1958 Lister-Chevrolet ‘Knobbly’ car drawing at Goodwood Revival

An homage to Goodwood Revival 2020

Goodwood Revival is a unique three-day festival held annually in September that recreates the 1940s, 50s, and 60s era of motorsport, with vintage cars, aircraft, fashion, and music celebrating the circuit’s original period between 1948-1966. Held on the grounds of the Goodwood Estate in Chichester, West Sussex, UK, over 150,000 vintage enthusiasts are encouraged to dress in period clothes to help immerse themselves in a historic car race day.

My family and I had booked to attend the Goodwood Revival finals day on Sunday, 13th September 2020, however, due to efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the event has sadly been postponed until 2021. The Revival attracts such large crowds of spectators that enforced social distancing measures would have impaired the visitor’s enjoyment of the event.

Watch the greatest Revival races online from 11th-13th September 2020

Despite being unable to hold the event this year, the Goodwood team has searched the archive and selected the greatest races from the history of the Revival to stream online over 11-13th September 2020. Fans can still immerse themselves in the spirit of Goodwood Revival by tuning in from 10:00 am on the Goodwood Road and Racing website and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Goodwood SpeedWeek, 16th-18th October 2020

Goodwood is also taking the opportunity to preview Goodwood SpeedWeek presented by Mastercard. Held without spectators at Goodwood Motor Circuit, this inaugural event will combine the best aspects from the Revival, the Festival of Speed, and their Members’ Meetings to add to its exclusivity.

Annual Revival favourites such as the RAC TT Celebration for GT cars and the Grand Prix race for the Goodwood Trophy, as well as supercar debuts and new car reveals from the Festival of Speed. Cars will leave the circuit to use areas normally reserved for spectators or buildings. There will also be the first-ever set of rally stages on both tarmac and gravel within the Circuit, gathering cars that represent nearly half a century of the World Rally Championship.

The event will be streamed live through the Goodwood Road and Racing website and their social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Viewers and fans will be able to get involved by participating in competitions, virtual polls, quizzes, and race predictions.

Why I drew the 1958 Lister-Chevrolet ‘Knobbly’ from the Revival

I had already decided to draw several classic cars, supercars, and motorbikes over a few months in the summer, due to a client’s interest in a commission. It also happened to be the birthday of a family member and taking the Revival as inspiration, I drew the 1958 Lister-Chevrolet ‘Knobbly’ in pencil as a gift.

There were many beautiful classic cars at Goodwood Revival, but I chose to draw the 1958 Lister-Chevrolet ‘Knobbly’ as its aerodynamic design, sleek, elongated curves, side exhaust pipes, and unique appearance immediately appealed to me. It was also one of the historic cars racing that day. This particular model caught my eye just before it was due to race on the circuit. I changed the racing number to a 7 as I knew it was the favourite number of the person for whom I gifted the drawing. I thought that a pencil drawing would give a handcrafted and classic, vintage look, as opposed to an oil painting in colour.

*1958 Lister-Chevrolet ‘Knobbly’ car at Goodwood Revival, pencil drawing by Charlotte Iggulden*

I am naturally inclined towards vintage and classic cars, possibly because I have been raised in a family that has enjoyed, collected, and driven classic cars over the years. However, as a fine artist, I think that classic car designs have a sophisticated degree of individuality and are incredibly beautiful; their handcrafted look appears as a work of art. I will admit that classic cars are not necessarily the most practical, but they are beautiful to look at and the feeling you get when driving or being driven in one adds far more to the driving experience.

Closeup of the 1958 Lister-Chevrolet ‘Knobbly,’ pencil drawing by Charlotte Iggulden

Lister Motor Company

Founded by Brian Lister in 1951, Lister Motor Company is Britain’s oldest car racing manufacturer and was the country’s most successful sports racing car of the 1950s; it won almost every circuit in the UK and was virtually unbeaten overseas. It is now perhaps the most respected historic race car manufacturer in the world.

