Welcome to the November 2019 edition of the Jack Russell Gallery Newsletter. Jack Russell MBE WORLD CUP WINNERS!I can’t find the words adequate enough to describe what a brilliant summer it’s been for cricket. I was lucky enough to be in the thick of it with canvas and brush, if only on the boundary edge. My old car sponsor and pal Steve Patch managed to find me a way to purchase a ticket for a seat in the top of the Mound Stand at Lord’s for the World Cup Final. It cost and arm and six legs but was worth every penny. I wouldn’t have missed it for all the tea in China! What an amazing experience. Priceless. The first 50 overs were fine, England were in a good position at the break, but the second 50 overs, plus two extra “Super Overs” were absolute agony. I now understand what friends and relatives go through when they’re watching you in action. ![]() When you’re out in the middle it’s fine because you’re so wrapped up in what you are doing that you don’t get time to get nervous and bite finger nails (which is not easy in any case with big black gloves on!). For a long time we looked out of it until Ben Stokes started dragging England up by the boot laces and even then I’d thought we’d lost when we tied after our 50 overs but lost more wickets than New Zealand. In days gone by that would have meant certain defeat. I needn’t have worried though because when there were overthrows deflecting from Stokes’ bat I should have realised then it was going to England’s day. As if by magic a “Super Over” tie-breaker appeared. As the sun was setting right in our faces low over the new Warner Stand and the shadows lengthening the tension was unbearable. The whole ground held its breath as Joffra Archer delivered the final ball. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as the ball came back in from the boundary and Jos Butler ran out New Zealand’s Guptill for yet another tie!! But victory was ours because it had been on the big screen that another tie was no good to New Zealand on a count back of boundaries. Don’t ask me to explain it, it's all too complicated for my three brain cells but when Guptil dived towards his ground, still a yard short, and Jos whipped off the bails, England were World Champions and that’s all that mattered to me!!! Between biting already short finger nails I managed to make a few sketches and take some notes so I could eventually capture this momentous occasion on canvas. I spent the next few days in my studio working out the look of the final painting. Over the Winter I will have the pleasure of reliving that magical day by painting one of the greatest moments in English cricketing history. Through demand already we have decided to make a print from the original World Cup Final painting. Thank you to all of you who have been in touch by email and on twitter. Anyone interested, with no obligation to purchase, please drop me an email jack@jackrussell.co.uk or tweet me @jackrussellart and we’ll make sure you all see it. THE ASHESI was also lucky enough to paint at every Ashes Test this summer. Thank you everyone at the counties involved for making it possible and repeatedly giving me the best seat in the house to set up my easel and canvas. I hadn’t painted an Ashes series since that epic contest in 2005 (even then I didn’t paint the Lord’s Test) so it was great to finally paint my first full Ashes Series. Those of you who know me know that I can never take the straightforward route so I added an extra challenge by trying to capture the first ball of every test. I’d done this before at Cardiff in 2009, the first ever test match in Wales, and again for The Oval’s 100th Test Match last year. It’s always special to capture a particular moment in history, to immortalise a specific point in time. I'd forgotten how intense a battle the Ashes Test Matches were. Every ball is critical! It was a great thrill to be close to Ashes action again. ![]() All the colour notes went very well so now it’s a case of transferring that atmosphere to the larger finished paintings, which I am in the middle of right now. There will be one extra Ashes painting. How could I not paint the moment Ben Stokes hits the winning runs at Headingley to elevate England to glory!
![]() Arguably one of the greatest Ashes innings of all time (together with Jack Leach’s 1 not out!) and without doubt one of the most amazing test matches in history. Again we have already had enquiries so as above, if you would like to see the finished limited edition, without obligation, please get in touch so we can keep you posted. WOMEN'S ASHESTo complement the men’s Ashes I had the pleasure of painting my first ever Women’s Ashes Test Match courtesy of everyone down at Somerset County Cricket Club. Due to past rivalries with my home county when crossing the border into Somerset I used to have to go in disguise! Only kidding, its a friendly rivalry. I’ve always got on well with the supporters in Taunton and it was a pleasure to be back on a very different looking ground to my playing days. The venue has come on a long way and credit to everyone involved at the county for the way they've developed over the last few years including most importantly producing a number of home grown international players. ![]() I was sad to see this year the retirement of the brilliant Marcus Trescothick, but he’s entitled to call it a day after all he has achieved for club and country. I can remember him as a little boy presenting him with an Evening Post Young Players Award for Keynsham CC back in the very early 90’s, I’ve still got a picture in one of my scrapbooks somewhere. Boy does that make me feel old! Thanks to Michelle Brooks at Somerset I was allowed to position myself next to the Sir Ian Botham Stand with a wonderful view of the new stand and the twin church towers, the perfect angle. I was pleased with the colour note so once again when time permits I will work this up into a larger final painting. ![]()
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