Kirsty Mellars…

Co director / youth involvement in the previous 5 year administration.

Kirsty  is retired at this time, as her days as a student at Lincoln University occupy her life at the moment. But remains a member of the festival.

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Gary Pattison (Aquarius Sound), runs our sound and lighting and is our stage manager. Traveling the world on tour with some remarkable artistes and musicians. His reputation goes ahead of him as being able to cope with anything. When things are going well, it's not too difficult to cope, but  it takes someone very special to be able to handle virtually any emergency. His cool and calm manner backed by many years practical experience quickly comes to the fore as he "invisibly" sorts a "problem well before it becomes an emergency. His expertise is available for projects both large and small, from garden parties to major arena events. (see Businesses Page).  

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          &    Affordable Marquees.

PROFILE…Christine Leech.

So to you, the customer. Why should you go the Christine for you "canvas" requirements ??? (no job too large or too small).

That’s easy to answer as a regular customer of 6 years. She always gives that little (and sometimes a lot) extra. She always takes great interest in a customers projects and her advice, built on years of practical experience can save a great deal of time and money. Talking of money, her prices are very reasonable.

SEE BUSINESSES PAGE.of yln on later dates. Keith’s types of paintings were of dark storm clouds with brilliant sunrays piecing through them. crashing waves and shipwrecks on rocks. Some paintings were viewed from the beach looking out to sea with low sun and rolling waves with a thi

PROFILE…Vic Williamson, fine art painter.

Vic was born in Poplar Street, Bracebridge, Lincoln in 1946. His residence hasn’t moved a great deal to this day, as he lives only a stone’s throw from where he was born, still in Bracebridge after all these years. However, standing still cannot be said for Vic as a person, as from those very humble beginnings he has made his name as one of the great local artists of this century.

His early awareness's as a small child of about 5 years old, was the "gravity" of everything. Lincoln at that time was a very busy place and a major centre of industry, and full of amazing machines. Steam locomotives pulling endless trains of carriages and trucks, excavators, some of huge proportions exported to most nations around the globe. Cars and lorries some quite ancient and still working hard, and his "backdrop" was the Lincoln Gas Works with it’s Victorian red brickwork and two "book end" chimneys at each end and large white letters in between saying "USE GAS" as a constantly visible advert to do just that. The three large gasholders rising and falling like gigantic steel mountains as they continued to fill and then empty again.

The first picture Vic that remembers "painting" was a bright red fire engine, which all the kids in class were drawn to, and constantly remarked on. He also remembers drawing a car at Bracebridge School at about the age of 7, but it wasn’t just any car. Fascinated by all things mechanical, Vic didn’t just accept things as they were, he would ask "why can’t they be like this ?" Cars were still boxy things in those days and the picture Vic drew looks remarkably like one of "today’s" estate cars, but much taller with a sloping front and windscreen and not quite the lozenge shapes of today . Or a few years later when he became familiar with diesel cars, a multi chambered pumped mercury filled flywheel to aid diesel engines throughout their "revs range" down to tick over, to get rid of their inherent vibration problem.

"I was just visualising and doodling" he says. Makes one wonder what would have happened had he gone into the motor industry ? As he went on to senior school, he always won the art prize, well nearly always, as there was another contender, and they would sometimes be "vying" for 1^st and 2^nd place.

He left school and the mechanical "pull" started to take over, and grow steadily as the years went by. First of all, it was a two stroke engine mounted on an ordinary push bike, so to call it a motor cycle could be seen as a bit of an exaggeration. His 1949. 98c.c Excelsior came next, and painting was just something he did at school, although he knew it was his "star gift". It never had a place in his exciting lifestyle unfolding at the time.

