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Artists Who Painted Birmingham Landscapes

Vivienne14 said:
I love this 1827 Wm Radclyffe engraving of David Cox's drawing of the market. When looked at in close-up there's a wealth of detail; the poultry for sale hanging by their legs, the dog eyeing up the live ducks and geese, the hats of the various vendors (some, I think, wearing a specific hat for their occupation, like the baker). Viv.

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Another by Radclyffe, The Village of Aston.

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Richarddye, Yes what wonderful subjects they had in old Birmingham, now we have glass, concrete and steel, hardly paintable subjects. I love painting old Birmingham but now I have to rely on old black and white pics, although there are still one or two paintable subjects, Saint Chads, Saint Phillips a few old pubs, certain section of the canals all of which I have painted numerous times over the last 50 years. Eric
 
My grandparents, and Parents were very lucky really, so little changed in their lifetimes.For me, though every thing I came to love, and appreciate, everything that gave me, a connection to my past, has all but gone, and in less than a generation. To top that everything I was taught, the way to speak, to think, has been changed, so much I don't know which way to think or act. The people I was brought up to respect, and organisations to look to in time of uncertainty, have all either been reviled, or changed so much, I am not sure any more. Paul
 
paul stacey said:
My grandparents, and Parents were very lucky really, so little changed in their lifetimes.For me, though every thing I came to love, and appreciate, everything that gave me, a connection to my past, has all but gone, and in less than a generation. To top that everything I was taught, the way to speak, to think, has been changed, so much I don't know which way to think or act. The people I was brought up to respect, and organisations to look to in time of uncertainty, have all either been reviled, or changed so much, I am not sure any more. Paul
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Absolutely Paul, it seems actually much less than a lifetime! The “hard things” like buildings and places yes but people how to speak and think seems to me to have been turned upside down in 10 or 15 years and seems not to be letting up!
 
Have always found comfort in Folk Art either recent or from 200 years ago. Art made by normal people trying to make sense of the world about them, sometimes under the most extraordinary circumstances. Last month I came across this published book about a unique Birmingham Artist Frank Sidney Smith. Lives just a couple of miles from me but I can find no reference to him on this site... Lovely inspiring artist for the worrying and uncertain times we live in.6B3C8F6F-EF45-4E54-8817-4301B4A10ACE.jpeg
 
I agree Paul, some of the early 20th C art about Birmingham is extremely inspiring.love the cover of the book, though both my early school and later school are now both gone. Paul
 
Are Frank Sidney Smith and 'Smudge' Smith one and the same person/artist ? the styles are identical, both naïve artists, paint every brick and tile. I am not belittling him/them L S Lowry was the same and he was a great artist someone I admire very much. Eric
 
cookie273uk said:
Are Frank Sidney Smith and 'Smudge' Smith one and the same person/artist ? the styles are identical, both naïve artists, paint every brick and tile. I am not belittling him/them L S Lowry was the same and he was a great artist someone I admire very much. Eric
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The problem, Eric, is that 'Smudge' or 'Smudger' is, or was, a very common nickname for anyone called Smith especially in the forces. I have found works by a J W Smith Smudge and their works are similar but they are two generations apart in age as well as Smith Smudge being from the North East.
 
Frank Sidney Smith really is quite unique as a Folk or Naive Artist and as a Brummie resident, and it’s understandable (after reading it) why Wiedenfeld and Nicholson published this 1993 hardback book about his life and work. Copies are available from Ebay for less than a fiver or you could visit Frank Sidney Smith’s favourite Birmingham City library at the Maypole and borrow a copy for free!
 
Following on from my from my posts above, It seems that there is a Ron Smith also known as 'Smudga'. This picture has just been posted on Facebook by someone who has seen it in a charity shop. Someone who used to work in W H Smith has said she used to arrange for him to come in to do book signings.

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thanks for posting that david...i have seen it before and have book by ron smith with lots of his paintings in it...if memory serves me correct i think ron was born in guest st hockley...the pub depicted in the above painting would have been the vine..the only pub along summer lane that was not situated on a corner

lyn
 
DavidGrain said:
Following on from my from my posts above, It seems that there is a Ron Smith also known as 'Smudga'. This picture has just been posted on Facebook by someone who has seen it in a charity shop. Someone who used to work in W H Smith has said she used to arrange for him to come in to do book signings.

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Is the bus the 107? Didn't the route go through Sutton? What a wonderful emotive picture.
 
Bus routes change over the years but I have looked up 107 and it was Birmingham to Sutton Coldfield via Perry Barr and New Oscott.
The Midland Red is a pre-war bus some of which survived until the late 1950s. The Corporation buses are war-time buses with the dark roof.
 
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DavidGrain said:
Bus routes change over the years but I have looked up 107 and it was Birmingham to Sutton Coldfield via Perry Barr and New Oscott.
The Midland Red is a pre-war bus some of which survived until the late 1950s. The Corporation buses are war-time buses with the dark roof.
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Yes the 107 Midland Red was the bus I used to travel to Birmingham on in the late 50s/60s
 
Pedrocut the white building in that painting was my doctors in the 50's, Dr Morgan, I lived close by in Queens Road, the wall on the right surrounded the Vicarage were I attended numerous functions sadly all now demolished. I have attached a painting of how the pub is now. Eric
 

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Pedrocut said:
Tipster, most generally, would be a correspondent who specialised in horse racing for a newspaper, and gave tips for the day’s racing meetings.
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Hi Pedrocut, just checking why ‘Some tipsters have gone under the name “the Gleaner”?' Any source for that info, please?
Cheers
 
I've checked online but so far have failed to find the full name for R.T. Bott. I assume, like everybody else, his parents blessed him real names and not just initials. Wondering if you might have any further info for him?
Thanks again
 
daid rathgen said:
I've checked online but so far have failed to find the full name for R.T. Bott. I assume, like everybody else, his parents blessed him real names and not just initials. Wondering if you might have any further info for him?
Thanks again
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There was a Richard Thomas Bott, Artist.
 
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