An English Fishing Village
by Geoff Brown
Title
An English Fishing Village
Artist
Geoff Brown
Medium
Drawing - Pencil Drawing On Paper
Description
I can't take the credit for this wonderful pencil drawing of Clovelly, an English fishing village in North Devon, United Kingdom, because my father, Geoff Brown, drew in 1997 when he began drawing for the first time. (All I added digitally was some sepia tones to create an interesting mood). He was 80 at the time, and now he's 98! Recently he started up drawing again since he moved to live near me. Yeah dad!
Clovelly, is a classic picture-postcard English fishing village on the east coast of England, where this is the only main street through town. No motor vehicles are permitted through these beautiful cobbled stone streets... only donkeys and mules!
Clovelly used to be a fishing village and in 1901 had a population of 621. It is a cluster of largely wattle and daub cottages on the sides of a rocky cleft; its steep main street descends 400 feet (120 m) to the pier, too steeply to allow wheeled traffic. Sledges are used for the movement of goods. The quaint street is lined with houses, a small number of shops, a cafe and a public house. All Saints' Church, restored in 1866, is late Norman, containing several monuments to the Cary family, Lords of the Manor for 600 years.
Unusually, the village is still privately owned and has been associated with only three families since the middle of the 13th century, nearly 800 years. The scenery has been captured by artists for its richness of colour, especially in the separately accessed and separated Clovelly Court and along The Hobby, a road cut through the woods and overlooking the sea. The South West Coast Path National Trail runs from the top of the village and the section from Clovelly to Hartland Quay is particularly spectacular (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovelly).
As I looked at this picturesque English fishing village with the cobblestone street, I was reminded of a time in my life when the walls of my heart had become hardened like the stone buildings and cobblestone street in this picture because of unforgiveness. I had unknowingly closed the door of my heart to certain members of my family in order to protect it from further pain...
But God didn't design my heart or your heart to function this way. Just as our physical hearts need an inflow as well as an outflow of lifeblood in both directions or we will die, so our spiritual hearts need to both receive of His love, and let it flow out of us to others, or we will die!
"Love one another as I have loved you" then becomes a life-giving command of Jesus to us as we realize that God created us to be receivers as well as givers of His love and grace! It's how He made us. But we can't give of His love and grace to others if we haven't first received His love and grace for ourselves.♥
* Top Finisher in "Buildings" contest 9/29/15
* Top Finisher in "Pencil Sketch Only" contest 3/14/16
Uploaded
October 17th, 2013
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Comments (82)
Hanne Lore Koehler
Such a magnificent drawing by your dad, Geoff Brown, Hazel! I'm so sorry to hear of his passing. I know you will miss him. L/F/X
Geoff Brown replied:
Hanne, thanks so much for your kindness and support as well as condolences for my father's passing, Hanne!
Sherry Epley
What a talented father! A truly lovely image, Hazel! Happy Holidays!
Geoff Brown replied:
Sherry, thank you so much for your kind words and support of my father's drawing! Sadly for us, but joyfully for him, dad went home to God early this morning, Christmas Eve at the age of 106 1/2. His beautiful memories will live on and continually remind me that I will see him again on Resurrection Day!
Hiroko Stumpf
It's wonderful that a part of history will be left behind with more beautiful works created by two generations of parents and children. L/F
Conni Schaftenaar
Wow, Hazel, now we have a clue where some of your talent came from! Your dad is AWESOME to begin drawing at 80 - this is simply fantastic! Props to him for being nearly 100 years young!! L/F
Luther Fine Art
Congratulations! Your marvelous art has been featured on the Home Page of the ABC Group. This art has been selected from the ABC Group's themed week O IS FOR OLD!! You are invited to add this to the features archive discussion and in another discussion in ABC Group!
Geoff Brown replied:
Pamela, thank you so much for the feature in the ABC Group's themed week - O is for Old".
Kathy Braud
Your father did a fabulous job of this drawing, 3 point perspective and the tone this is presented in! His artistic genes run thru you too. LF
Malanda Warner
Hazel, your father did a fabulous job of this drawing, the 3 point perspective is marvelous! I also love the tone this is presented in! LF
Hazel Holland
Michael Mirijan, thank you so much for featuring "An English Fishing Village" in the group "Pictures for present". Your support is truly appreciated!
Deepa Sahoo
This is so beautiful Hazel! Love each and every minute details of this wonderful work.L/F
Linda Phelps
F/L This drawing is a joy to behold! You sepia toning it delightful. We have family who live in a small fishing village in the England. This drawing reminds me of our visit to see them.
Matt Konar
Love this father and daughter piece ~ it looks like dad did most of the work but the sepia by his little girl brings this up to the exquisite status!