Back in 1954, many people actually painted their own number plates on cars and bikes. No different for Vic except that he discovered that he could do it far better than other people. His accuracy of line was so good that he surprised even himself with his "freehand" efforts. Back in 1954, at the age of 8, he had gone with his dad one day to a place near Lincoln Castle, and saw his first Velocette, an LE model; and it wasn’t until 1963 that he had one of his own. Just three years later in June 1966, he bought his first genuine 100 m.p.h. 500c.c Velocette. Remember in these days they were single cylinder machines and took a little time to wind up to 100, but a genuine 100 it would do. It was during these years as he and his other motorcycle mates navigated the country’s tarmac, that he became quite familiar with 4 wheel travel in the form of an ambulance. He almost cultivated a "residency" in Marshall Ward in Lincoln’s County Hospital; into the casualty department, then the x-ray department. Back to casualty for stitches and either to the ward or home, never lonely on these visits. He would often see someone else from the motor bike days being wheeled out as he was being wheeled in.

His gang would regularly park their bikes in the Cornhill and walk up the High Street to the bottom of The Straight (there was still traffic all the way up the High Street in those days, even the buses went under the Stonebow). Up at the top was the "Top Café" where they would regularly hang out. The journey on foot took them past the art shop Gadsby’s, and the Northbound ones couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of the South facing wall of the shop, and anything displayed on it. Gadsby’s would regularly have paintings of world War II Lancaster bombers hanging on this wall adjacent to the footpath. Having wandered the empty aerodromes for years, these paintings of the large dark flying war machines had a big impact on Vic. These just drew Vic into them and it wasn’t uncommon for the others to leave him gawping at these amazing pictures, and even have to come back for him and drag him away. They were all by a local artist John Larder who was by now quite famous. He got to meet him and found that they had been "caught" in similar circumstances. Vic would ride his bike out onto the old Skellingthorpe Airfield (or what remained of it), now all overgrown and buildings falling into gradual decay. After the beat of the Velocette was quelled, the silence of the place was quite eerie, but eerie peaceful. The gentle waft of the wind, the rise and fall of the birds singing, it was like entering another dimension, a time warp, but a time warp from what ? That same question had entered both John and Vic’s minds; "what the hell went on here" ?

All of this and the regular "peerings" into Gadsby’s window swirled a mix of emotions, and one day looking at a Lanc painting, a small voice inside him distinctly said, "you’ll be doing that one day". Not so much a voice as a feeling that never actually left, except on a few occasions when it easily could have, as there were a few occasions when Vic nearly "crossed over" to the next world whilst on the tarmac of the open road.

What actually kept him from painting was the shear enjoyment of "Velocetting". In his small shed, his ability to personally build and rebuild his machines. From that little shed, he could actually make 100 miles per hour happen. People were making their own world happen with their thoughts, dreams and their own hands. Not like today where you just raise the finance, and go and buy the bike of your dreams. This was the very same adventure, the risk and the daring, the very same spirit of the generation before who piloted the Spitfires, the Hurricanes and the Lancasters of the second world war.

In 1971 Vic and his mate Bernard Rushton hired a small Ford Escort van and went on a three pronged adventure from London, to St Ives in Cornwall and back home to Lincoln. They split up for a while to have some wandering freedom and Bernie stumbled across Keith English creating paintings in an arcade near Woolworths, with an ever changing audience standing around. He knew Vic’s life was drifting towards oils on canvas and immediately searched for him. The result was that he feasted on this "spectacle" for the rest of the week. Keith was very understanding and helpful and gave Vic his ‘phone number and received a number of calls for advice from Lincoln on later dates. Keith’s types of paintings were of dark storm clouds with brilliant sunrays piecing through them. crashing waves and shipwrecks on rocks. Some paintings were viewed from the beach looking out to sea with low sun and rolling waves with a thin walled curved vertical area struck by the sunlight and illuminated to a translucent state. He also painted clowns on his "failure" pictures using a base texture paste to cover the original painting. Vic visited him again for a full week in 1975 and discovered he had been stationed at RAF Hemswell. He went to see him again in 1979, but Keith English had gone by that time.

