The Enid Blyton Landscape
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
- Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
- Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
The Enid Blyton Landscape
In Journal number 5, Spring 1998, there is an article by Gillian Baverstock regarding a painting by Tom Adams called 'The Enid Blyton Landscape'. Gillian states that she 'became the proud owner of one third of the picture' and that they were hoping it could be displayed somewhere so that children (and adults!) could 'see and enjoy its intricacies'. I wondered if this was ever achieved?
The painting is shown in Journal 5, unfortunately in black and white, but it looks a very interesting picture, depicting Enid, typewriter on her knee, surrounded by the faraway tree, her white pidgeons, pictures of her family and fictional characters etc. It's quite small in the Journal, and details quite hard to see properly. Gillian describes it as being 'a little too large to bring down and display at the Blyton Day!'
I wondered whether a print could be made of this painting, so that members of the society could own a copy of something that appears not to be on display. It seems a pity that such an interesting painting must have been seen by so few.
Would it be possible to get a print made of the painting, or is this too expensive/ awkward to carry out?
The painting is shown in Journal 5, unfortunately in black and white, but it looks a very interesting picture, depicting Enid, typewriter on her knee, surrounded by the faraway tree, her white pidgeons, pictures of her family and fictional characters etc. It's quite small in the Journal, and details quite hard to see properly. Gillian describes it as being 'a little too large to bring down and display at the Blyton Day!'
I wondered whether a print could be made of this painting, so that members of the society could own a copy of something that appears not to be on display. It seems a pity that such an interesting painting must have been seen by so few.
Would it be possible to get a print made of the painting, or is this too expensive/ awkward to carry out?
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
- Anita Bensoussane
- Forum Administrator
- Posts: 26887
- Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
- Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
- Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
- Location: UK
I've been wondering the same thing ever since I read that article in the Journal! It looks like an amazing piece of work.
Anita
Anita
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
-
- Posts: 6386
- Joined: 26 Dec 2004, 12:20
- pete9012S
- Posts: 17649
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
- Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
- Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
- Location: UK
Re: The Enid Blyton Landscape
http://www.tomadamsuncovered.co.uk/gallery.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;Portrait of Enid Blyton - private commission
Commissioned by the Enid Blyton Company (1997) this painting, 1780 x 1220 mm, illustrates the rich childhood world of Enid Blyton. I had the great pleasure of working closely with the author's delightful eldest daughter, Gillian Baverstock, the owner.
Also See:
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... ms#p198493" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;bavers wrote:
I don't know unfortunately where the statue is but I can confirm that my mother still had it at her death. She was planning on putting it in the new garden she was going to create at her new, much smaller property. Unfortunately, the executors of her estate, with no consultation, sold the statue in Ilkley, in a sale with no attribution in 2009/2010, certainly prior to the sale of the other Blyton memorabilia in September 2010. Someone has a gem which presumably they are unaware of.
Had I known of the sale I would have tried to buy it, if only because of he memories it held for me. Not just the memories of it at Green Hedges, where it used to sit near a pond with the biggest goldfish I, aged under 8, had ever seen. But also because once it had moved to Yorkshire after Enid's death, my siblings and I knocked it off its plinth and decapitated it. I think my mother was angrier than I have ever seen her. I remember being so mortified and upset that I tore her Christmas card into bits because she quite clearly no longer loved me, as the card had assured me she did.
The statue was carefully mended and sat near two ponds, at Low Hall and Ty Bryn, until it was secured in the garage at her last house prior to a garden and pond being created.
I fortunately have the memory of it in the large Tom Adams biographical portrait which is hung in my hall, but it is not the same as the original.
Bavers
The above picture was painted by a talented member of these forums!
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
- Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
- Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
Re: The Enid Blyton Landscape
Perhaps I should get some prints made and I will pay people £5 to take them off my hands, LOL!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
- Farwa
- Posts: 1341
- Joined: 08 Jul 2014, 10:31
- Favourite book/series: The Secret Island/Adventure Series/Famous Five
- Favourite character: Anne Kirrin/Peggy
- Location: In my imagination
Re: The Enid Blyton Landscape
Wow! Both paintings are lovely! They are so beautiful and imaginative!
A day spent without a smile is a day lost.
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
- Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
- Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
Re: The Enid Blyton Landscape
Thank you! When I drew the second one, I was basing it on the original 'Blyton Landscape' painting, which I think is amazingly good!
Last edited by Rob Houghton on 11 Oct 2015, 21:27, edited 1 time in total.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
Re: The Enid Blyton Landscape
Depending on how big the print was, I'd pay that for one.Robert Houghton wrote:
Perhaps I should get some prints made and I will pay people £5 to take them off my hands, LOL!
Society Member
- number 6
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: 11 Jun 2010, 17:12
- Favourite book/series: Famous Five
- Favourite character: George/Jo
- Location: Robin Hood Country
Re: The Enid Blyton Landscape
Both are super! Love the little Badger peeking out from the tree in the bottom left hand corner of the first painting!
- Farwa
- Posts: 1341
- Joined: 08 Jul 2014, 10:31
- Favourite book/series: The Secret Island/Adventure Series/Famous Five
- Favourite character: Anne Kirrin/Peggy
- Location: In my imagination
Re: The Enid Blyton Landscape
Well, you did quite well; it is a lovely and very professional-looking painting! It ought to be in an art gallery.Robert Houghton wrote:Thank you! When I drew the second one, I was basing it on the original 'Blyton Landscape' painting, which I think is amazingly good!
A day spent without a smile is a day lost.
-
- Posts: 298
- Joined: 18 May 2011, 15:44
- Favourite book/series: The Five-Find Outers, The Adventure Series
Re: The Enid Blyton Landscape
Both very nice to see. Some lovely detail and great use of colours (I am colour blind however so I may be mistaken on the second point ).
Society Member