Norfolk collage

artist Helen Herbert

Helen Herbert is a Norfolk painter living in Sheringham. Her paintings include seascapes, landscapes and figurative work. Here’s how Helen describes her art:

“What I look for as an observer of people and places, is the relationship between individuals and their surroundings.

I don’t paint this literally but try to capture the atmosphere, mood and connection between sea, sky and people, often with heightened colour.

Currently, I am intrigued by dark against light and each painting is an exploration of this theme.”

Helen takes part in the Norfolk Open Studios:

Open studios Sat MAY 24 - 1 JUNE
The Studio, 23 Holt Road, Sheringham, Norfolk, map link
also at Crayford & Abbs, Bodham, Norfolk. map link

after the rain

There is a magic spell lying over the garden after the rain. Nature is breathing deeply, refreshed, colours look like newly painted. Millions of tiny water diamonds decorate leaves and blossoms.

On The Broads

“The Broads is a fascinating area with a rich history, reflected in the many wonderful places to visit and the unique wildlife. There are restored windmills, medieval churches, beautiful gardens and great places for family visits. If you enjoy walking or cycling, there are also many routes to choose from.

For many people, a great way to explore the Broads is by water, as much of the history of the Broads revolves around the way the rivers have been used over the years. For many, the charm of the Broads rests on the illusion of remoteness you get when you’re on the water. You can be near a village without knowing that there is anybody or anything for miles around. So, whatever you do, try to get afloat and you will find much to surprise and delight you.”

Frank Halliday, Mill on The Broads

“Over two million people visit the Broads every year, exploring by land or water or a combination of both. There are many different ways to enjoy the area, including sailing, motor-boating, canoeing, fishing, bird-watching, walking and cycling.

Boats are an integral part of the Broads, which is one of the most extensive and varied inland waterways in the country, and one of the most popular in Europe. It offers 200 kilometres (125 miles) of boating on lock-free tidal rivers.”

“They are connected by over 200 miles of gently flowing, navigable rivers, dykes and cuts that offer ideal cruising conditions at between 5 & 7 mph. You can cruise right into the heart of the city of Norwich, or travel east as far as Great Yarmouth, where the Broads eventually affords access, (for those with suitable craft), to the North Sea. Providing you`re not in a hurry you can travel many leisurely miles throughout the Broads region, for days on end.”

You can hire a variety of boats on the Broads. A great adventure are the original Wherries:

The pleasure wherry “Hathor”

Like Albion, Hathor (pronounced “Heart - or” is a product of another age. Built in 1905 she has the hull and sailing rig of a commercial wherry but the hull is kitted out for passenger’s comfort and enjoyment.

Several Pleasure wherries were either converted from commercial ones as trains and the internal combustion engine took over their trading activities, or built new like Hathor. These were the first hire boats available on the broads where gentlemen (and their ladies) would come and be sailed around and looked after by their ‘man’ (and usually a ‘boy’ as well).

Blickling Hall and Gardens

Blickling Hall belongs to the National Trust.

Located 2 miles from Aylsham, it is a magnificent Jacobean house with gardens and park

• Famed for its long gallery, fine tapestries, paintings and rare books
• A Garden for all seasons
• Excellent wedding and conference venue
• Reputedly home to the headless ghost of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second queen

Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henri VIII

Outsider Art - Paintings of Leofric Baron, artist at RoaR

A Retrospective of Leofric Baron’s art took place in January 2008 at the RoaR Gallery in Norwich

Art in Norfolk

It is said that (nearly) everybody in Norfolk is an artist. It must be the light, the landscape, the laid-back way of living which are equally inspiring to lots of aspiring artists.

The “Open Studios” scheme has now been running for several years, and each time, some 250 artists take part in it. During two weeks in May, they open their studios to the public, mostly at the weekends, to present and discuss their work and, ideally, to sell some of it.

The RoaR Gallery in North Norfolk is a particularly interesting place for Art, concentrating on Outsider Art.

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“Outsider Art follows no rules and has no influences. An Outsider artist has only his imagination or sub-conscious to guide him. His art is unlikely to bear resemblance to any art that has gone before, other than his own. He works from compulsion and not with any audience in mind, and creates with a powerful and singular artistic voice.”

“True Outsider artists do not seek publicity, recognition or exhibitions of their work. They work purely from a compulsion or need to create, rather than from any wish for recognition or any other sort of benefit from their art. They usually have a large body of work, and have, almost always, found a particular ‘style’ with which they are comfortable, so their work is instantly recognised from another artist.”

“RoaR Archive is a charitable non-profit making arts organisation situated in the centre of Norwich, Norfolk. The archive houses over 1,000 original artworks on loan to RoaR from known outsider artists in the region. The resource library and information area seeks to promote an understanding and appreciation of outsider art.”

The RoaR gallery opened in June 2004 and provides a programme of contemporary visual arts exhibitions focusing on outsider art.

A great highlight: The Norfolk and Norwich Festival 2008

The Norwich and Norfolk Festival will soon start again: from 2nd to 17th May.

“With its blend of classical and contemporary music, children’s events and contemporary performances there really is something to tempt everyone at this year’s Norfolk and Norwich Festival. It’s by far the biggest festival ever, and takes in venues that include one of the only surviving Victorian hippodromes, a Norwich city nightspot, the open spaces of Earlham Park and the beautifully refurbished Theatre Royal. Choose the exhilaration of circus and pyrotechnic spectacle, the polished splendour of great orchestras, ensembles and choirs or the twists and turns of contemporary theatre.”

The program offers a fantastic variety of events!

UK Game and Country Show in Norwich

the Quack Pack

Back again! After a long “creative” break I think it’s time to have a new go at the good old blog - from now on in English, and concentrating mainly on anything about beautiful Norfolk and East Anglia.

This weekend, for instance, the UK Game and Country Fair is taking place on the Norfolk Showground in Norwich, with lots of attractions and events.Dog agility

We’ve got glorious sunshine and mild temperatures for a change, so the show should be a great success.

Cutters and Climbers competition

Owls display

Falconry display

Strandurlaub a la carte

Um Engländer und Deutsche zu beurteilen, sollte man sie vielleicht einmal beim Strandurlaub beobachten. In einem gestrigen Artikel der Daily Mail fand ich die folgenden Bilder…

Hier sieht man Urlauber (sicher zumeist Deutsche) am Strand von Lübeck: die Strandkörbe sind militärisch exakt ausgerichtet, nur zum Meer hin zeichnet sich Auflockerung ab. Zum Vergleich ein südenglischer Strand:

Kaum zu glauben, oder? Die reservierten, ordentlichen Engländer entpuppen sich als Hordenwesen am Strand von Brighton. Einem Strand, wo man auf harten Kieseln sein Lager errichten muss!

Und hier ein Strand in Belgien. An Geometrie scheint man den Deutschen jedenfalls nicht nachzustehen.

Fast irreal erscheint in diesem Zusammenhang ein Foto unseres hiesigen Strandes in Norfolk (Mundesley):

Ein wunderschöner Sandstrand, und kaum eine Menschenseele zu sehen.

Norfolk ist von den Londonern zum Glück noch nicht wirklich erschlossen worden, bis auf die Nordwestküste, die bereits “Chelsea on Sea” genannt wird. Und ausländische Touristen sind in Norfolk eine echte Rarität. Die zieht es vor allem an die Südküste, nach Devon, Cornwall sowie nach Nordengland, wie man schon den Titeln der DuMont Reiseführer entnehmen kann. Mittel- und Ostengland scheinen bei Deutschen auf wenig Interesse zu stoßen, trotz Attraktionen und wunderschöner Landschaft.