DRIVING TO NEW YORK IN JANUARY 1967

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After one year of living in Florida we began the trip back to New York…..only this time we had dear little Jarrod….who at 3 months old was a quite a novelty in Florida. – At that time there were very a few young people with babies……..Florida was made up mostly 0f retirees (snow birds) from the north escaping winter – and summers in my opinion which were brutally hot and humid!

One such retiree suggested that we contact his son and wife on Staten Island…..who he felt could help us find work and housing.

And so after a very long journey in our second hand Chevy Impala we arrived on Staten Island at the prescribed address to be welcomed warmly. The hospitality shown to us by many Americans at that time was astounding….

Our hosts Caron and Dennis introduced us to Mimi Kollf who had a cottage for rent at Harbor View Place…on Staten Island. Number 3 Harbor View Place was to be home for a while.

Mimi Kollf in her garden at Habor View Place. Her Father had developed much of Staten Island and one of the Staten. Island ferries was named after him. (Cornelious Kollf)

The Verrazano Bridge connecting Brooklyn to Staten Island had only recently been opened….and so the Island still had some country/rural areas on it. Harbor View Place was lovely.

In front of Mimi’s house next door to the cottage we rented.

Through Mimi I met Marie Mulligan and family. Marie became not just a friend but a wonderful babysitter for Jarrod when I began working on Wall Street. We continued to be friends until her death a few years ago.

One of Jarrod’ birthday parties with Marie and the Mulligan children….

Funny how life is because only a year before we had arrived in New York Harbor on the United States liner….We came under the Verrazano Bridge and would have passed right by Harbor View on our way to docking on Manhattan. At that time, Jarrod was just a seed in my belly:)

On my next post I will talk about how I came to work on a trading desk on Wall Street.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE USA – JANUARY 1966

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I might as well have landed on the moon. Everything was totally alien to me. From the brightly coloured cars and billboards to people whose accents I couldn’t understand, and so much noise. – policemen with guns……!

Unbeknownst to me at the time I was pregnant…which I put down to the five days of sea sickness. When we stopped in Virginia I asked the lady behind the counter for some orange squash – we both looked blankly at one another………..she pointed to some dark coloured liquid which I accepted because there was nothing else..only to find that it was sickly sweet…..apparently grape juice!

I quickly learned that the US was big….no quaint villages with pubs….just endless roads. The bus ride to Miami took about 28 hours.

Probably the thing that struck me the most was the segregation which was very obvious. As a white English couple we were warmly received but I was aware that black people were treated very differently.

My husband’s uncle picked us up at the Miami bus station….and then the long drive to Key West and my first experience of a Howard Johnsons with its zillions of flavours of ice cream! 🙂 .

I remember the first thing upon arrival at the cousin’s home was a colour TV and the Johnny Carson show ….all knew to me.

Of course this was years before digital cameras….and so I have very few pictures from this time….I chose this hummingbird watercolour to illustrate the further south we drove colours changed from winter to endless summer.

I was to learn that in the United States one could experience all four seasons at any given time of the year along with the amazing geography of the place.

Jarrod was born on 10th September 1966 at the brand new Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale.

My next post will be about moving to New York….

y very poor.

EIGHTY YEARS OLD THIS MONTH……

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This photograph was taken in 1964 when I was eighteen years old. I am with art school friends Maureen and Patrick. We are standing in front of what was then the Commonwealth Institute – now the Design Museum in Kensington, London.

Those were wonderful days in the UK/Europe – days that felt like they would never end. Life was exciting and anything seemed possible.

One of my favourite expressions is that ‘None of us is ever creative enough to know how things will actually work out’ I had no idea when this picture was taken where life would take me…..and for the most part that was good.

In January 28th 1966, having married possibly my parent’s worst nightmare, I set sail for the United States for what was to be a two year visit. My husband had family in the States and he wanted to spend time there…..two years seemed doable.