Back home he was doing a little taxi driving and regularly used to take people to The Raven Club at R.A.F. Waddington near Lincoln, and on one particular dark night, yet brilliant moonlight. He had dropped his passengers off and was proceeding up the boundary road when he slammed the brakes on and skidded to an abrupt stop as the hairs on his neck stood starkly on end. To his left between two hangars silhouetted by the bright moonlight, also in silhouette, stood the Lancaster. He just froze, and as he gradually regained his composure, he said out loud to himself, "I would love to paint that for real". At that time, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight had not really been formed, and there had been petitioning to get the Lanc back to Lincolnshire. She had only just arrived back at Waddington where she remained for a short time before ending up at Conningsby.

Vic went to see it many times as he followed it from place to place, sometimes calling in at a café in Tattershall where on display were many drawings of the Lanc, and it turned out they were drawn by the owner’s son. It also turned out that the owner’s son was one of Vic’s old "gang" that used to frequent the Top Café in Lincoln. His name was John Ward, at that time a budding aviation artist, still learning, but he taught Vic techniques he had discovered on his visits to him. John advised him to enrol at Lincoln’s Art School. Which with a friend one dark rainy evening in September 1975, but his friend was late so they missed out.

He did however manage to get into a class at Robert Patterson School at North Hykeham, but he was struggling financially and with 10 Velocettes and a B.S.A. to support, he couldn’t afford a full contingent of oil paints. So he had to mix his own paints from P.V.A. and dry paint powder. He was encouraged by John Ward to copy a Spitfire based on a picture in a "flight magazine" of a lone Spitfire by Gerald Coulson, cruising above the clouds using oil paper as a canvas. He painted two Spits above the clouds which took about 6 weeks. Now after his third attempt, successfully getting into Art College, he advised to mount it on oil impregnated card. He took it to Wheeldons, an art shop in Lincoln who bought it for £40-00, his very first effort ! They kept it in the shop for about 8 months and sold it on, no doubt at a good profit. Now honing his skills still further, he did three pictures of Lancasters which he describes as "not good", but they all sold, and he says "bore no resemblance" to work he did later.

It was now mid 1977 and John Larder, at this point had been offered a commission to paint a motorcycle, but had been so busy he had to turn it down, so he offered it to Vic. Vic also turned it down as he didn’t think he could paint one.

He enrolled for a second year at college in 1978, by which time it became apparent to him that he needed to branch off.

He had been offered the commission to do a motorcycle that John Larder had refused, but he turned it down. But just 3 weeks later, a request was made by Portas Motorcycles of Gowts Bridge, Lincoln to do a painting of a racing motorcycle. They said they knew of no one else they could turn to, and thought Vic was capable. There was everyone painting and sketching in a circle around a life model; but Vic was facing the opposite direction painting his new commission. Life painting may be respectable but this racing Ducati was going to supply some finance. The painting was of Cook Nielsen an American Racing Journalist on a 30" x 20" canvas. It was to be an eye opening experience for Vic as he really couldn’t believe what was appearing from his paint brush. He would sit on the edge of his bed and just gawp at it, and it soon became evident that there was more passing through Vic than he had ever imagined possible. Those first few paintings had shown him he could tackle machinery close up. Portas’s were really pleased with it and it hung in pride of place in their new extension when racing champion rider Mike Hailwood came to officially open the new premises. Vic was just beginning to appreciate just what he was actually capable of, and the intricate superbly accurate fine detail he was putting on canvas.

It was now 1981, and his next job was of Les Graham riding a Velocette, using a non too sharp B & W ‘photo from a magazine. His friend Bernie Rushton bought it from him, and neither of them can remember for just how much.

This was followed by a commission from John Pye in the late 80’s, of a 106. Squadron Lancaster on Metheringham Airfield in 1943. This was for the film Lancaster People and the original hung in the C.O’s office at the B.B.M.F. at Coningsby for nearly two years until it returned home. Prints were made of it, all of which flew in the B.B.M.F. Lancaster PA 474. These are now distributed all over the world and are still available.

