One of my favourite photos of Cris in winter...

 

Cristiana Angelini, mother, artist, funny, elegant, beautiful creative person, my partner for nearly 40 years.

2020 has been a hard and painful year for so many of us. We remember our loved ones and we carry them forward with us. Let us hope that 2021 will be a kinder year for everyone.

Tribute to Cristiana Angelini 1937 - 2020

I first met Cristiana when I took a summer school in Kent. I was immediately struck by her determination to tackle the most difficult of subjects. That meeting developed into a bond where we were practically inseparable. Painting together in the Kent valleys or on the Thames shoreline we were able to give each other practical criticism. I believe on our tours of Kent she saw something of her native Italy where in her earlier years she studied at the Florence Academy of Art. 

In England she soon became involved in art projects and was a long term member of and contributor to The Blackheath Art Society. Cristiana exhibited at many prestigious galleries including the Royal Academy, Whitechapel Gallery and the Mall Galleries. in 1990 Cristiana was awarded first prize in the Laing Collection Exhibition for London and the South East. We must not forget that she achieved all this while bringing up 3 daughters. More recently The Millinery Gallery in Islington was her main exhibiting gallery where her paintings held their own against well established artists exhibiting alongside her.

Parallel to her painting career Cristiana was also a visiting lecturer at the Adult Education College for Bexley for some 30 years, stimulating many students. As testament to her skill as a teacher and warmth as a person many ex-students stayed in touch.   

Personally I was always amazed at Cristiana's energy and always that Italian sparkle to liven us up. At her peaceful passing we say goodbye to a truly renaissance woman. She was my soul mate and I was so lucky to have shared my life with her for so many years.

Terry Scales

October 4th 2020.

Autumn by Cristiana Angelini

For Sale Page

Many of the paintings on my site are for sale. If you see a painting that interests you and it does not say 'sold' please do enquire. I now have a 'For Sale' page which will be regularly updated with works of varying prices.

Chelsea Reach version II, oil on panel, size 758 x 659mm, £1250

Two for the Barge Bermondsey Wall, oil on panel, 352 x 360mm, £450

See the 'For Sale' page for a full list of works currently available.

Virtual Test Drive

My daughters partner is a software designer and has been experimenting with virtual galleries. I allowed him to use my photos for a virtual test drive. Like so many people I have missed walking through a gallery very much and though its not the same it gives some of the excitement of seeing a painting out of the corner of your eye and going to explore!

The gallery is still a work in progress, will not work on mobile devices, and looks better in some web browsers than in others... Also please note that the sizes of the paintings in this gallery are not necessarily the same as the real paintings!

Terry Scales Virtual Gallery

Twitterverse!

Not being on Twitter it was a lovely surprise to hear from a friend and colleague Nicholas Sack that his Twitter post of one of my paintings had many 'looks' and 'shares'. Nicholas is a photographer who explores the everyday dynamism of people working, moving and relaxing in and around London's financial district and Canary Wharf. His stunning black and white photos capture a flavour of life in the city as you can see below...

You can see more of Nicholas work on his website here and collections of his work are available in 2 books.

 

Mittenwald

Mittenwald was one of the many inspiring scenes I witnessed on my travels through Bavaria. We drove through this area in my old Morris Traveller which excited much interest every time we stopped to park. I don't think the Germans had ever seen such scruffy paintwork and with its old wooden frame with moss growing out of it in places I guess it was a curious sight! But it was a reliable solid car which carried us thousands of miles throughout Europe. In Mittenwald we stayed with one of our oldest German friends and enjoyed walking through the lovely mountain scenery. I painted this scene mid morning, near a stream and as I focused on ethereal beauty of the mist which always appeared to be hanging over the lower slopes of the mountains, lizards darted about and occasionally across my feet!

Mountain Bathed in Mist 1974 Gouache 11" x 16" - sold

Humpback Bridge Over the Surrey Canal

Every so often I like to comment on a painting and explain something of the background and history. The painting I have chosen today is 'Humpback Bridge Over the Surrey Canal', a sepia ink watercolour, painted in 1955.

The Surrey Canal stretched all the way from the Thames through Peckham and into Camberwell, sadly it has been largely eradicated by development.  My view shows a busy scene with goods coming and going by the canalside. On the left is a conversation between a loophole man and a drayman. My grandfather worked in the 1940's and 50's on wharves similar to this, though this particular scene is part memory and part imagination. In this period horse and carts were more used than vans. The generous amounts of horse dung were collected by keen gardeners in a post war era where very little went to waste. In the background 2 cranes are ready to move cargo from the small craft to and from the wharves.

Giclée prints are available at £15, A4 size plus postage and £25, A3 size plus postage.