And so off we went……

We sailed on the United States Liner….on what turned out to be a very rough crossing. ………. Upon arrival in New York we took a Greyhound bus to Miami Florida…where we were picked up by my husband’s uncle ..who drove us to what was then the active Marine Base on Key West. My husband’s cousin was a captain on the marine base and his wife was involved with helping Cuban refugees. Because of this we became involved….handing out clothing etc. to Cubans arriving on small boats. Fascinating times.

Meanwhile I found out that I was pregnant…remember these were the days before birth control pills and pregnancy tests…!

And so Voila – my beautiful son Jarrod was born in the brand new Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale.

Here we are…Me with my new born baby Jarrod who would have been just a couple of months old when this was taken in a photo booth on Los Olas Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale.

Jarrod who is a musician will be 60 on September 10th this year……

And so now here I am approaching my 80th birthday……My goodness it has flown by…..

Here my son Jarrod is playing music for me while I sketch him….. this picture was taken about four years ago when I was visiting Jarrod and his partner Kendle in the States. .

TIME TO BREATH AND TAKE STOCK

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I took this photograph in a beautiful place on the borders of France and Italy……It was very quiet, except for the sounds of nature…..my kind of place.

It is now time to recover from what has been a very long holiday period. I feel as if we have been celebrating Christmas etc. for months!:).

I am now in lock down mode…..using this time between Christmas and new years to get my house in order..so that I may begin the. new year with physical and emotional vitality.

A watercolour sketch from Wales……

I would like to wish all of my friends wherever you are good health and a very creative new year ahead.

I will be back with regular posts after the new year.

Best wishes to one and all. Janet.

SPENDING TIME WITH THE LITTLE ONES…..

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Yesterday it was my great pleasure to spend time with ‘Little Ones’. I live very close to an amazing community Hubb….‘THE INSPIRED HUBB’ in Hampton. http://theinspiredhub.co.uk A place I love for many reasons….including the fact that it caters for ALL ages.

Unfortunately we were not able to take photographs – so this little watercolour of my friend Houda’s granddaughter represents the little ones:)

These beautiful little children put on a fantastic Christmas play….Yesterday was their dress rehearsal. before they perform for their parents…….and weren’t we lucky. It was wonderful….and for the first time I felt the Christmas spirit.

I hope everyone reading this is able to spend time with little ones and people of all ages during this holiday season. Think Peace and Love….

Merry Christmas to one and all……..

A Traditional English Christmas Cake Story – sustaining life and enhancing international relations…..

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I post this every year – it’s a huge reminder of how different our world is today from when I first wrote this…….

DRIVING TO NEW YORK IN JANUARY 1967

After one year of living in Florida we began the trip back to New York…..only this time we had dear little Jarrod….who at 3 months old was a quite a novelty in Florida. – At that time there were very a few young people with babies……..Florida was made up mostly 0f retirees (snow birds) from…

janetweightreed10's avatar by janetweightreed10

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE USA – JANUARY 1966

I might as well have landed on the moon. Everything was totally alien to me. From the brightly coloured cars and billboards to people whose accents I couldn’t understand, and so much noise. – policemen with guns……! Unbeknownst to me at the time I was pregnant…which I put down to the five days of sea…

janetweightreed10's avatar by janetweightreed10

EIGHTY YEARS OLD THIS MONTH……

This photograph was taken in 1964 when I was eighteen years old. I am with art school friends Maureen and Patrick. We are standing in front of what was then the Commonwealth Institute – now the Design Museum in Kensington, London. Those were wonderful days in the UK/Europe – days that felt like they would…

janetweightreed10's avatar by janetweightreed10

CHRISTEVE THE CAT FINDS HER HOME…..

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It’s that time of the year….when I tell an abbreviated version of how Christeve the Cat finds her home with Janet the Artist in the Magical Town of Crickadoon.

