TIM BAKER

One man and a regatta of boats! For a long time I banned the river as somewhere to draw and paint. Lockdown meant the subject had been burnt out for me as I was working there every day. It’s the nearest thing to me, and when we were only allowed out for a walk I felt travelling anywhere would probably bring attention to what I was doing. But slowly a year later the river has been creeping back in – most dramatically during the Kingston Regatta.

Martin told me it was happening so I scampered down both days to draw some boats! Sadly the regatta was mostly rowing, which I had featured in some of my river scenes but this was a chance to improve those drawings. I prefer sailing as a subject, but there was a lot of motor boats, hire boats and even a VW bus boat (?) parading up and down the river, as well as Turk’s ‘steamer’ daytrip boat ‘New Southern Belle’ that goes up to Hampton Court and back. I felt like a documentary journalist, covering events as an artist is fun.

I have drawn the Parr’s Pier before during lockdown but not without the pier! During the Regatta the pier had been removed, just leaving the pole standing freely. As the rowing boats raced by – they were racing in various categories – the lonely ‘Today’s Times’ seemed to reflect the regatta rather well – you can see one of the BBQ Boats that Turk’s hires out in the lower right corner. Yes, a motorised platform with a BBQ on it!

Day one the start line was near Raven’s Ait, but on day two it was further down the river, so I drew the start line. I was fascinated by the boats the organisers use, a sort of catamaran (?) with a motor and a few seats and a splash shield.

But I really wanted to draw and paint sailing boats (I have before in the first post of this name two years ago) so the day after the Regatta I went down to the Westfield Landing to see if the Thames Sailing Club were sailing. They were, and someone has left a few chairs on the landing which is brilliant, so I perched on the concrete outfall and got to work.

Earlier on in the day it was the kids in their Pico/Topper/Optimist boats – I did a few pieces and studies of that – I actually came back a second day, I think this watercolour of what I think is an Optimist aka Oppie is from that day. Really like the feel of this, if it is a bit loose.

The studies in brush pen and fountain pen was from the first day. I have been doing studies of various things that appear in my landscapes – birds, deer, goats (!), people, rowers – and sailing boats are rarer but do appear in my work.

And my favourite piece is this one from later in the day, someone was fixing their boat on it’s side – and nicely invited me in to draw/paint in the sailing club but I was happy were I was. They have Merlin and larger sailing dinghies there – my Dad used to have a Merlin, and that was my first experience of sailing as a toddler. I used to sail a lot as a child and teenager hence my affinity for sailing boats. I do miss it, even though I don’t miss getting wet!

Quite proud of this one using the Kuretake brush pens…it can be hard to get a nice fine definite line with brush pens, you have to be really gentle and controlled, but I got that with the goose and the rigging. And I included the river cruiser ‘New Southern Belle’ which passed at the back the other side of Raven’s Ait.