Delivering to France, Germany, USA, Canada, India and more...
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
Thursday, 24 January 2013
An Interesting Fact. Winter 1947
was asked the other day when waffling on about my new book (Ghost of
a Lie, out in hardback now) to relate an interesting fact. So here
goes:
The winter of 1947 was extraordinary, not just because of the unusal snowfall and the sustained sub-zero temperatures, but because the six weeks of hardship had a more definable impact on British industry than the whole of the war years put together.
From 21 January 1947 to 16th March, the winter left roads and railways repeatedly enclosed within towering drifts of snow several metres high. This was dangerous and a great inconvenience, and it also meant that the supply of coal to power stations was severely disrupted. There were doubtless an infinite number of other factors at play but in short rolling power-cuts were inevitable and throughout February electricity would be reserved for domestic and office use. Factories and workshops were shut down for the duration, many never to reopen.
As an interesting aside, there might still have been enough power had the urban population as a whole not lately developed a deep and abiding love for the electric bar heater. This power-hungry source of instant heat meant that many people had failed to spend the summer collecting and storing their ration of coal and now, without electricty, not only would they be cold but they would also lack the traditional fireside hotplate on which to cook.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of its needs however, the decision to sacrifice industry for the sake of the nation’s public was inarguable. Unemployment shot up and many stalwarts of British manufacturing irretrievably lost contracts to their better placed American counterparts. War and its accompanying hardships had set the precident but having survived years of German bombardment, it was the weather that would at last make British industry fall silent.
The winter of 1947 was extraordinary, not just because of the unusal snowfall and the sustained sub-zero temperatures, but because the six weeks of hardship had a more definable impact on British industry than the whole of the war years put together.
From 21 January 1947 to 16th March, the winter left roads and railways repeatedly enclosed within towering drifts of snow several metres high. This was dangerous and a great inconvenience, and it also meant that the supply of coal to power stations was severely disrupted. There were doubtless an infinite number of other factors at play but in short rolling power-cuts were inevitable and throughout February electricity would be reserved for domestic and office use. Factories and workshops were shut down for the duration, many never to reopen.
As an interesting aside, there might still have been enough power had the urban population as a whole not lately developed a deep and abiding love for the electric bar heater. This power-hungry source of instant heat meant that many people had failed to spend the summer collecting and storing their ration of coal and now, without electricty, not only would they be cold but they would also lack the traditional fireside hotplate on which to cook.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of its needs however, the decision to sacrifice industry for the sake of the nation’s public was inarguable. Unemployment shot up and many stalwarts of British manufacturing irretrievably lost contracts to their better placed American counterparts. War and its accompanying hardships had set the precident but having survived years of German bombardment, it was the weather that would at last make British industry fall silent.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Ghost of a Lie Released for Sale!
The Blurb:
Mid-March 1947: Six long weeks of blizzards and hardship close with a lethal manhunt.
Eleanor Elliot, single-handedly battling to keep her tiny Cotswold Farmstead fed and intact, is about to experience a winter unlike any other.
Icy and remorseless, the storm makes one last stand before giving way to the belated spring, and its gusts carry more than the report of a murder. They bring suspicion, the police and the panicked flight of a desperate man.
More dangerous still, an impulsive rescue forces a confrontation with the old ties of a failed romance. And when the truth proves to be even less forgiving than the weather, can Eleanor deal with her own past before a murderer makes plans for her future?
Thursday, 20 December 2012
Monday, 10 December 2012
Thursday, 6 December 2012
You saw it here first:
Essential bookbinding equipment assembled and ready for action...
This is self-publishing on an entirely different scale.
This is self-publishing on an entirely different scale.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Cover artwork now in print
When friend and Heronfield author Dorinda Balchin approached me with
an idea for her book cover, I was only too excited to offer my help.
Using a combination of Photoshop to combine images and Adobe Illustrator
for text and the design for the figures, the creation of the final
artwork was a remarkably smooth process.
The novel, a sweeping saga set against the bloody battles of WWII, is centred around a country house, Heronfield. In designing this cover artwork, I hoped to imply something of the strife of foreign fields while retaining the emotional link to the characters’ beloved home. The design was also influenced by the artwork for Gone with the Wind, a film synonymous with epic love stories.
