Country mouse went up to the Smoke

About 3 years ago, whilst flicking through Instagram I happened across a couple of pictures of friends drawn and painted by @toby_wiggins_art , Master Blacksmith Simon Grant -Jones and our late friend Alan Brown 8th/9th generation Hurdle Maker. I passed a compliment and from that found out they were part of a collection of a long term project by Toby relating to the countryside and rural workers. A good few months later I was contacted by Toby, asking would I be interested in being part of the project after he had seen one of my wooden signs in a hedge. By chance the hedge was on the road leading to his studio. Briefly, what followed over the next 18 months or so was a few long chats, a couple or three site visits by Toby and me sitting for couple of mornings. A great deal of work by Toby culminated in these pictures.

The portraits were part of a collection submitted as entries to the Royal Portrait Gallery annual show by Toby.
Now, having an article written about hedgelaying and my work, with a couple of pictures is nice, to also be part of a rural Dorset collection is brilliant, however, to then be part of a collection to be hung in a London Gallery starts to become surreal, with the icing on the cake for Toby, winning The Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture.
So on Thursday this country mouse went to the big city to view it in situ.
I have previously laid some hedges for actor, Edward Fox (Day of the Jackal) who showed a keen interest in hedgelaying and supported our local competition, so I informed him of the exhibition and to my delighted surprise, he joined us.
A few pictures of an amazing day to remember, congratulations again Toby, and thank you for inviting me to be part of this exciting project. Please do look up Toby’s page https://www.instagram.com/toby_wiggins_art/
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