Sitting between mountains and watched by the moon, with hummingbirds weaving their love……..this story is told in the Magical Town of Crickadoon…..

At this time Christeve the Cat was lost and alone searching for a home of her own……

she spent most of her time sitting in a tree where she could see a lovely little cottage which looked as warm as can be…..

When she looked in the other direction she could see the golden warm lights from the Magical Town of Crickadoon….

The little cat was unaware that special energy from magical hummingbirds was surrounding and guiding her and keeping her safe.

During the long dark nights every little noise gave her a fright – and sometimes she cried. …..but something inside of her always knew that there was nothing to fear….and that help was always near.

One morning after a snow fall the Little Cat felt so cold and alone……

Would she ever find a home of her own?

One things for sure she would never give up……and then from seemingly nowhere…

an angel appeared beneath her tree…..The Angel said ‘follow me’

And there was the cottage glowing with warmth and light……

Janet the Artist was waiting with outstretched arms…….

At last Christeve had a home of her own.

Janet the Artist named the little cat CHRISTEVE because she arrived at her new home on a very special Christmas Eve…..

MODELS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES…..

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On one occasion my scheduled model arrived at the studio with her very young baby…She asked if she could model with the baby….I jumped at the opportunity which turned out to be the first of many sittings.

One of many sittings with my very young model…

I have loved working with many different models over the years. each one gives me so much. This little girl would be in her mid to late twenties now and I think living somewhere in the Pacific.

One of many watercolour sketches….

It was lovely to paint mother and child together….Given that the studio was very warm…baby slept peacefully….

watercolour of mother and child….

Most images were watercolour – but quitea few were a mix of watercolour /gouache…. After a few visits the baby became used to being in the studio.

I did of course sketch and paint my own children many times……for now a photograph of Jarrod (soon to be sixty) holding Christie (now fifty-one). with Tom Kitten next to them……

A reminder of how quickly time moves by……..

ATMOSPHERIC LIGHT….

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As I observe this watercolour I painted in Vienna….I am taken back to a special moment in time.

It was a bitterly cold late November afternoon and I was waiting for my friend Helga.

The sun shone over the roof tops producing an almost fire like effect. I was – completely mesmerised – not wanting to miss one second of this display of atmospheric light.

a group of little children came through the square – bundled up against the cold… full of energy and excitement.

My Joy to be back in the UK/Europe

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My return to the UK/Europe brought me great joy on many levels. As noted in previous posts…I exhibited in the UK, France and other parts of Europe.

I worked on these projects with my cousin Lyn (who is an interior designer). Along with teaching these projects brought me income – which in turn allowed me to paint what I wanted to paint. I also continued to work with Bonnie Paul my art consultant who was based in the States.

The following two paintings were part of my first large project after returning to the UK. I had to research tea clippers that came into Swansea and Cardiff at the turn of the century……There were several large oils and many watercolours. Each project meant learning about all manner of subject matter.

Through the middle of my career this was a great way to earn income and at the same time keep my tools honed.

It’s also important to note that when I returned to Europe in 1993 – we (brits) were part of the European Union…. I hope and pray that one day we can become a member state again – most likely too late for me but so important for young people. It was wonderful to be part of Europe (our neighbours). It was so much better/easier to work and travel in other countries. It continues to be a great sadness to me that we left the Union!!

Another painting from the newly renovated Cardiff Bay.

Along with large corporate projects I began working on illustrations for my Christeve the Cat book series….

I took this project into many schools encouraging children to paint their own versions of Christeve the Cat……Through the paintings we talked about the need to focus on our environment – something I continue to feel very strongly about.

In this instance, Christeve the Cat is talking with Theodore the Tiger about their respective homes.

It was also the time when I began to introduce hummingbirds – The hummingbirds symbolise to me the Unseen magic/energy in our world.

Note the hummingbird hovering over Theodore and Christeve’s heads…….

Don’t forget to check out my Facebook page where I post most days.