Details of how to get your own copy of Heronfield (both digital and print) are available on DorindaBalchin.com
The novel, a sweeping saga set against the bloody battles of WWII, is centred around a country house, Heronfield. In designing this cover artwork, I hoped to imply something of the strife of foreign fields while retaining the emotional link to the characters’ beloved home. The design was also influenced by the artwork for Gone with the Wind, a film synonymous with epic love stories.
Details of how to get your own copy of Heronfield (both digital and print) are available on DorindaBalchin.com
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Andrew 2012
Watercolour
on paper. This portrait was commissioned in memory of a beautiful and
much loved dog. Hopefully this painting does him justice!
Friday, 1 June 2012
Portrait of a Sheepdog
Watercolour on paper. This portrait of a collie was commissioned by the dog’s owner as a tribute to a loving pet.
Unusually for me, the paint was applied very thickly, working in layers to build up col our saturation and texture. A very faint hint of green was applied as a wash below the jaw to create a sense of depth and to offset the brown hues elsewhere. White hatching across the black created the glossy finish to the coat.
Unusually for me, the paint was applied very thickly, working in layers to build up col our saturation and texture. A very faint hint of green was applied as a wash below the jaw to create a sense of depth and to offset the brown hues elsewhere. White hatching across the black created the glossy finish to the coat.
Portrait of a Beagle
Pencil on watercolour paper. 2012.
This portrait was commissioned by the dog’s owner in Luxembourg.
Being a beagle, he is very expressive and intelligent, and it was
important to reflect this in this drawing. Using pencil and graphite,
the marks and layers that make up the finished effect were built up over
time.
Thursday, 17 May 2012
It begins...
Celebrating the completion of my lastest novel Driving Miss Crazy, I am delighted to launch a new Twitter Project.
Bridging the gap between the 1950s and the present day, lead character Kate Ward will be tweeting her experiences as they happen. To join her, simply click on the link below. Setting up your Twitter account is free and should take less than a minute.
Get right to the heart of the adventure now. Follow @CrumpsBarn
Bridging the gap between the 1950s and the present day, lead character Kate Ward will be tweeting her experiences as they happen. To join her, simply click on the link below. Setting up your Twitter account is free and should take less than a minute.
Get right to the heart of the adventure now. Follow @CrumpsBarn
Driving Miss Crazy
Latest novel, Driving Miss Crazy, is now complete: The synopisis and a
sample are available as a Free download. Visit Lorna Gray's website today!
Friday, 20 January 2012
New Pet Portrait - Enzo
Charcoal on watercolour paper, this portrait was commissioned as a Christmas gift. Enzo is a Labrador/Rottweiler cross and was a delight to draw. He has a vast amount of character which is, I hope, apparent in this portrait.
Enzo. Charcoal on watercolour paper. Dec 2011. 270mm x 400mm (approx).
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
New Website launched
My new website is now live. You can visit me at: www.crumpsbarnstudio.co.uk
Inside you will find details of my exciting new project, the novel Ghost of a Lie, a detailed Author/Artist profile and also a gallery and Latest News column. I hope that you will enjoy exploring my new site. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Inside you will find details of my exciting new project, the novel Ghost of a Lie, a detailed Author/Artist profile and also a gallery and Latest News column. I hope that you will enjoy exploring my new site. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
New York City...
... and a camera. What a combination.
Visits to the Guggenheim and MoMA were amongst many highlights. I don't think I've ever seen such an amazing collection of artwork, or such architecture before.
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Harcombe - 2011
Birthday present for a friend. This has been my first landscape in a very long time and I really enjoyed the challenge!
I have always tried to take whatever is occupying my life the most as my subject matter and given how much time I spend in this valley, I am currently feeling very motivated to explore this topic further...
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Rami 2010
Portrait presented as a gift in memory of the wonderful Rami.Watercolour on paper and presented in a lovely english oak frame.
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Association of Archaeological Illustrators and Surveyors
Recently I passed the interview to become a full member of the AAI&S... very good news indeed! So I have some new initials after my name!
Best Regards,
Lorna Gray MAAIS
Best Regards,
Lorna Gray MAAIS
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Latest Commissions!
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Session 5 Life drawing
I was really trying to make the most of interesting perspectives this week to take advantage of the fact we did one pose for the whole session.
I actually finished for once, although it could have done with being darker!
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