Lister Classics is a division of the Lister Motor Company and was founded by Father and son team, Andrew and Lawrence Whittaker, who purchased the company in 2013 to continue building, restoring, and selling a variety of historic racing cars and tuned Jaguar vehicles. You can follow Lister’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Goodwood Revival Fashion

As a gloriously fun step back in time, Goodwood Revival celebrates not only the cars of the 40s-60s eras but also the fashion styles. For anyone who loves vintage fashion, Goodwood Revival is a wonderful event to immerse yourself in.

The Goodwood Revival website has various site pages dedicated to vintage fashion, with ladies and gentlemen style guides for the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s. There are also a few websites that provide style guides for Goodwood Revival specifically, such as the House of Foxy which gives advice on the ’40s and ’50s clothes for women.

Here I am dressed in a vintage 1950s outfit at Goodwood Revival 2019

Goodwood Motorsport Events 2021

To find out more about attending the Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed events in 2021, visit Goodwood’s website to sign up for ticket alerts.

Whale Sharks: Giants of the Ocean

I painted this close encounter of a scuba diver swimming with whale sharks (Rhincodon Typus) in the Philippines as part of a series of commissioned oil paintings in 2016.*

I included a scuba diver to highlight the incredible size of the whale shark compared to a human, as well as its majestic presence. I wanted to suggest their meeting as a wondrous yet intimate moment in time between humanity and nature.

*See more in the section ‘Whale sharks and biodiversity in the Philippines.’

Elusive and mysterious

Adult whale sharks are often found at the surface, making them popular with snorkelers and divers. Despite their friendliness, these creatures remain enigmatic to scientists and conservationists; their maximum size, lifespan, and age of sexual maturity unconfirmed. Researchers are also unsure why they have spots.*

*See more on these topics in the following sections.

Ocean giants

Whale sharks (Rhincodon Typus) are the largest known extant fish species in the world. They are not whales, but their size is comparable. They dwarf great white sharks in size; the average size of a whale shark is around 32 feet, whereas great whites grow to around 20 feet. However, whale sharks are believed to grow over 40 feet (20 metres), similar to that of a bus. They can also weigh up to 20 tonnes. Whale sharks do not have any natural predators.

Habitat

Most sharks prefer temperate climates, except for Greenland sharks, which live in the Arctic and Northern Atlantic. Some whale sharks have been found in colder North Atlantic water near New York, but most are found in warm, tropical waters such as the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

According to this National Geographic video, titled ‘Investigating the Mysterious Whale Sharks of Mafia Island,’ whale sharks help support small ecosystems, as they are often found with schools of smaller fish alongside them, presumably hoping to catch small morsels or plankton when the shark feeds.

My painting shows a school of smaller fish following one of the whale sharks:

Interestingly, this phenomenon has inspired local fishermen living on Mafia Island, Tanzania, to work alongside whale sharks to catch the fish without harming the sharks.

Deep divers

Although often found at the surface, whale sharks can dive further than 1000 metres. In one study, based in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea, researchers used three types of satellite-transmitting tags to track the movements of 47 whale sharks.

Their findings were impressive:

The whale sharks made frequent deep dives to at least 500 metres (1,640 feet);
Three of the tagged sharks made excursions below 1,000 metres (3,281 feet);
The deepest dive they recorded was 1,360 metres (4,462 feet).

Distinctive and unique spot patterns

Whale sharks are the only species of the genus Rhincodon, part of the family Rhincodontidae. They are classified within the order Orectolobiformes, which contains seven families of sharks and includes the carpet sharks. Carpet sharks are given the name due to their mottled body patterns, evocative of carpet-like designs.

Whale sharks are easy to identify due to their size and distinctive pattern of white spots and stripes. The patterns are believed to be as unique to each individual as a fingerprint is to a human. However, the purpose of their spots is a mystery. Typically, patterns occur to aid camouflage; wobbegongs (a common name given to the 12 species of carpet sharks within the family, Orectolobidae), use the spots on their bodies as camouflage as they rest on the seafloor, and to help them blend in with the reef.

Intriguingly, it has been suggested that the spots on whale sharks help protect the sharks from harmful ultraviolet rays.

