!!!!GWR STEAMING AHEAD!!!!!

WORK ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY MOSAIC CONTINUES APACE WITH NEARLY ALL SECTIONS COMPLETED READY FOR INSTALLATION LATER THIS MONTH.

PLEASE NOTE THE LITTLE BOY IN PRAM WITH TOY LOCO!!!!

THE CHARTIST MOSAIC - A STATEMENT

THE CHARTIST MOSAIC

NEWPORT CITY WALES

"It is with the greatest sadness that I learnt today that the destruction of the Chartist mosaic has begun.  Whilst I wish the City of Newport all economic and environmental success with its new development I know that many will regret the loss of this major landmark, commissioned by people with great vision and created by my father Kenneth with the greatest care and skill to educate and enhance the community.

I would like to thank everybody who showed concern for this work and who attempted to preserve it.  I know that nobody of sound judgement willingly destroys great art and that there is always a valid rationality for a decision of this nature.  It is possibly a case of doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons"

Oliver Budd 

From the lost work:  Kenneth holds the body of his dying son

NEW WORK ON TRACK

Work has begun on the re-creation of Kenneth Budd's Great Western Railway mosaic.

The original work once dominated St Chad's pedestrian concourse in Birmingham city centre.  By the 1990's this area was a desolate place so developers have given the site an exciting overhaul.

As part of that scheme it was decided to celebrate the original work by having a facsimile of the complete work made.  Instead of the original 300ft x 20ft monolith the new work will be a fraction of the works original size but will be faithful to the design.

The photos below are the first few weeks work showing the early navigation works to the line and the first engine, the Lord of the Isles. 

DARTH VADER SHOWS HIS COMPASSIONATE SIDE!!

David Prowse (aka Darth Vader) 

 Today unveiled the mosaic I made with stroke victims in Croydon

The (un)cloaked terror of the Dark Side was in a positively light mood as he "cut the ribbon" to celebrate the work of the Croydon stroke group who created the mosaic in just three two hour sessions

The mosaic now graces the Physiotherapy Department  reception area at Croydon University Hospital 

Great work everybody!!

SYDENHAM CENTRE MOSAIC COMPLETED

ONCE A TIRED COMMUNITY CENTRE

(albeit with an attractive flower stall!)

COVERED UP READY FOR ITS MAKEOVER

NOW TRANSFORMED!

PROUD PARENT

LARGEST ROUNDEL 2m DIAMETER (CRYSTAL PALACE) ALL THE OTHER ROUNDELS DEPICT ELEMENTS FROM SYDENHAMS PAST, FAMOUS PEOPLE AND PLACES

ALL LINKED TOGETHER WITH IRIDISED MOSAIC THREADS

LEON WASHES WALLS AND WINDOWS WITH DE-IONISED WATER

HAND-CAST LETTERING INSTALLED - SYDENHAM

WE HAVE BEEN BUSY SETTING THE HAND CAST BRASS LETTERING IN PLACE TODAY.

THESE SHINE WITH A LOVELY "HAND-FORMED" LUSTRE BUT WILL ONLY BE SEEN PROPERLY WHEN VIEWED FROM BELOW, TWO STOREYS DOWN.

THE LETTERS LOOK GREAT AGAINST THE WAVY TILING.

TALKING OF TILING OUR EXTRA 20 METRES ARRIVED TODAY TO COMPLETE THE WORKS HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK.

SYDENHAM TILEWORK COMPLIMENTS ROUNDALS

WORK IN SYDENHAM PROGRESSES WITH THE COMPLICATED WAVY TILEWORK THAT SURROUNDS THE MOSAIC PANELS NOW ALMOST COMPLETED.

IN THE PHOTO ABOVE AND BELOW YOU CAN SEE THE CHANNELS BETWEEN THE TILING THAT WILL TAKE THE IRIDESCENT MOSAIC LINES THAT LINK THE MOSAIC PANELS

PISSARRO LOOKS AT THE MOSAIC LINES NOW INSTALLLED

JUST HANGING ABOUT!!! (thanks for that Bob!)