Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Beside the Seaside

Off to the seaside yesterday - my favourite beach at Wells-next-to-the-sea. Here we have a beach-hut; nothing grand, just one of a line of rather ramshackle huts built along the shore. At high tide, the sea laps at the steps. Here it is at low tide:


After we arrived, I unpacked my "travelling" kit and set to work, for this was not just a jolly day out:

During the morning, I worked on the trees in the background of the Mathematical Bridge and then J and I took a stroll along the shore before returning for some lunch. By this time, the weather turned decidedly wet and we were glad to be sheltering in the hut while a line of wet bedraggled people files off the beach.

Soon the sun returned and we walked again before going into town for tea and cake. The skies darkened again and we drove through heavy rain to Walsingham where I bought fifteen frames for my Open Studio event next month, before returning home.

This morning, I carried on with the engraving and hope to be ready to proof later today. Here is the block as it stands at lunchtime:


And here is a detail of the top portion:


And now.... lunch and then back to work.

5 comments:

unclewilco said...

I prefer the term seaside shed but your beachhut is lovely.

Anonymous said...

I remember walking past those beach huts some years ago, on a day trip. Might have a photo of us standing by them. What a civilised thing a beach hut is!

Andy English said...

As "unclewilco" points out, it is, essentially, a shed on stilts with a table inside and room to store beach chairs, football etc. It is our "bolthole" and we can be there in 75 minutes. Apart from the beach (matchless in my opinion) the town itself (about 30 minutes walk) is a lovely place with teashops, small galleries and a small working quay. Its a treat to sit by the quayside, eating fish and chips and watching the little boats go in and out.

However, I suppose my main reason for the post was to highlight the possibilities for al fresco working that an engraver can have. My kit packs down into the two boxes that you see in the photographs. I use a box and whatever book I am reading at the time instead of lugging heavy sandbags along the beach.

Annie B said...

Wells-next-to-the-sea looks like a wonderful place to work. The block is beautiful. I love the sky.

beachhutman said...

I have always been fascinated by the Mathematical Bridge.

BTW, I have also always been fascinated by beach huts and I have combined this fascination with bridges at my website which you may see at
http://www.msbnews.co.uk/archives/chc1p1.html
I hope you enjoy the atory and the bridge. My dad carved the whirligig I use as the logo for the newspaper and you can read an accouint of them at
http://web.mac.com/beachhutman/iWeb/Site/Blog/FF129759-2717-4898-8DCC-10E6E8DAC08D.html
which is my updateing blog or"latest news" section of http://www.msbnews.co.uk

Cheers

Tim