Feeding habits

Most sharks are carnivores, but some, like the whale shark, are filter-feeders. Inside the whale shark’s mouth are several hundred rows of small, hook-shaped teeth. Although it has a mouthful of teeth, the shark doesn’t use them to bite or chew food.

The whale shark is one of three species of filter-feeding sharks, namely the basking shark, and the more mysterious but aptly named megamouth shark. The whale shark actively swims through plankton, sieving these organisms through its gills; it has been observed ram filter-feeding and at times, nocturnally. Whale sharks are migratory animals who appear to move to areas in conjunction with fish and coral spawning.

Sharks within the order Orectolobiformes have eyes set far back behind a small mouth. Unlike most sharks, where the mouth is underneath the snout, the whale shark’s mouth is nearly at the tip of its nose.

Reproduction and longevity

The whale shark is usually solitary, however, it is sometimes found in schools of up to hundreds of individuals. These animals are found mainly in the open sea, but they sometimes come near the shore. Their age of sexual maturity and reproductive biology is unconfirmed, however, scientists presume that whale sharks are ovoviviparous, where the females incubate fertilized eggs inside her before they hatch, giving birth to fully formed live young. You can read more about ovoviviparity, and how it differs to viviparity, here. Each litter contains about 16 young, but litters of many more are possible. In the mid-1990s a female whose uterus contained nearly 300 young was caught near Taiwan. Like the other mysteries surrounding whale sharks, they have never been observed giving birth, and it is not known where this may happen.

It is thought that whale sharks are born between 40-60cm, but there are few sightings of individuals below 3m, and no one has yet determined where they go before reaching this size. However, one whale shark measuring just 38cm was found in the Philippines in 2009, suggesting it was a birthing ground and not simply used for feeding.

The gigantic size of whale sharks suggests they can live up to 100 years.

Whale Sharks, biodiversity, and conservation in the Philippines

As mentioned, the commissioned painting featured in this blog is part of an ongoing series of paintings of the Philippines.

Aside from its abundant natural mineral resources including gold and nickel (the country has the second largest gold deposit in the world), the Philippines is a biodiversity hotspot and a popular place for whale sharks to congregate; it is an archipelago consisting of more than 7,000 islands and is the smallest of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world. The Philippines covers only 2/100 of the total land area of the earth, yet 20,000 species of plants and animals have been recorded here, half of which are found nowhere else in the world. Read more on its biodiversity here.

Donsol, in the Philippine province of Sorsogon, has been identified as a whale shark hotspot, hosting one of the largest aggregations of whale sharks on Earth. 491 individual whale sharks have been identified at Donsol, this equates to 44% of all whale sharks identified in the country. Other large aggregations include Ningaloo Reef in Australia, Mexico, and Mozambique.

15 years ago, WWF Philippines partnered with Donsol and other tourism stakeholders to develop the Community-based Whale Shark Ecotourism Program and establish guidelines for whale shark interactions. Scientists are responsible for researching and studying individual sharks in an attempt to conserve them.

Endangered species

There are over 440 species of sharks in the world. These awesome creatures have outlived the dinosaurs, but many are now sadly threatened with extinction.

Due to threats to their ecosystem, whale sharks have been listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as endangered since 2016. Like all sharks and large fish, whale sharks are vulnerable to bycatch (becoming caught in fishing nets).

It is estimated that 100 million sharks and rays each year are killed by humans. If not victims of bycatch, most are killed by commercial fishermen for their fins and flesh. They are also sometimes illegally hunted and eaten as a delicacy in certain parts of Asia.

Sadly, sharks are greatly misunderstood. For instance, the orca whale is the ocean’s top apex predator, not the great white shark. On average, one person dies each year in the US from a shark attack. Cows, bees, wasps, dogs, and snakes are responsible for far more deaths each year in the US than sharks.

Indeed, whale sharks have no natural predators apart from people.

We need to remember that the ocean is their territory, not ours. Predatory species such as the great white, bull shark, or tiger shark, only attack if they confuse a person for their prey, usually fish or seals. It is best to bear this in mind if we choose to swim in areas of the ocean where they are present.