"The next motor bike painting was in 1990" Vic says, when he bought a Moto Guzzi Le mans Mk 2. His friend Bernie offered to do the donkey work in stripping it down and reassembling it, if Vic would do the cosmetic work. This in return for another oil painting of a racing motorcycle for him. Bernie found a an "image" of Alan Cathcard (a U.K. Cook Nielsen counterpart). Vic contacted Motor Cycle International who put him in touch with Alan who told Vic that the magazine was distributed around the world in many different languages, but all the pictures were on transparencies at present in Japan. Two months later, complete with boiled rice smudges on the frame, the "image" arrived. If he had surprised himself with the Ducati painting, this one took him "airborn". It was superb, colourful and sharp and led him on to the Norton Racing team with Ron Haslam with their gold and black J.P.S. team, Motor Cycle News, Mobil Oil and finally Seeley Sports Management. Commissions and prints all the way. He got to know many of the current racing stars personally, and also some of their personal lives. But of them all; it was Mobil Oil that were the most helpful and looked after him. It’s interesting to note back then that the highest price he could achieve for a painting was £1000-00.

People now wanted to climb on the bandwagon and more work was offered, but for a pittance. Other people had the opportunity to make a great deal of money out of Vic, but he was wise enough to decline. He’d really had enough of commissions, and needed to paint what he wanted, and when he wanted.

Back in 1978–79, Vic’s mum had bought a small framed print of Peter De Wint’s painting entitled "Lincoln from Washingborough" (more like Lincoln from 400yards past Stamp End according to Vic). The print was a well faded watercolour, and she suggested he try to paint it. He did and put it in a gallery on The Straight in Lincoln for the price of £250. and it sold. Painting it he had remembered images he had seen in the mid – late 60’s in Wheeldon’s Art Shop. Painted using a pallet knife for 90% of the picture, just finishing off in brush, they were all over brown and cream colours. The pallet knife work was always very fine and precise, never any tall buildings and mainly of village life, railway stations and the like. The artist, a school teacher / painter was Peter Brannan and these "browning paintings" were the influence that led Vic to his later "sepia saga". This together with John Ward’s dad taking over Ashby Hall Country Club where Vic would visit John and see the pictures he was working on at the time. One particular work of an airfield control tower in colour, with the ghostly face of a pilot in browns looking down on the scene.

Returning to aviation, a painting of a Grumman Wild Cat taking off from an aircraft carrier. A Grumman Ag Cat crop spraying, which the owners filled the tanks with just plain water and flew at dangerously low levels for Vic to take photos and sketches. A painting was completed and it’s new owners were rather taken with a photo he had of the Peter De Wint painting. They liked the colours which matched their lounge, so they commissioned another one to be painted.

He came across an old photograph of St. Marks in 1907, taken from the river bridge on the Ropewalk. This he did in sepia tones with it’s cobble stones and bill posts on the wall where the Rat and Parrot now stands. He sold this to a Chinese restaurant owner who gave it to his brother as a birthday present. He promptly commissioned Vic to paint another one of Lincoln High Street in the late Victorian period, and he did another of a lorry crossing the river at Brayford Pool in 1932, all of these in sepia tones, and all with a "bobby" on the beat somewhere in the frame. A couple of Velocette’s for a private collector. The lorry was valued at £2,250 to £3,000 (in the year 2000), and it puzzled him why it was worth more than two and a half time more than the highest figure he’d received for any of his motorcycle paintings. He reflected on this fact when told "because it evokes nostalgia".

It was plain to see that Vic’s work was now recognised as valuable, and not like so many, only after his decease. He continued to reflect on the fact that he’d only been paid £1,000 per picture for his motor cycle work, which had taken very many more hours to do. He looked up the actual meaning of the word to find it means "feelings of homesickness (for the times)" Maybe for the first time he began to rationalise in a "business" way. Why not "just" do it for myself as he could do anything he chose, or even paint scenes "out of his head" ?

He started to do this; scenes out of his head, but influenced by some of Monet’s work, but somewhat more detailed and intricate. Another, influenced by an impressionistic Peter De Wint, but again a little more "real" while remaining impressionistic. Looking at both men’s work, will anybody dare to say that some might think he’s out painting Monet and De Wint. Having said that, these are not to be confused with Monet copies. They are original paintings of Victorian times and French county side scenes.

