Skip to product information
1 of 3

Stratford-upon-Avon Willow Pattern

Stratford-upon-Avon Willow Pattern

Regular price £245.00
Regular price Sale price £245.00
Sale Sold out
Original/print/digital

An original painting in watercolour, size 238mm x 255mm.

About Stratford-upon-Avon Willow Pattern

When I was a child we had willow pattern clock in the kitchen. I grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and I'd often look at the clock wondering where in Stratford it depicted - the river, trees, boats, birds, and bridges were all so familiar to me. Later I learned the willow pattern was a stylised landscape made by 18th century English ceramicists from a Chinese fable, and nothing whatever to do with my home town!

A thought flitted through my mind - what would the willow pattern look like of a familiar Stratford scene in a willow pattern style? I had to paint it to find out. It needed to have all the elements we see in the willow pattern - a pair of birds, a bridge, the boats, a river, and instead of the traditional swallows, I've put in a pair of mallard ducks!

I chose a view not of the theatre or the church, but of the old timber yard where my dad would buy wood for his DIY projects, Cox's Yard, which is now a bar. This is a view I know well - when I was very young we used to feed the ducks and swans on the Avon from this point. I fished for tiddlers here with a net, and in the long, hot summer of 1976, this is the point from where I went swimming. If you know Stratford, you'll recognise this view - imagine standing on the riverbank on the Rec, next to the Boat Club. People who know Stratford very well will also notice I have put in the line of poplars which I loved so much, but which were (tragically!) felled more than a decade ago.

In the US what we in the UK call the 'willow pattern' is called 'blue willow'.

I hope you like my painting and it evokes happy memories of teatime at your grandmother's perhaps?

Shipping and delivery

This website takes orders from UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

If you are not in these countries and you would like to make a purchase, please get in touch with me directly.

Posting your order

Typically, orders for physical products placed after 12pm on Friday, and on Saturday or Sunday will not be posted until Monday at the earliest. I use Royal Mail to dispatch your order.

If you have ordered multiple items, I will try to post everything together. Occasionally, this is not possible, in which case they will be dispatched in separate packages.

Digital files will typically be transferred to customers within 24 hours via email using WeTransfer, the file transfer website.

Buying an original painting? Please choose the tracked option!

UNITED KINGDOM (incl. Channel Islands, Isle of Man)

  • UK Royal Mail second class – 3 to 5 working days (can be longer at busy times of year)
  • UK Royal Mail tracked next day special delivery – next day by 1pm

If you choose a tracked delivery, I will be notified with your Royal Mail tracking number when your parcel has been dispatched.

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS

IMPORTANT! All international orders are shipped duties unpaid. Orders shipped outside of the UK may be subject to customs, taxes and duties. This cost is the responsibility of the customer and is payable on receipt of goods. Please check your local customs tax and duty costs as duties must be paid before the goods are released.

USA and CANADA
Royal Mail International Tracked service (7-14 days)

AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND
Royal Mail International Tracked service (7-14 days)

EUROPE (Rep of Ireland, France, Germany and Denmark only)
Royal Mail International Tracked service (7-14 days)

View full details