Orange Order - Twelfth - Painting

Folks, this is a repost by request - it is the right time of the year!

Blakley's Glorious Traditions: A while ago I posted a blog regarding a painting that I had commissioned by my old school friend Brian Jamison, Well here is the finished article. I have promised 2 friends a print each of the painting, so I took the painting down to my local photographer, who photographed professionally and copied the painting on to a canvas.

The painting is 'Blakley's Glorious Traditions' and depicts the Anderson family displaying their Cultural & Musical Heritage. Back in the 1960's in the old Greenwell Street, Newtownards, where my family lived for generations upon generations and where they worked, played and enjoyed their lives to the full. Here as you can see is my family like many ordinary Ulster Protestatns display our Culture in a peaceful, fun and family way.

There are 4 generations of the Anderson Family painted, quite a few passed away many years ago, however their memory now lives on in this work of art.

I used the main Anderson Bloodline starting with my Grandfather & Grandmother, their children, including my Father and Mother, my Brothers & Sister with my 2 children and a few friends thrown in.

I am absolutely delighted how the painting turned out, it is a credit to the Artist Brian Jamison and I dedicate the painting to the memory of my late Father Blakely Anderson who sadly passed away in May 2009.

A little about Brian - Brian Jamison is a well known and highly respected local artist from the town land of Ballywatticock, which lies on the outskirts of Newtownards, Co. Down. Brian has established a fine reputation by the quality of his work and is noted for his meticulous attention to detail. Living deep in the countryside and close to the shores of Strangford Lough, Brian has been inspired by his surroundings and his love for the traditional way of life. He strives to capture through art, many aspects of rural county life such as music, animals, wildlife and country sports, which he regularly enjoys.

Over the years as his passion for painting has grown and his desire to paint many diverse subjects has developed, Brian is equally at home painting on canvas, stones or old milk churns. His paintings have included family pets, animals, tractors, farm yard or wild life scenes such as pheasants and wildfowl, however recent commissions have included famed motor cycle racers, a WW1 scene of the 36th Ulster Division “Going over the top” at the Battle of the Somme and various Ulster Scots topics.

Brian is one to relish any painting challenge and recently had been asked to paint two lambeg drums. Both drums are shown in this book “Auld Samuel” a portrait of Samuel Cully of Portavogie, and “Prudence” a drum depicting the old Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church, Newtownards. Keeping with this theme, Brian is seen here completing a street scene named “Blakley's Glorious Traditions”. It was commissioned by Mark Anderson and shows a typical “Twelfth Scene” in Newtownards, including the Fife & Lambeg Drum.

Brian holds tremendous pride in his work; he carefully plans all his paintings and spends many painstaking hours adding minute detail to his work, as he strives for artistic perfection.