Diary

Steve Perks Drawing Commission 

On the 10th December I exhibited my art work at Uttoxeter Racecourse as part of the Christmas Race Meeting.

By chance, I had the extreme good fortune to meet Wesley and Sam Perks – son & daughter-in-law of the late Steve Perks – legendary jockey on the flat.

I was asked by Wesley & Sam if it would be possible for me to create a large pencil drawing from a black & white photo they had – taken of Steve riding Native Charmer at York racecourse in 1984.

On seeing the photo, I was taken by Steve’s classic position in the saddle (this stance is often referred to as ‘the Martini glass’ position – a modern, crouched style of race riding that was developed in the late 19th Century in the US). I thought that Steve looked very balanced and stylish in the saddle.

All in all, I was totally flattered to be entrusted by the family to make this commission.

My only concern, could I do Steve & Native Charmer justice?

Steve Perks – Jockey 

Stephen James Perks was born in Walsall, West Midlands on 1st January 1955.

His first win on the flat was riding Caenarvon Prince at Beverley, on 9th June 1971 – just two years later in 1973, he became Champion Apprentice Jockey with a total of 41 winners to his name.

During his career as a jockey, Steve had a long & happy association with the Staffordshire based trainer Reg Hollinshead, serving a full apprenticeship to him very early on in his employment. He continued to ride for the Hollinshead yard following periods of time away working for other UK trainers – Franny Lee, Monty Stevens, Peter Asquith to name just a few. In addition, Steve enjoyed successful rides abroad in Hong Kong and India.

Andrew Hollinshead (son of Reg Hollinshead) said that Perks was an excellent judge of a horse,

“Steve was a class jockey, and was held in high regard by his contemporaries. Lester Piggott was among those who had spoken most favourably about his riding ability”.

Steve’s biggest race wins were the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket and the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon.

During the last 15 years of his race riding career, Steve experienced set backs and injuries and was assisted by the IJF, but eventually had to retire from race riding following a spinal injury.

Following his career as a jockey, he and his wife owned a Cantonese restaurant in Staffordshire.

Sadly Steve died in 2009, following a fall at his home.

 The Drawing Commission 

I started the drawing/s literally the day after the races at Uttoxeter as it needed to be ready for my customer just before Christmas!

The creative process itself, involved making some small loose pencil sketches from the original photograph (to get an idea of lines & shapes) and then increasing the scale for the larger finished painting.

I surprised myself by the speed I was able to work on this commission and I breezed along with the sketches. In many ways, the drawing was made easier by the very fact that I simply loved the subject matter!

Anyway, the image was completed with a couple of days in hand and I’m very pleased to say that it was delivered on time and ready for Christmas!

Here’s the finished art work….

05.02.14

The Royal College of Art ‘Secret 2014′

I’ve been invited to take part in The Royal College of Art’s ‘Secret’ exhibition again.

http://home.secret.rca.ac.uk

I’m really excited about my three submissions for this year, which are all original pencil drawings, and I’m using the working title of ‘Generations’. As the art work is supposed to be kept secret until the exhibition begins I’m afraid that’s all I can reveal at the moment….but, maybe you might want to visit the show and look out for my drawings?

If so, the dates for your diary are:

Exhibition open to view (admission free) from Thursday 13 March to Friday 21 March 2014, 11am-6pm daily (until 9pm on 20 March)
One-day Sale open Saturday 22 March 2014, 8am-6pm.

06.02.13

This Is The One

Yesterday I went to see a really exciting exhibition by the photographer Ant Mulryan at DMJ Vintage in Macclesfield.

What a find!

This collection of rare and unpublished photographs included shots of some of my favourite bands and musicians – Mark E Smith, New Order, Badly Drawn Boy, and Tim Burgess to name just a few. The photo that for me, was ’The One’, was a 600mm square metal Diabond print of a fresh-faced Ian Brown taken backstage on 12th August 1989 at The Blackpool Empress Ballroom. I think you’ll agree it’s a stunning shot….iconic, and I REALLY want to buy it!

Ian Brown, 1989
(copyright of Ant Mulryan)

Photographs by Ant Mulryan @ DMJ Vintage

As exhibitions go, “All The Colours Fade”, is one of the most enjoyable that I’ve seen for ages, so I can thoroughly recommend it.

Also, all of the work exhibited is for sale, so you have the chance to buy some amazing photography for yourself (or others, if you’re feeling particularly generous/altruistic), at a range of affordable prices.

I think this show is a real must for music lovers.

Here’s a link to the venue – DMJ Vintage, which, incidentally, is a phenomenal shop showcasing REAL memorabilia from The Hacienda and Factory Records, retro record players, mid-century design led furniture and is Macclesfield’s only vinyl record shop!

http://dmjvintage.co.uk/what-we-do.php

Also, if you want to have a look at more of Ant’s photography from “All The Colours Fade”, then here’s a direct link….

http://www.music.antmulryan.co.uk/Music_Ant_Mulryan/new_exhibition.html

Ant Mulryan – photographer

The Cheltenham Festival & The Royal College of Art ‘Secret 2014’ Exhibition

It’s Monday 10th March!