Like never before, Vic was getting drawn into his own scenery, even to the extent he could hear the sounds of the street, the smells, the awareness of distant backdrops so he can actually feel he is really there. This is something very special when you are painting a scene out of your imagination, and you just have to look around you and actually see the fine detail. His latest influence is the Victorian artist John Atkinson Grimshaw. Son of a Leeds policeman whose mother turned his paints into a fire, and turned the gas off to stop him painting. He stuck with it and mastered moonlight paintings and Tennyson was his great influence. Vic now "invents" moonlight dock and street scenes, and together with some Monet-ised scenes and is painting scenes straight from his imagination, to the extent that his "visions" sometimes take him right away from painting and "travelling back in time" which often lead him in writing 20 or so pages about the experience. He doesn’t mind this because it only enriches his will to paint these scenes in the future.

Old new York is on his easel still, as is a V.R. Williamson Monet influenced landscape that is about 99% finished.

I have known Vic for many years, and have personally always thought he has that "touch of genius". It’s not only me that thinks that these days, as the difference between a brilliant talent and that "something much more" continues to expand. The days of being "affordable" to most people, I feel is now past, and Vic, at last, can begin to benefit from the fruits of his hard earned recognition. But for the rest of us ? We are fortunate that prints are available of his work, and the very latest in his story is yet to be told, and he is now starting to produce "prints on canvas", so that we really can have the very next best thing.

Profile by John Pye 18.05.07.

SEE PAINTINGS on...

SALES arts, crafts, writings page.

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   Sheena Maxwell. Glass Artiste.

Sheena has been involved with the festival for a number of years, not only with her work with "fuzed and slumped glass". But as a drummer playing djembe in the African drumming band "Skintight", plus running hands-on workshops.

 As a self employed Glass Artiste, Teacher / Workshop Facilitator, Sheena's initial fascination with glass came in her final year as a ceramics student in 1999. Following her B.A.hons degree as a contemporary designer in ceramics, and time spent as a pottery teacher. She followed up with studying this new "overwhelming  interest" and established her present workshop in Lincoln.  Sheena says "I'm intrigued by the technical experimentation of compatible materials. These include metal leaf, copper wire, enamel and metal powders (with sheet, broken and powdered glass). Also the differing qualities achieved from a range of firing temperatures in the kiln . I adore the marriage of design and aesthetics, focusing on colour and shape combinations, compositional balance and the qualities of the finished piece. Never quite knowing if a new experiment will bring a successful fusion, another technical problem, or an accidental "wow".

Sheena is regularly contracted with commissioned works of art and has exhibited extensively around the U.K. including Ferrer's Gallery (Ashby de la Zouch), Pyramid Gallery (Stonegate, York). Patchings Gallery (Calverton, Nottingham). Manor House Gallery (Chipping Norton). Magnolia Gallery (Northampton). Millenium Gallery (Sheffield). Her own "Fools & Horses Exhibition (Aubourn Hall Linc's & The Sam Scorer Gallery, Lincoln. Harding House (Lincoln) plus many more local venues. Sheena is also available as a teacher / hands-on workshop facilitator.        SEE BUSINESSES PAGE.   for some examples of her work, or browse her website... www.sheenamaxwell.com 

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Swan Holt Peace Centre. Morton Road, Swinderby, Lincoln. LN6-9HY.  01522 869963.

Diana & Antonella  who live at Swan Holt Cottage, nestling in a mature woodland setting. Have shared their idyllic haven of peace & tranquility with all who seek & wish for World Peace. This beautiful place is a Centre for World Peace, and their tireless efforts are bringing many varied benefits to so many people & Planet Earth. For some time now, a number of events have taken place, latterly on Sunday the 18th of May this year with their "Symphony of Peace Prayers" which was well attended and featured prayers from a number of world religions including...Byakko Shinko Kai, Sufism, Judaism, Hinduism, Quaker Tradition, Celtic Tradition,  Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Muslim Faith, Sikh Faith, Tibetan Buddhism, and the Findhorn Foundation Spiritual Community.

MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH.

We at Phoenix applaud anyone who gets off their backsides and does anything creative & beneficial to other people or the environment. Though not with religious understandings in the traditional sense, it was a very enjoyable afternoon & very well organised & run. It was very nice to see such harmony between different religious groups. We look forwards to continuing to support Diana & Antonella in any way we can.

                                                                                                                   J.P.

SEE YOUR PAGE.

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A little about some of the people who have performed at our events.....

               "Los-Pacaminos"   2005.

Los-Pacaminos, which roughly translated means "to pack 'em in" are what we call musician's musicians. Each member has had great success in their own field, and continued to evolve in new directions. Having the courage to experiment and create a whole different exciting experience, with this fabulous blend of Tex / Mex, Mariachi, Flamenco and Roots Music. A whole new experience awaited Lincoln if you hadn't been to one of their shows before, the impressive line up consistred of:

JAMIE MOSES Guitar / Vocals. A man of vast experience at present working with Queen, and has worked in Mike and the Mechanics, The Brian May Band, Paul Rogers, Tony Hadley, Bob Geldof, Freddie Mercury, and the Pretenders. He is to release a new solo album soon.

DREW BARFIELD (Guitar / Vocals) Drew, a singer songwriter's current solo album "Deep Water Terminal"  follows his involvement with The Keys and The Big Heat. He has written and co-written for Joe Jackson, Level 42, Cathy Dennis, Paul Young and worked with the fabulous Joan Armatrading.

PAUL YOUNG (Guitar / Vocals) Paul started the Los Pacaminos in 93/94, and has a very broad musical history. His first band Kat Kool and the Kool Kats, was followed by Streetband who are remembered by a song called "Toast", then  Q Tips and The Royal Family. His solo career brought successes with "Where Ever I Lay My Hat", "Every Time You Go Away", and Come Back and Stay". As well as Los Pacaminos, Paul is presently working with his own solo show, The Manfreds and the S.A.S. Band.

MELVIN DUFFY (Pedal Steel & Slide Guitar) Melvin with his brother Adrian work together  as Brothernature, and is acclaimed as one of the best international performers of these instruments. He has worked with Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Robbie McIntosh, The Bluetones, Gomes and Majave 3 and has co-written with Ronan Keating, Celine Dion and Westlife.

STEVE GREETHAM (Bass) Steve bass work has been heard by a wide variety audiences over the years including the number "Burning Inside You" with The Europeans, and playing bass with "Latin Quarter.

MARK PINDER (Percussion)  Amongst Marks accomplishments are playing at "Live Aid" in 1985, and Boom Club. Bands include Vampire Bats from Lewisham, Zaine Griff. and  Allison Moyet  It was a  great treat for Lincoln, and an honour for us to have so many world renowned musicians on our stage.

MATT IRVING (keyboard  /accordion /Vocals)  Originally with Squeeze, matt has a 13 track album out called "Looking Down the Road". His credits include working with The Manfred man Earth band, The Robbie McIntyre band & Chrissie Hynde.

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 "Monarchy"  2005.

Monarchy is an well established and fully professional Queen Tribute band.

The Artistes:   Dean Fox (Freddie Mercury) is one of few "Freddies" who can actually play piano and guitar like the great man himself. Steve Ward's (Brian May) experience includes 5 years with Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, and he has also worked with Eddie Flloyd, The Four Tops and The Temptations. Paul Mitchell and Gary Hunt, (John Deacon and Roger Taylor) are both experienced musicians in many fields.

The Show:   The costumes used were exact hand-made copies of Queen's own costumes worn at Wembley in 1986. Great attention has been paid to every small detail to ensure an authentic appearance and maximise audience enjoyment of what was a magical close to Festival 2005, when we all went down to light the Boultham Park Beacon. Built in 2002 by the festival, when we represented Lincolnshire with the Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebration.

(interesting also, is the fact the "connection" with the original Queen with Saturday night's closing band.  Must have been a royal weekend???).

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