3 artist’s books
WELGORA by Alan Langford
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To find out more click on the pictures:
WELGORA
WELGORA – ISBN: 9780992722067
Alan greets a friendly cob.
Wickham Fair – large oil painting on canvas by Alan Langford.
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The square becomes a busy profusion of merry-go-rounds, bumper cars and other fairground paraphernalia. A section of the Fareham to Winchester road is closed to traffic and used as a ‘flashing lane’ by the Romani horse traders.
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If you are fascinated by skilled bareback riding then there is no other event, at least in Britain, to compare with it. They are followed by horse-drawn sulkies, their drivers often leading more horses behind them.
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The confidence with which the lads and raklis rush down the gradual slope of the flashing lane, mounted on their coloured Vanners with no saddles or hard hats and unforgiving tarmac underfoot, though dangerously reckless, is also skilfully impressive.
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They are followed by horse-drawn sulkies, their drivers often leading more horses behind them.’
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John – see below.
Among the characters I notice when studying the milieu of visitors, those that are of Romani extraction differ in both posture and expression from the curious clusters of the local gorgias.
Many of the Romani are possessed of weathered strong-featured countenances, suggesting a long ancestry of tough individualism.’
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Watch Alan at Wickham Romany Horse Fair (WELGORA) 2019
The 2019 Welgora at Wickham was no exception, as full of excitement and life as ever.
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Horses are brought from as far afield as Birmingham and Newcastle.
High-trotting, coloured horses with big feathered feet are favoured by the Romanies.
Mugs and caddies illustrated with paintings by Alan Langford.
John has been coming to Wickham Fair for 70 years.
A pretty driving horse.
Beaulieu Road pony sales – oil painting by Alan Langford.
Autumn, the time of year for the Beaulieu Road Station pony sales, when Commoners and other horse and pony owners gather to sell their livestock by auction.
It’s a good place to buy a New Forest filly or colt, to meet friends or simply to enjoy an atmosphere that is as old as the New Forest itself.
You may also see spirited cobs, favoured by Romani folk for their patience and strength, being put through their paces under the trees beside the auction ring.
The working horse has always fascinated local artist, Alan Langford. Featured here is his large oil painting of Beaulieu Road pony sales.
Alan’s book, WELGORA, provides Alan’s fascinating autobiography and full page spread pictures of his beautiful oil and watercolour paintings.
An Early Lesson – sketch by Alan Langford.
For more about the book click on title – WELGORA
On 14th July 2018, a huge crowd gathered at The Point, Eastleigh, for the launch of Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure by author, Anthony Ridgway, and artist, Suzan Houching.
Among those attending were Sheila and David Suchet, Ros Holness and Tina Fanshawe.
Anthony gave a speech full of humour, praising his mother, Grethe, as his ‘harshest critic’, and thanking Barbara Large for helping him hone his writing skills.
David and Sheila Suchet read a section from Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure, and Wizzy the wheelchair, of course got a look in, making a phone call half way through the reading!
Tina Fanshawe’s horse, Nellie, was the inspiration for the plot in Anthony’s first book, Wizzy the Animal Whisperer. In Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure, Honey, the dog, shows the same empathy, helping the children bring to justice some rascally thieves.
The beautifully illustrated large format Wizzy books can be read again and again and enjoyed at many levels – for the adventure story, for the fabulous pictures, to read out loud or to read in your head … although it’s hard not to laugh out loud at the funny moments created by Wizzy the hi-tech wheelchair, who takes everything literally and cannot understand the idiom of human speech.
Click here to buy Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure ISBN: 9780993507878
Click here to find out how Anthony writes.
If you are from a school or retail outlet and would like to know more, please contact Jenny on mail@littleknollpress.co.uk
