Valerie McLean

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  A beautiful blue sky this afternoon in Ledbury so I chose this  sample page from my new book Edward Thomas.  Sometimes the poems merge into the image and  sometimes  the poem is set onto the opposite page. The books have been delivered to most bookshops in Herefordshire and The Forest Bookshop in the Forest of Dean

I have just taken delivery of some copies of my new book Edward Thomas – Paintings and Drawings by Valerie McLean. The book has many pages reproduced from my sketchbooks worked on while out in the countryside around Ledbury and Dymock, walking the lanes and fields where a colony of Poets Including Edward Thomas and his great friend, Robert Frost lived for a time just before the First World War. Edward Thomas died at the battle of Arras in 1917 but his prose and poetry remains and I have made a personal selection for this book. The book will be available from bookshops and galleries and from my website.. Lots of copies at Ledbury Books and Maps in Ledbury already

         

 

This weekend I  attended a Stained Glass workshop at Brillie, about 10-12 miles from Hereford with Nicky Hopwood. I made two wings and a selection of extra pieces to be incorporated into a garden sculpture by Artist Blacksmith, Stephen McRae who is based here in Ledbury.

 

 

 

 

Introducing Sketchbooks Day for Adults
Sunday 29th June 2014
At Dymock Hall and the Poets Path (weather permitting)
Beginners very welcome
10 a.m. ~ 3 p.m. cost £35 inc. basic materials
Please bring own lunch. Tea, coffee etc provided
Further information: tel:01531 635857 info@valeriemclean.com
———————————————————————————————————
Name/s____________________________________
Address__________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Tel No: ____________________
email: ____________________
I enclose a cheque made payable to St Mary’s Church PCC for amount___________
Please fill in above details and return to Jackie Tweedale, Horseshoe Inn House, Brooms
Green, Dymock, Glos Gl18 2DP with payment

I have just signed off the final proof for my book about Edward Thomas. The book will be published in time for the Ledbury Poetry Festival 4th – 13th July. The launch will be at Ledbury Books and Maps in Ledbury on Saturday 21st June

The cover design and and piles of sketchbooks and other artwork will be delivered to the publisher this week in preparation for scanning the images for my new book about Edward Thomas. The main section of text for the book is my personal selection of poetry and prose written by Thomas who tragically died in the First World War.  I am fortunate to live in Ledbury and  able to walk and sketch the countryside around  nearby Dymock, where a group of famous poets, including Edward Thomas and his friend, Robert Frost lived and worked during the summer of 1914

 

Many birds feature in the poems of Edward Thomas so whilst researching for my new book, I have been visiting the Hereford Museum Resource Centre to draw from the Natural Science Collection.  We have an extensive collection of paintings etc and  artefacts including costumes in Hereford, that must be preserved despite the government cutbacks that are threatening our museum and library service.

I

 

I am working on a new book to be published in time for Hereford Art Week in September this year. The book will contain a selection of Poetry and prose by Edward Thomas, one of the Dymock Poets who settled around the village of Dymock near Ledbury during the summer of 1914 just before the First World War. Many of the images are being sourced from my sketchbooks worked on during walks around the Dymock countryside or sometimes developed on my return to the studio.

The results are now available for the R.W.A. Open Exhibition and I have one painting accepted and hung and one accepted but not hung. Looking forward to traveling down to Bristol for the traditional Varnishing Lunch this Saturday, after which, this  exhibition held each year in the splendid galleries in Bristol will be open to the public ..until the end of January 2014.

 

I have just taken delivery of a new late summer May Hill print in response to requests during h’Art week for an A4 size print that  will be approximately 16 x12 inches when mounted. The May Hill paintings are made in the season from memories of walking in the countryside around the Hill.

Price for Nov. – Dec. 2013  £35 unframed £60 framed in ash