Stoners the Jewellers, Burgess Hill

loosely sketched in my Seawhites sketch book

scaled up and drawn out on a larger piece of Bockingford watercolour

All done

I grew up in Burgess Hill, in the seventies most Saturdays were spent by having a walk up to the town with my pocket money. The town was fairly small, but had recently been enlarged with a new modern shopping centre with what were at the time exciting new shops. A big Smiths, a giant boots, a new toyshop, sweet shops and some clothes shops, there was also a big showroom to exchange your green shield stamps. That area of the town is now all about to be torn down again. that makes me feel old!

However, there are a few strong survivors, and here is one. This jewellers shop is in its third generation. Survived the first phase of demolition in the town and all those new shops, and now stands firmly resisting all the changes that are threatening again. There are not many shops that have survived for longer than I can remember so these really need to be celebrated!

Once upon a time I would be left outside these shops in my pram, and would talk to people as they passed by or stopped to say hello. I am trying to get a feel for those times within this picture. I also remember well the lady traffic warden that used to pound the streets of the town. She was a bit scary to me!!

Opening time at the Cinema

sketched out plans 

all drawn out and ready to paint

all done

There is an old cinema, The Orion,  in Burgess Hill which has bucked the trend and still shows films, but its future is under threat from a big multi screen that is due to be built nearby.
I have a vivid memory of queueing for this cinema with my sister on a hot day in the school summer holidays, waiting for the doors to open, and hoping we would get in. We would probably have had a box of smarties or fruit pastilles, bought from the nearby sweet shop on the way.
Here is the day, reimagined in pen and watercolour.

Dockerills in Burgess Hill

sketching in my book

all painted up bigger on watercolour paper

About 7 years ago Dockerills hardware shop in Burgess Hill closed. A rare old shop, amongst the buildings in the oldest shopping area in the town, the loss has been mourned.

Luckily the building is still there in all its beauty and has recently been brought back to life with a new business. But here I am remembering it as it was.

Bradleys sweet shop - Sweet Memories

Here is the finished painting of Bradleys sweet shop in Burgess Hill...as I remember it!

Many a visit was had back here in the 70's!

Sweet memories - Burgess Hill

sketching out a plan

All drawn up

when whites really aren't white

getting the blues on

when the sky and trees go in the lights go on!

nearly there, working on the sweet shop

I will be taking part in an exhibition with the Weald of Sussex Art Club later this month, in Burgess Hill. I grew up in Burgess Hill and my Dad, an artist too, was a member of this art club back in the seventies.
He would encourage me to draw and paint, buying me the Disney magazine to copy from, and calling me to watch cartoons with him...and sometimes letting me have a go with his oil paints.
This painting is of a favourite sweet shop near my home, which I often visited, and my Dad used to collect my magazine from. It was so exciting to hear him come home from his commute, having collected the magazine on his walk home from the station,  and hear the clunk clunk, as he undid his briefcase, it would send me running down the stairs!

Nearly finished this painting now, just working on the seventies feel clothes and sweet shop windows