical?
I LOVE the variation on the "Jason" buttons in sepia! Beautiful, just beautiful.
I loved your story - sounds like Brigadoon, an unreal place to me! Is that new singer Mr Potts, from your neck of the woods?
Your peaceful take on life and drawing is an inspiration.
w.
Thanks everyone.
This, yet again, looks so much better on Flickr.
Emma, I want a granny with a button jar!
Kathleen, you're right that is confusing (re; the churchyard thing). Maybe I should change it. Hmmm.
Wendy, Mr. Potts is actually from my hometown - although I don't live there anymore.
Cheers guys!
The village must be realy nice. Thanks's for sharing this moment and your lovely buttons drawing's!
M.
Andrea,
Your stuff inspires me. I love doing work with pen and ink, but seeing your work makes me envy those who can really do great things with color!
BRAVO!
Fabulous drawings of those old button cards. I have some just like it.
Your description of the vilage and the shop also paints a delightful picture. It's great that there are still some corners, here in the UK, that are like stepping back into the 1950s.
These are absolutely beautiful Andrea! You never cease to amaze and inspire me!
Beautifull done Andrea! You have such a wonderful feel for taking the mundane and making it beautiful for all the world to see.
Love these drawings, really think these are great. As the owner of lots of button tins, old sewing baskets and contents. Like you, love looking in old junk shops and finding stuff.
Thanks everybody,
Gillian, I couldn't agree more. I just love those places that are like stepping bak in time. There are quite a lot around these parts. But, just as the lovely lady was saying; as all the old buildings get turned into luxury apartments which people buy as second or holiday homes then these places will disappear. It's a shame because they really are part of the character of our countryside.
Cheers guys!
I've got SO much to catch up on ... your blog alone is going to take me about a week! You've been up to some gorgeous stuff.
Great post! Thanks a lot.
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