Author Archives: Richard Stokes

About Richard Stokes

Richard Stokes. Lives Lymington. Educated in Art Schools - Winchester, Birmingham and Portsmouth. Worked as art administrator: Ikon Gallery, Birmingham; Midland Group, Nottingham; West Midlands Arts, Birmingham; Gateshead Garden Festival; Arts Council; Minories Art Gallery, Colchester; West Midland Arts. Also involved with the former Limpets Restaurant. Keen sailor.

An Electric Velocipede

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Richard Stokes

Late last year I purchased an electrically assisted bicycle from Figgures my local bike dealer. I decided to go for a folding model just in case I had to lug it around in the car. I mean lug too as … Continue reading →

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My New Pressure Cooker

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Richard Stokes

I have always been wary of pressure cookers, possibly the fear of explosion, possibly various complexities. I have to admit I am hopeless when it comes to reading instruction manuals. I also have a rather alarming childhood experience of pressure … Continue reading →

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Back again after a long time

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Richard Stokes

I have been remiss in not contributing to this blog for ages, years in fact. The last couple of years have been interesting, I mean interesting in the scenes of the Chinese curse “may you live in interesting times”. My … Continue reading →

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Chaat Masala

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Richard Stokes

Many years ago (late sixties) when I was a student in Birmingham a new up market Indian restaurant opened in New Street, one of Birmingham’s main retail thoroughfares. It was in my mind anyway rather ludicrously named the Gaylord Indian … Continue reading →

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Easy Russian Salad

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Richard Stokes

Recently I felt nostalgic for tinned Russian Salad. I can’t remember which company supplied them might have been Heinz or possibly Crosse and Blackwell. What I recall was something like a macedoine of vegetables but with a salad cream/ mayonnaise … Continue reading →

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Lunchtime at the Pig

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Richard Stokes

Thursday 13th of March we went to the Pig. It should have been the previous day had it not been that Jersey Airport was closed owing to impossibly snowy conditions. I had not been to the Pig before yet I … Continue reading →

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Draw Something – or other

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Richard Stokes

First of all I have to apologise that this blog has been untended for almost a year. Wetherspoon have opened their newly refurbished premises in St Thomas Street. The premises look good and the designers have done a very nice … Continue reading →

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Great at first sight – Firstsite Colchester

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Richard Stokes

The beginning of the title of this blog is borrowed from Rowan Moore of the Guardian / Observer. A neat pun which expresses some of his caution about the architecture. As an ex curator myself (Minories – Ikon Gallery) I … Continue reading →

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Apple™ confusion – Leopard to Snow Leopard to Lion

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Richard Stokes

My brother recently acquired an iPhone, I had the lowlier HTC Wildfire S (interesting camera though) so I was a little envious. I told him I was a bit green and he said he was a bit disappointed. It was … Continue reading →

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Another kind of lomography

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Richard Stokes

People coming to this blog might be questioning my abilities to take a decent photograph. I do myself sometimes. Just before Christmas I saw a guy in Waitrose, Lymington’s car park taking photographs of a strangely beautiful dusk sky. I … Continue reading →

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Life in the Costa Geriatrica

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Richard Stokes

The Costa Geriatrica is a wonderful name I have invented for the strip of coastal land stretching from Eastbourne to Bournemouth. I live in Lymington at the western end of this coast. It was named as best seaside resort town … Continue reading →

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The Number Four

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Richard Stokes

I was listening to Alex Bellos on favourite numbers on Radio 4 and was fascinated to know that he had created a survey website asking people for views on their favourite numbers. http://www.favouritenumber.net I went to this and informed that … Continue reading →

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Changing the colour of links in iWeb

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Richard Stokes

I did think that you couldn’t easily change the colours of links in iWeb. It’s not true it’s very easy. Mac don’t seem to tell you this in help. All you do is go to links inspector and it says … Continue reading →

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City of contrasts – Birmingham UK

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Richard Stokes

Chinatown Canal, Birmingham This photo was taken in Summer Row close to where the old Birmingham College of Art Experimental Workshop would have been. Only a stone’s throw away from the brash new city centre. Note the contrast between old … Continue reading →

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Ikon and John Salt

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Richard Stokes

I was invited to the private view of paintings by John Salt at the Ikon in Birmingham. John Salt was the first artist to show at the Ikon and then he had a major show in 1975 curated by my … Continue reading →

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A quiet place in the New Forest

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Richard Stokes

Royal Oak North Gorley Fo peace and quiet go to North Gorley, 2 miles south of Fordingbridge. There is a small plain with wild cattle, horses and donkeys, tranquil ponds and a thatched pub. The pub serves good food and … Continue reading →

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