Monday, January 25, 2010

lady winter

Isn't this piece of stained glass fabulous? It's "Winter", 1948, by the
painter and stained glass artist, Charles Francis Blakeman. This
lovely lady is one of four, of a panel of stained glass, appropriately
called The Four Seasons.

From 1921 to 1926 Blakeman worked in Paul Woodroffe's stained
glass studio in Chipping Campden. In 1926, he left to work for F. L.
Griggs, who needed help printing his etchings. Blakeman studied
printmaking at the Royal College of Art in London and worked for
Griggs until 1930. In his later career, he was based mainly in
London, and assisting the distinguished stained glass artist
Wilhelmina Geddes, the famous Irish stained glass artist, from the
Arts and Crafts Movement.

I discovered this wonderful piece of art, as well as the artist, over
at the talented Annette Emm's blog Fairy Shoes and Other Things.
Thanks, Annette. I loved it so much I had to post it on my sidebar.
Examples of his amazing work can be seen at Court Barn Museum,
in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, UK, where Annette plans to
do some workshops this year.

Lady Winter is bestowing a deliciously cold, slow, steady rain in my
neck of the woods today.

Charles Blakeman on the left, 1923, outside Woodroffe House

41 comments:

  1. Willow...let me just say...that is so beautiful.....love it!

    and i am off to your friend's blog right now....

    can't wait to see it

    more later, dear friend

    kary
    xxx

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  2. Lady Winter is indeed special and intriguing. Thanks for introducing this wonderful stained glass. I enjoyed visiting Fairy Shoes and Other Things, too.

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  3. Willow, do you know the blog The Hermitage? I bet you'd like it. It's wonderful.
    http://intothehermitage.blogspot.com

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  4. Tina, yes, The Hermitage is one of the first blogs I ever read. I even have one of the talented Rima's prints, here at the manor!

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  5. Those were the days. I sometimes wonder what their lives would be like if they lived in our times.

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  6. Stunningly beautiful. I'm curious about the other seasons'.
    Thanks for this rich exposition. You always bring these things to our attention at just the right time too.

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  7. Very lovely -- A touch of Joan of Arc and maybe a resemblance to the Lady of Willow Manor?

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  8. It didn't occur to me before, Vicki, but maybe that's why I'm drawn to Lady Winter. She does look a bit like me!

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  9. Lovely!

    I left a meatless chili recipe for my readers due to Lady Winter's cold, rainy evenings. Mmm, yummy warmth.

    (I'm learning to cook so it's something I could make without having to Google ingredients. So sad.)

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  10. Willow.. Again a fabulos Post, vety interesting. That stain glass is a masterpiece.

    yvonne

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  11. very cool. i love what an artist can do with stained glass. really nice.

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  12. whoa that's lovely willow! my dream is to learn how to work with glass when i retire. ellen (over at stuff from ellen's head) is sharing bits of her knowledge with me. i love what is possible with the translucent medium. i also really like the stories connected to the artists and their work. have a lovely evening at the manor. steven

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  13. Wonderful where we can get hold of Lady Spring and Lady Summer.That is a beautiful piece. I love stained glass. We have a wonderful GlassWorks factory in Louisville. Love to visit and your get to make a piece. I would love a big piece for my bay window, but it is pretty steep. I have a small one but I love the big ones. Thanks for sharing.
    QMM

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  14. Willow,
    Thanks for sharing this piece of art stained glass with us. I had noticed it on your sidebar. You always have such interesting stories to go along with you eye catching pics! Have a great week!
    The Bach

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  15. I love it that you posted Steven's pic of the beautiful crystal you sent him. Beauty is everywhere when we share these items, and the images we make of them.

    Speaking of beautiful, the stained glass definitely is! I love stained glass.

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  16. so happy to have found you thru our dear sweetie renee .... hope you had a lovely weekend... x pam

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  17. Pure loveliness here today. The stained glass piece and Steven's crystal...both shedding warmth light in winter.

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  18. I've always dreamed of having a stained glass window in my home. I love this Lady Winter.

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  20. Beautiful stain glass art. It nice to see work of a top stain glass artist in works other than religious.

    We are again have very cold weather with rain and possibility of rain mixed with snow later this week.

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  21. We had stained glass surrounds in the front door of our old house - bucolic scenes of cows grazing in European meadows. 'Winter' is far more interesting than the cows ever were. Cold cuts & salads here tonight Willow, it's so hot!
    Millie ^_^

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  22. Dear Willow, how lovely that you are hosting Lady Winter over at the manor. Lady Summer will not leave us.

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  23. That IS a lovely piece. And spot on with Nina Simone. What a GREAT call.

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  24. I've made that my desktop picture for the next wee while. A little small but quite lovely.

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  25. Beautiful artwork, thanks for drawing my attention to it. Like others, now intrigued by the other seasons...

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  26. Always been a huge fan of stained glass art and this is a stunner; thanks for sharing the artist and some of his art with us.

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  27. It is TRULY beautiful!

    Today...for the FIRST time in a full week we are seeing SUNSHINE! Oh, it is SO VERY WELCOME!! I know Lady Winter will re-visit but I am NOT complaining about the radiant rays TODAY!!! WONDERFUL!

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  28. Jill, there's no sunshine in my little neck of the woods today! Maybe it's coming my way from yours?

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  29. Lady Winter is blowing fog and drizzle up here! It's not a very nice day at all. Feels like March.

    Lovely piece of stained glass artwork. Thanks for sharing it.

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  30. Pretty! Hope you'll post the others as the seasons change!

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  31. This is gorgeous. I love stained glass. I wish it would revive in popularity, especially in new churches. I'll definitely check out your friend's blog :) I love the name of it!

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  32. Someone beat me to the punch. I was going to say perhaps she should be called Lady Willow. Interesting post and interested paths you lead me to.

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  33. Hello Willow,

    I love stained glass and the possibilities that opaque glass, as this seems to be, can give. Beautiful photograph of Steven's crystal too.

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  34. Well, Lady Winter is gracing us with her frosty cloak...it snows again in Iowa...1-3 expected...my 2 hours of sun yesterday, short-lived, but enjoyed...

    Comin' yer way...

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  35. Well, Sharon, you know I love snow. Now that all ours is melted, it's time for some more! If it would have been a tad colder, all this long, slow rain would have been a blizzard.

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  36. The Gorgeous Lady Winter certainly resembles you, Willow. I will head over and visit that blog now.

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  37. That piece is very beautiful. I would love to see it close up and study the details. It is one medium I've never tried, though want to.

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  38. Oh, me, too. I really should take a class.

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  39. I really love that piece too!

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  40. Fabulous indeed. Love the ffeling of it.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)