Frank……
The start of something BIG? By Roy Meats
Chapter One
……Frank
is a scarecrow from Gloucester. He was well looked after for years and
was a happy scarecrow. Each winter he was bought in from the cold and
was re-stuffed, had new clothes and then put back out in the spring.
This went on for years then suddenly it stopped. He was not bought in
and the farm was being neglected, all because the farmer had become old
and ill and unable to look after the farm and had no one to help him.
The farm became run-down; fields were unploughed and full of weeds.
‘There was no use for a scarecrow’
Eventually
Frank was taken from the field and shoved up against an old disused
barn where he stayed here for years. One day a van arrived at the farm -
Frank and all of the farmers’ belongings were put in the van they drove
for hours eventually when the van did stop Frank and the farmer were
somewhere on the coast!
The farm had been sold and the
farmer had retired to the seaside, he had become just too old to look
after the farm. The farmer had always been a busy man and he could not
get used to just doing nothing day in and day out. He decided to become
a deckchair seller and for novelty would use Frank to advertise his
deckchairs. Frank was happy again he now had a purpose.
And this is where Frank’s story begins…………………… to follow
Roy Meats biography
I
was born in Nottingham City Centre in 1958. The son of a long Distant
Lorry Driver and a Lace Maker, cobbled street were still the norm.
I
was always painting and drawing with my dad he loved pictures of
Galleon ships. My work was always exhibited at school and I then became
fascinated with nature in all its forms.
Having to leave
Nottingham due to my father’s work, we settled in the small market town
of Atherstone. A whole new world had opened up as nature and wildlife
was on my doorstep.
All of my spare time was now spent walking the fields and hedgerows collecting and studying nature, all flora, trees, rocks etc.
I
started to sell paintings whilst still at school. My first medium was
pencils and water colours, extending into pen & ink, oil acrylic and
then enamels.
When I left school I became an apprentice in
painting and decorating, studying colour, designs and specialist
finishes as part of this training. I developed a flair for sign-writing
which eventually became my main source of income.
As painting was
still part of my life, I organised my first exhibition in Atherstone
Anglia Building Society. The pictures that were on display were mainly
all animals.
Upon completing my apprenticeship, I set up my own
sign-writing company this was in 1983. I was working mainly for all the
different breweries up and down the country. I painted pictorial signs
for pubs as there was a big demand for hand painted signs. I was also
still selling my paintings and getting commissions for peoples pets etc.
In
addition I started designing and producing painted fire screens, clocks
and furniture. These were mainly sold at Country Fairs and Country
Stores.
My second exhibition took place at Riversley Park Gallery,
Nuneaton. This was a complete sell out of all my products and pictures.
With
the demise of the brewing industry, the demand for signs and sign
writing declined. I took a new direction into painting murals in
children’s bedrooms, hotel themed rooms and children’s play areas
throughout England and Europe.
My most recent murals have been painted in Father Hudson’s Care Homes in Coleshill. With further work commissioned.
Throughout
this period, I have still carried on painting and still do commission
work for people. More recently I have decided to take my painting one
step further and branch out in limited edition prints. By going down
this route I am making my pictures accessible to more people at an
affordable price.
roymeatsart.co.uk