All sharks are vital to a healthy ecosystem

All marine life is essential to a healthy ecosystem and that of the planet as a whole. Sharks are vital as they maintain the species below them and are indicators of ocean health. The apex predators feed on weak and sick animals and ensure biodiversity.

Coral reef ecosystems, seagrass beds, and commercial fisheries have all declined due to the loss of sharks. Without sharks, larger predatory fish, such as groupers, increase in abundance in the coral reefs and feed on the herbivores. As the herbivores decrease, macroalgae increase and expand, leading to the loss of coral and the detriment of the entire reef system.

Majestic and awe-inspiring, yet vulnerable

I recently completed a four-week online course with the University of Southampton on ‘Exploring Our Ocean.’ One of the tasks was to upload an image, title, and description, to represent what the ocean meant to me; I uploaded my painting of whale sharks and titled it, ‘Majestic and Awe-Inspiring, yet Vulnerable.’ The wonders of nature surround us. For it to continue to inspire us, we should try to protect it from threats and exploitation.

Shark Week

With Shark Week upon us (9-16 August 2020), I thought it apt to share my painting of whale sharks. Created by the Discovery Channel to raise shark awareness, the event has grown online, with over one million hashtags on Instagram alone.

The Natural History Museum and the American Museum of Natural History have a ‘Nature Drawing Club’ and have included ‘Shark Week,’ so I have tagged them in the image on Instagram to help raise awareness of the vulnerability of whale sharks and the need to protect them.

Journeying into Narnia and The Surrey Artists online shop

“Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny.”
CS Lewis, ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.’

Representing my art online often feels like walking through the wardrobe into Narnia, a digital world where I am suddenly (or gradually) presented with exciting new experiences and opportunities both nationally and internationally, that might not have been as readily available offline. The ability to travel cyberly and meet new connections (and keep in touch with current connections), has made the internet a pleasant asset to my art business.

The quote from CS Lewis is particularly apt, as I recently had a meeting with the Surrey Artists Network at the historic pub, The Old House in Dorking, Surrey, with parts of the building dating back to the 14th Century. The meeting was held in a secret room, hidden away at the back of the pub and only accessible through a walk in wardrobe. My first impression on opening the door on the other side of the wardrobe was like entering an 18th Century time capsule. I was immediately transported into another era, with leather seats, exposed beams, brickwork chandeliers, a roaring log fire, old paintings, bookshelves lining the walls, and an old piano. My inner interior designer/architect/historian/musician/bibliophile/antique collector couldn’t quite control itself and I just fell in love with the secret room instantly. I don’t think it’s hard to see why.

The purpose of the meeting was not to discuss the online shop which I am about to mention, but the network organisers always seem to find hidden gems tucked away in Surrey for our meetings, so I wanted to include it here, particularly with the Narnia/internet theme.

On 20th November I began an online Open Studios art shop with Surrey Artists, of which I am a member, and incredibly, received my first orders within two days. I have decided to feature greeting cards, with eight card designs in a mix and match format, suitable for any occasion throughout the year. Alongside the cards, I have included a small framed original oil painting and several open and limited edition prints that are currently only being displayed in galleries. Sharing about my commissions online in the past few weeks has also resulted in several enquiries from new clients, requesting bespoke commissions in the New Year. An etsy shop is also in it’s inception, and will be featuring (at the moment), greeting cards and prints. A lot can happen in a few weeks!

There is a seasonal Christmas discount of 30% on all my limited edition small prints, and free UK postage for all medium size prints. Both offers are available until mid January.

Most originals, aside from the one on the Surrey Artists shop, will be able to buy from me directly or through galleries or agencies representing me. You can view more of my work and upcoming exhibitions at www.charlotteigguldenart.co.uk

I am now taking commissions for 2018, please send any enquiries to info@charlotteigguldenart.co.uk.

