I'm really sorry there's been a gap in my blogging - a couple of weeks ago i moved house. It took a couple of days to pack everything up (i work from home), but the move wasn't too bad - we moved two streets down, but unpacking and getting everything straight has taken a while. I was also trying to work at the same time on three different projects and pretend i wasn't phased by the upheaval. Anyway, with various inevitable internet connection problems i am only just able to do a blog entry.
Bronte weather project wise i've just started to work again on the 9m long 6 month graph. I've looked through the old Shackleton weather records from the time of the Bronte's and converted his Fahrenheit readings to centigrade and am drawing the data onto the graph. If i crack on with it i should finish it later today.
I started to read Shirley by Charlotte Bronte - although i admit i am only a few pages in.
Did i mention i went to Haworth for two days just before moving house? I spent a lot of time roaming the moors to try and get inspired for the final push before the exhibition in June. I stayed in a terrible b&b on the street leading up to the museum - although if you're a heavy smoker and keen on dog hairs on everything you might think it heaven.
The images above show the Bronte inspired garden at the Chelsea Flower Show - i was there for the day with a friend on tuesday - a welcome break on a sunny day, away from trying to find essential objects lost in boxes in the house somewhere...
During my research into the weather and connections to the Bronte writings i've concentrated on Charlotte, Emily and Anne - for obvious reasons. But i have also looked at the work of their brother Branwell too.
Born in 1817, Branwell was the only boy of the six children and was very close to his sisters, collaborating with them in their childhood writings. He decided to set himself up as a portrait painter for a while and had a studio in Bradford.
It's turns out that he was a pretty rubbish painter - and failed at earning a living, so turned his hand to becoming a tutor. You can find out more on Branwell on the Parsonage website:
http://www.bronte.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=113
In the Bronte Parsonage Museum are some of Branwells spectacularly bad paintings - one with some angel type figures in a heavenly scene. I was given permission to take image for the blog to show you some of his clouds - which aren't too bad i suppose. So, Branwell can be included in this after all.
By the way - i've been meaning to say thanks to all the comments that are posted on this blog - i really appreciate that you're reading it and having the time to comment - thanks!
"One evening, however, in the last week of the vacation, he arrived - unexpectedly; for a heavy and protracted thundershower during the afternoon had almost destroyed my hopes of seeing him that day; but now the storm was over, and the sun was shining brightly.
'A beautiful evening, Mrs Grey!' said he, as he entered. 'Agnes, I want you to take a walk with me to -' (he named a certain part of the coast - a bold hill on the land side, and towards the sea a steep precipice, from the summit of which a glorious view is to be had). 'The rain has laid the dust, and cooled and cleared the air, and the prospect will be magnificent. Will you come?' "
Agnes Grey written by Anne Bronte, published in 1847 under her pseudonym of Acton Bell.
I finished reading it last week - i really like Anne Bronte's writing in how it reveals the positioning of a governess socially, class structures and the different education for girls and boys. It's got a few nice weather quotes in it too, which i'll write up properly when i get time.
It's been a few days since i did a blog post - but i have been working lots on the work ready for the exhibition in June at the Bronte Parsonage Museum.
I've started a 9m long drawing showing six months of data that the weather station has collected at the Museum. As i haven't got a desk that long in my spacious workroom, i've had to keep rolling the paper back and forth. I've finished 6 months of temperature and air pressure and i'm a couple of month's through the rainfall.
Also last week i finished the prints showing weather records from the months leading up to Charlotte Bronte's death and prepared a screen for Emily and Anne too and will try and finish those this week.
And, I also received through the post the lovely old wooden file boxes i ordered from Germany that will house the weather collectors record cards. They came wrapped in newspaper and there was a lovely weather report on one.
A good week generally.