This can only mean two things. It’s the start of The Cheltenham Festival and also ‘Secret 2014’ at The Royal College of Art, finally opens its doors to the public. At last!

I’m unacceptably excited to be visiting The Cheltenham Festival with friends for the very first time this year and we have tickets for the Thursday, where we will see the legendary Big Buck’s battle to regain his title in The World Hurdle. I really cannot wait.

I’d like to wish Big Buck’s and indeed all horses that will be running at The Festival the very best of luck. My ultimate wish is that they all enjoy their time at Cheltenham and come back safely.

In addition, my three ‘secret’ images that I’ll be exhibiting as part of ‘Secret 2014’, at The Royal College of Art will be revealed to the public later this week.

I was delighted to be invited to take part in the exhibition for the ninth consecutive year and have struggled to keep the content of my art works under wraps – it’s the excitement! Luckily, I’ve managed not to let the ‘secret’, out of the bag, so far.

I feel it won’t be giving too much away if I give you a little clue of how to spot my three images for this years show.

CLUE: Keep your eyes peeled for three pencil drawings that could span across three generations….good luck!

Anyway, the exhibition opens to the public on Thursday 13th March.

For those of you who aren’t able to make the actual exhibition but might be interested in seeing my postcards, they can be viewed on-line after the auction has ended – http://home.secret.rca.ac.uk and search by artist name….ie, Rebecca Arnold.

Here are the exhibition details;

Venue

ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART BATTERSEA
Dyson Building, 1 Hester Road, London SW11 4AN

Opening Times

Exhibition open: Thursday 13 March to Friday 21 March 2014, 11am-6pm daily (late opening until 9pm on 20 March only)

Sale open: Saturday 22 March 2014, 8am-6pm.

Admission Free

08.03.16

Secretariat: Touching Magic

An interview with Sandra Flippen who met the American Triple Crown winner in 1983

“It’s like God said,

“You think you’ve seen horses. I’m gonna show you a horse”.

Then he built Secretariat”

-Jim Reno, sculptor, Texas,

from Equine Images magazine, 1991

-Sandra, can you recall the first time that you became aware of Secretariat?

The first time I became aware of Secretariat was after his decisive win as a 2 year old in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, on August 26,1972.

-Secretariat had an impressive portfolio of successes during his racing career. However, in 1973, he raced with authority into the history books by winning The Belmont Stakes (the last stage of The Triple Crown in The United States of America), by an unbelievable 31 lengths, making him the greatest racehorse the world had ever seen.

-Can you remember where you were when Secretariat won The Belmont Stakes?

The day that Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes is a day that I will never forget.

I was spending the weekend with my paternal grandparents on their farm in a very rural area of central Virginia. All that day I spent with my pony until time for an early dinner and then the race. My grandmother was very supportive and even watched the race with me. We were cheering loudly and jumping up and down until Secretariat started really drawing away………

When this happened, we looked at each other in amazement, knowing that we were witnessing a miracle. You could have heard a pin drop! When he won we were in tears!! This Belmont turned out to be my grandmother’s first and, sadly, her last race, because she died just a few months later.

I was thirteen years old at the time.

-You met the mighty Secretariat (Big Red) for the first time in 1983, at Claiborne Farm, Kentucky, where he had retired to stud. Please could you describe how this meeting occurred?

There is actually a very beautiful and miraculous story of how we even got onto Claiborne that day. Everything about that day was magic.

Two friends and I decided to go to Lexington and Paris KY before heading back home to Maryland after an event we attended in Chicago.

We visited several farms earlier that day, Spendthrift among the most noteworthy, but we were saddened after calling Claiborne to find that we needed to make prior arrangements [an appointment] well in advance. So we decided to just drive by and at least get pictures of the farm from the road.

We pulled off the side of the road just before Claiborne’s mailboxes and long driveway and just watched the mares and young foals in the field. We did not approach the fence nor try to touch feed, etc. because we felt that was wrong. After just a few minutes a new truck with the Claiborne Farm logo on the side came to the end of the driveway and stopped. A very nice young gentleman (not much older than us), gets out of the truck and walks toward us. We thought we were in trouble!! He looked at our car and said “Wow! You young ladies have certainly come a long way”. We agreed, and then he shocked us by asking “ Would you girls like to see the stallions?” We were speechless at first but nodded yes with big smiles. He laughed and said get in your car and follow me after I turn around. We followed him and parked near him after he stopped in front of the farm office. He asked us to wait outside for a moment and then he would be back out to let us see the stallions. When he came back out we followed him to the barn and as we walked he yelled for the groom that was inside the barn. The man that came out from the barn was just as friendly, was around 65, and I remember that his name was Clay. The younger man told him to let us see all the stallions ~ESPECIALLY SECRETARIAT!! Lol We had never said a word to him. He just KNEW why we were there. He then proceeded to tell Clay to let us see anyone we wish after Secretariat. Then Clay said “Yes sir Mr. Hancock!!!” I almost died when I realized just who this kind gentleman was!! Seth Hancock!