I would always encourage other artists to focus on their artwork creation offline first and building contacts, then simply continuing it online and not giving up, especially if they are not very technically/social media inclined. Perseverence, faithfulness in doing what you love, and hope, has it’s rewards.

Parallax Art Fair: Chelsea Town Hall, Oct 21-22, 2017

I’m delighted to announce that I will be exhibiting several original oil paintings at the ’boutique-style’ Parallax Art Fair in Chelsea Old Town Hall on 21-22 October. Held at the beautiful Grade II listed Town Hall on the fashionable King’s Road, the event will gather over 200 international emerging and established artists to display and present their unique works of art directly to the public.

Originating in 2010, the fair sought to accomplish a new art exhibition experience within a gallery-style setting. The October event will be my inaugural exhibition at this popular fair and I’m looking forward particularly to meeting other artists and discovering new paintings, sculptures, textiles and crafts, as well as meeting art collectors.

The surroundings are another, not insignificant, reason I decided to exhibit there. The Town Hall’s magnificent late Victorian architecture and interior decoration provides a spectacular backdrop, and the Main Hall (where the artist led fair is held each year), boasts glorious decorated ceilings and furnishings.

For travel information, please see the event site, here.

To attend the private view on 20 October, please RSVP by emailing me at info@charlotteigguldenart.co.uk

I look forward to seeing you there!

Ps. This pencil drawing is my slightly exaggerated and romanticised version of the building: the stairs are not in fact this high, nor are the plants tumbling down the building’s walls. Nevertheless I think they are attractive additions 🙂

The World of Interiors Magazine – London Design Festival 2017

‘An interior is the natural projection of the soul.’ Coco Chanel

The World of Interiors magazine is considered by many to be the definitive guide to the most innovative trends and traditional designs for both professional interior designers and creative entrepreneurs alike. Every reader becomes a design pilgrim, seeking the next piece of antiquity or source of inspiration for their home or project. The October edition of the magazine is the main issue of the year as well as the biggest issue, not just in physical weight but also in its scope of interior spaces, fabrics, decor, furniture and art, all being showcased city wide as part of the prestigious London Design Festival.

Now in its 15th year, The London Design Festival gathers the most innovative and dynamic designers, artists , architects and retailers from across the capital to exhibit their creative talent in many pop up London venues throughout 16-24 September 2017. Each exhibiting company will be launching their latest designs for the autumn season and into 2018, alongside classic, timeless pieces. There is a plethora of events to choose from during the London Design Festival and throughout the autumn and winter season, including the French Design Trail, 100% Design at Olympia, The V&A design programme, Design Junction, The London Design Fair at the Old Truman Brewery, Focus /17 at the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour and Decorex. Incidentally, luxury interiors online platform, Treniq, will have a stand at The London Design Fair and Decorex, exhibiting a selection of contemporary designs; my paintings are displayed on their online gallery, here.

I personally love finding pieces of art and design inspiration in the magazine and on my travels in general, but I also find that the people that populate the pages of WOI are just as interesting as the aesthetic principles they adhere to. There is a fascinating interview with People of the Sun charity founder and previous architect, Maria Haralambidou, who has helped bring the designs of talented local Malawi artisans to a global audience and whose latest collaboration with Dutch designer Ineke Hans will be launched at LDF. Art director and stylist Sue Skeen has also given an insight into the New Craftsmen gallery- a quirky collaboration between a rush weaver, leatherworker, mosaicist, cabinet maker and painter. Then there is the home of architect Duncan McLeod and Lyndsay Milne McLeod, founders of Studio McLeod, whose seemingly ordinary West London Victorian terrace house belies an extraordinary inner labyrinth for their children to play, imagine and grow in, deservedly earning them an RIBA architectural award. For those who want to take a closer look at their designs, Studio McLeod will be participating in Open House London on 16 September. Other feature interviews include French designer Jacques Garcia and his incredible Mogul-style ‘pavilion of dreams’ in northern France, the Chateau du Champ de Bataille, with gardens echoing the Taj Mahal.

