Prizegiving at Verulam School
My son Tom was invited back to his old school to receive a prize this evening. This is the only state-funded single sex boys' school in St Albans. The wood panelling, academic gowns, rolls of honour on the walls together with testosterone-fuelled obsession with sport and general boyish thugishness did not suit Tom which was why he headed off to St Albans Girls' school as soon as he could. Reputedly, one of the members of 60's group the Kinks and comedian/actor John Sessions also went to this school.
Hello to the parents who were watching me sketching if you're visiting.
posted by Julie Oakley at Monday, December 15, 2008
9 Comments:
Amazing sketch Julie!!!
Thanks Anita - anything to while away the time
Thanks so much Julie for sharing your wonderful work with us and for posting this sketch on your blog so that we can show it to Jason who also won a prize that night! We went straight to your blog when we got home after prize giving and were really inspired by your work. THANKS once again. From the parents sitting next to you!
Thanks so much Alison and Stephen. I hope you can get your graphic designing son to think about blogging. www.illustrationfriday.com was the initial impetus for me three years ago. I wish I'd started sooner
I was wondering if you snapped this scene and pen and inked later? Just imagining you sitting and drawing and missing the all important prize giving! It's weird you live so close and were at Haunton the same time as I. I do hope I wasn't the bully, can't imagine I was, but it was a long time ago. Starting to have time for drawing again myself now as I've retired from digital newspaper illustration, agh, the deadlines! A new beginner blogger now, partly inspired by you.
Fay
Hi Fay - there wasn't a Fay in my year so maybe you were a few years younger? I prefer to draw from life but didn't really miss the prize-giving as most of the drawing was done during the tedious bits
Hi Julie, I would think older rather than younger '62-'67, but the same nuns, Sister Jeanne d'Arc being my personal nemesis. My apologies for not even reading the post correctly. I see now that you address this watching and sketching double act. I hate it when people don't take the care to read before commenting! I'm starting a life drawing class locally, I loved it when I was at Chelsea School of Art, but now wear specs so I'm not sure my eyes will be able to jump from subject to paper comfortably. Wishing you and yours good fortune in the new year,regards F
We probably overlapped a year. Sister Jeanne d'Arc met me at the airport when I started in about September '66. I don't know if you remember but they had this awful thing - the new girls concert - what a way to ease you into the school - you have to put on a show! I remember I brought a grass skirt with me and did a little Fijian song and dance act.
Oh, Julie I do believe I remember your exotic Fijian performance, perfectly and delightfully other worldly in rural Staffordshire. I would have been in the Upper Fourth by then. I think we should get together sometime as most of the stories I have about the degradation caused to me by the said sister are not for public consumption.
Oh and on a brighter note, the furniture all by mouse man Robert Thompson, the refectory, the fifth form bedrooms, the chapel, worth a king's ransom these days. Wish I could say 'happy days' but at least it taught me survival, if not chemistry, physics or anything academic. Still teaching myself these things including writing and spelling!
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