-What are your recollections of that special day?

It was a blazing hot summer day in August. There had been a very bad drought that year which had turned all the bluegrass yellow.

We followed the groom, Clay, into the stallion barn. Secretariat was in his stall looking over his door watching us approach. He was huge and very muscular. I couldn’t believe that I was finally seeing my childhood hero in the flesh. He was even more magnificent looking in ‘person’ than any photo or painting had ever looked. Photos simply can not do him justice. Clay then put a lead on Secretariat and led him out of the barn while we followed along. Outside of the barn, Clay held him still while we looked at him in awe. As the three of us took turns patting him, Clay told us a few stories about Red’s life and routine at Claiborne. I was even allowed to give Red a few hugs. He was the most gentle stallion that I had ever been around.

Because we were invited on the farm and it wasn’t a scheduled appointment, we were able to be with Red and Clay for at least an hour or more. There were also no more appointments for later that day to hurry our visit. It still seems like a dream to me after all these years. We knew it was a miracle or divine intervention that we ever got onto the farm that day. I am so thankful to Claiborne Farm and Mr. Seth Hancock for making three young ladies’ dreams come true that day.

-People say that great racehorses have a certain aura about them. Having met Big Red in person, would you say that this was true of him?

Yes, Secretariat certainly did have an aura about him. He held his head proudly and was always observing his surroundings. He never missed a thing. I was the only one there with a camera. He focused on me as if I was the only person there. He would strike a pose whenever he saw me lift the camera up! This was in 1983, ten years after his retirement from racing and all of its publicity. He knew he was special and he acted like it. He loved the attention.

-I understand that you were able to visit Big Red on several occasions after the first time.

What would you say is your most treasured memory of all of your times spent with this wonderful creature?

My most treasured memory of my times with Secretariat was from my first visit in 1983.

After the joy of watching Red racing free around his paddock for fifteens minutes or more, he then surprised me with his next actions. He began to saunter back up to me where I was standing at the fence with my camera in hand. Just as he got to me, he snorted and dropped his head to grab some dried up grass into his mouth. He then raised his head proudly, gazing at me with wisps of grass hanging out of the corner of his mouth. After I took a few pictures, then he began to finish chewing!!! What a ham he still was! He did all of this without once taking his eyes off of me. What a magnificent creature he was. My favorite picture from this moment of our encounter shows the grass in his mouth as gazes at me head on.

-I’ve read that Big Red’s handlers have commented that he would often bolt across the grounds at Claiborne at incredible speeds. Were you lucky enough to witness such a magnificent display?

While at our first visit in 1983, Secretariat’s groom, Clay, asked us if we wanted to see him run. We quickly said yes! Clay led him over and opened the gate to his paddock. Secretariat kicked up his heels, snorted and took off before Clay even got the gate latched!!! LOL What a dream it was to watch Secretariat flying around his paddock and enjoying himself. After about fifteen minutes of racing around and playing, Secretariat walked back up to me and my camera near the gate.

-Racing folk often talk about ‘the heart’ of a horse. It’s a well known fact that Secretariat’s “great heart” was not just simply a turn of phrase, but an anatomical fact. Following his autopsy, it was revealed that Secretariat’s heart was twice the normal size and a third larger than the veterinary surgeon had ever seen.

Having met the world’s greatest racehorse, what does the word “heart” with direct regards to Secretariat mean to you?

To me, “heart” not only reflects his strength, stamina, and great desire to win. It also reflects his cheerful will, and his kindness. Yes, he WAS mischievous, but what stallion isn’t? Every time I visited him he was gentle, kind, very attentive and never tried to bite.

-And finally, I have to ask you (!), after 40 years, Secretariat’s track records remain unbeaten in ALL stages of The Triple Crown…the Kentucky Derby (1:59 2/5), the Preakness Stakes (1:53), and the Belmont Stakes (2:24). Will we ever see the likes of the mighty Big Red again in our lifetime?

I seriously doubt that there will be another like Secretariat in my lifetime, and not likely in the next either. Oh, there may be other Triple Crown winners, but none that will smash all the records in these Classics as Red did. Eventually a horse may break one or more of his records, but I highly doubt that one horse will be able to do ALL of this as he did. God broke the mold with this horse. He didn’t just shatter these records, he won each one in a unique style that will be remembered by racing fans forever. His unnatural running of the Derby…every quarter faster than the previous one, and still broke the record. His famous move in the Preakness that barreled him ahead of the field early to stay there for the win. And he saved the best for last with his surreal performance in the Belmont. Blazing along, he broke the record and left the field nearly a sixteenth of a mile behind him. This was not a race, but instead an exhibition of Secretariat’s greatness. And the truly amazing thing is that he did all of this without the urging of a whip…he did it in a hand ride for the sheer joy of running. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O57qMR45Y1o