There are more cases of the unexpected at Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire: we are offered a glimpse into the sumptuous William Kent interiors and former home of Nancy Lancaster, and the recent collaboration with charity ‘Fine Cell Work,’ where skilled embroiderers in prison have helped recreate one of the former chatelaine’s rooms. The front cover of WOI is also an homage to the eclectic London home of wallpaper designer Georgie Hopton and her husband, artist Gary Hume (part of the YBA and made famous after the 1988 ‘Freeze’ show). The wallpaper design featured on the cover is typical of the floral designs that Georgie favours. The couple’s summer retreat in upstate New York is a refuge for both artists to freely experiment and paint, with its vegetable garden serving as a daily source of inspiration for Georgie’s latest designs, some of which can now be seen at the Baby Forest gallery. There is an undeniable underlying theme pervading the pages of the magazine, of designers, architects and homeowners restoring and enlivening beloved spaces to their former glory, reaping the rewards after much perseverance and unquestionably a huge amount of love.

Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s home is another highlight of the magazine, not least because he painted one of my family’s enduringly favourite paintings, The Coign of Vantage: as a previous student and ardent admirer of classical literature, this painting particularly reminds me of Homer’s The Odyssey. Tadema’s paintings have been used as a guide for many films, including Gladiator, where the clothes served as inspiration for the films costume designer. His ‘fastidiously researched images of antiquity’ in his paintings translated into his home, where each room immerses you in a ‘different aesthetic reality’, from ancient Rome to the C17th Netherlands. You can visit his exhibition, ‘Alma-Tadema: At Home in Antiquity’ at Leighton House Museum until 29 October.

The magazine also showcases a selection of the best fabrics, furniture, books and decor that have recently been launched, including ‘Highland Retreats: The Architecture and Interiors of Scotland’s Romantic North’ by Mary Miers, Max Eggers’ favourite wallpaper designs at Decorex and Focus, and Cecile Daladier’s ceramics in Provence, influenced by her love of music, botany and art history.

With such a colourful magazine brimming with trinkets of inspiration, I thought it would be appropriate to embody the spirit of the autumnal season and London Design Festival with my oil painting, ‘Autumn Colour,’ measuring 100cm x 50cm and painted on linen.

Why not look for your next piece of home inspiration in the World of Interiors magazine or at one of the many London Design Festival events!

*Information sourced from The World of Interiors magazine, October edition 2017.

Art UpCLOSE – Monaco, Miami and New York

‘It doesn’t matter where you go, it’s who you travel with.’ Anonymous

I’m excited to announce that I have recently signed with New York based art agency, Art UpCLOSE! They are a pioneering art marketing company who will be showcasing my paintings digitally via flatscreen at events in Monaco, Miami and New York. Modern technology has revolutionised the art market and I’m looking forward to promoting my paintings and drawings in niche markets worldwide using their company strategy.

Our first destination will be the exclusive Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) for the ultra luxury market in Monte Carlo on 27-30 September 2017, under the high patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco. MYS has been set in the iconic Port Hercules of the Principality of Monaco since 1991 and is the only place to admire and purchase around 125 extraordinary one-off yachts built by the world’s most respected shipyards. 580 companies and partners participate in MYS among the world’s leading brands, designers and luxury manufacturers. Art UpCLOSE have been selected as the only company representing art at this unique event and will be exhibiting my paintings and drawings, alongside other artists work, during daily private receptions held in the Artifact booth at the new Starboard Pavilion, next to Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren and Rolls Royce.

After the Monaco Yacht Show, there will be three more global art and design fairs in Miami and New York to look forward to in the coming months and into 2018, namely: Spectrum Miami on December 6-10, 2017, the Architectural Digest Design Show in Manhattan in March 2018, and Artexpo New York on April 19-22, 2018. I also have my art exhibited continuously alongside other artists, via flatscreen in Artifact’s Manhattan gallery in Orchard Street, New York. You can read more about Art UpCLOSE on their website, where my original oil paintings and drawings are now available to view.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the coming months and next year will bring and what God has in store. All glory goes to Him. I hope you can join me on this journey with Art UpCLOSE.

Next stop.. Monte Carlo!