One thing Cyril loved doing was making cards for his family and friends.
This particular one was for Valentine's Day about 45 years ago.
He often mixed mediums in his work and was always experimenting.
This one is in gouache with gold embellishments.
As we embark on our journey to start producing merchandise using Cyril's designs this one will most certainly be included.
Cyril had many pieces he submitted selected over the years. In 1981 the picture selected and hung was his amazing pencil drawing ‘The New Arrivals’.
Cyril worked on it for over 650 hours, such is the fine pencil work, and it is estimated to have two and a half million pencil strokes. He used a technique he perfected in his experimental map making.
It was the year Diana and Charles announced their engagement and Cyril enjoyed the opening evening in their presence partaking in strawberries and champagne as he proudly wandered around.
He was also thrilled to meet one of his fellow artists who he was in South Wales with in the War but that is another story.
A CD is produced each year but the commentary is only able to mention a couple of pieces of work from each gallery. Cyril’s was one of the chosen.
His work was admired and heralded as an amazing technical feat. There after he was mercilessly teased for his amazing technical ‘feet’.
Photos (left) here you can see the original 1982 invitation.
Here is an early picture he painted, as a very young man, of an imaginary garden. Quite enchanting we hope you think.
This is a watercolour although Cyril used many different mediums for his work.
With all the lovely blooms at The Chelsea Flower we were prompted to highlight Cyril's love of flowers and his garden.
It was always an absolute riot of colour and variety, full of charm and personality. Lazy summer days were spent picnicking under the many fruit trees he loved too and which provided subjects for some of his still life work.
He greatly enjoyed his garden which provided a place to sketch, paint and photograph and provided some magnificent colourful inspiration. He was often to be found with magnifying glass in hand studying the details of many of his blooms. He especially loved the centre of the forget-me-not, which when under the glass, reveal their astonishing patterns.
Gardens have become so popular with all the flower shows and offers of bulbs and plants from magazines at affordable prices and well stocked garden centres these days. Many years ago Cyril's garden was much admired for its rarity value as well as it incredible beauty. There were always runner beans stringing their way amongst the blooms too.
Cut flowers were always in his house and he loved painting them as seen here in this glass vase. Never a purist he often mixed them all up creating his individual style.
Flowers provided the inspiration for his popular floral balloons picture. Selected at one of the Royal Academy Summer Shows, this has been a firm favourite with fans.
If his love of art didn't take up most of the waking day I am sure he would have made a wonderful gardener.
He was responsible for many many hits like Delilah and It's Not Unusual for Tom Jones and also for The Dave Clarke Five, Herman's Hermits, Lulu and many others.
We were very sorry to hear the news that he has recently passed away and send condolences to his family.
He and Cyril had lots in common and on our fan page Les expressed his views on meeting Cyril. The feeling went both ways and they enjoyed sharing their creative talents and interests. Cyril was multi-talented and it was a nice reminder to us that he was involved in furniture design amongst his many other projects.
Les is one of our featured fans and his profile can be found below.
Our online shop is open now and 24/7. You now have a choice of 9 of Cyril’s most popular designs available to purchase as high quality greetings cards.
New Available Designs:
‘Rainbow Rendevous’
‘Floral Flights’
‘Ark Overspill’
‘Saphire Serenade’
‘There may be trouble ahead’
‘A lot of hot air’
‘Floratasia’
‘Hey you, get off my cloud’
‘Planet earth is blue’
Specifications:
Cards left blank inside for your own personalised message
Dimensions: H:153mm x W:103mm
Each card comes with an envelope
All cards individually wrapped
Special Offer!
To celebrate the launch of our new shop we have a new special offer on bundles of any 4 cards!
