My Easel, the great supporter

Every good professional has a CV.

My Easel and it’s Curriculum Vitae

Full Name:                  Easel Bradley-Nash-Thomas

Current custodian:       Kathryn Thomas BA(Hons) – artist and easel lover.

1920:  Julius Bradley  – wealthy & unmarried businessman.

Julius returns from China to retire to 152 College Hill Road, Harrow Weald, Middlesex.  He brings with him a valuable collection of tables and artifacts as well as an easel.  On Julius’ death, the Nash family move into the property.

1943:  Walter Floyd Nash (known as Floyd as he hated the name Walter) – artist, befriended Julius in his later years.

1972:  Floyd marries Margaret Orvis

1981:  Floyd dies and Margaret sells the Chinese tables for £1000 but keeps the easel. Margaret moves to Bovingdon, Herts.

1983: Jennifer Thomas (nee Orvis) – Margaret’s eldest daughter.  Looks after the easel in Hoddesdon, Herts, as her eldest daughter Kathryn shows promise as an artist but at 18 years old it is feared she “may do something silly with it”.

1985: Kathryn Thomas – moves to Bristol to study Fine Art at Bristol Polytechnic. The easel and her bike take up most of the space in her dad’s work van. The easel outlasts the bike at 1 Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol.

1988: Kathryn Thomas BA(Hons) and the easel move to Windmill Hill, Bristol where she (and it) lives in Mendip Road for 13 years, Dunkerry Road for 9 months and Cotswold Road for 11 years.

 

The Easel has had a few adventures.

Exhibitions:

1989; Displayed original painting in reception of Burroughs Day Solicitors, Bristol.

1997 – 2003:   Top Floor Studios, Spike Island, Bristol.

2004:  ‘Benjamins struggle’. A short film about the Holocaust.

Easel displayed an oil painting of Adolf Hitler.

‘Six Wives of Henry VIII’ David Starkey, Channel  4

2005:  The Antiques Show’, BBC.  Appeared in title sequence.

2006:  Displayed seating plan at the wedding of Mr and Mrs Hubbard in Gillingham, Dorset.

2008:  Christmas Exhibition, Fizz Gallery, Clevedon.

2009:  Coutts & Co. Queens Sq, Bristol, promoting Kathryn Thomas Lightyears at Paintworks.

John Inverdale, Alastair Hignell & Debra Searle with Easel, photo shoot for Charity auction, ‘Posh Do’ Paintworks displays  ‘Forever and Beyond’.

2011:  ‘Exteriors’ The Studio, West Quay Road, Poole.

‘Summer Weekends’ 1/2/3  ‘Skylights’ 2011

2012:  ‘Shining Lights’, ‘Moment to shine’ Olympic Torch passes by studio

2013:  Kathryn Thomas Community Event displays prize draw painting

2014:   ‘Kaleidoscopic’ 6th Kathryn Thomas Community Event, filmed by ITV for ‘Harbour Lives’ with Ben Fogle and starred in a supporting role, displaying ‘Return‘

2015:  ‘Kaleidoprint’ Limited Edition Prints launch at the studio

2016:  ‘Contemplation’ – What do you think you can see?

2017:  ‘Wonderment’ the new collection painted on the easel, see if you can spot the colours.

2018  – to date :  Studio closes, Easel moves into storage for a well earned rest and awaits it’s next job,  assisting Kathryn in the painting of the new collection – working title ‘Transitions’.