I won a T shirt design competition!

I am pleased  to report that I won a competition to design  a T shirt which will be sold to raise fund for the Princes Trust. The T shirt has been screenprinted by Beast Clothing and yesterday I went down to their shop in Bristol to collect my prize (which included one of the first shirts off the press). That's me on the right of the picture.



There is a little article on the Bristol Evening Post website with details about the T shirt and other fundraising events.

Bell Girl Etchings

So I did the first two etchings for my story and I was quite pleased with them. But my tutors weren't that keen and suggested I shelve the project for the moment. I think they worried that it would take too long to complete and the images weren't in my usual style. C'est la vie. I've got plenty of other ideas to get on with. Here they are anyway.

 

 

I had also played around with an alternative ending. If you read the story up to and including Bell Girl VI then continue here...

 

7. After several uneventful years a young man started coming in to the library on a Tuesday morning and he shyly complimented the Bell Girl on her delicate porcelain skin. Although he was rather short the Bell Girl thought he had very kind eyes and she started to look forward to Tuesdays. They became friends and had lunch together in the park every day and talked about books and fed the ducks and picked blackberries.

 

 



 

8. Then one day the young man knelt down in front of the Bell Girl and asked her to marry him. The Bell Girl knew she would have to tell him her secret even though it might mean losing her dearly beloved friend. However, much to her surprise, when she had finished her story, the young man leaned across and kissed her gently. Naturally the bell girl could hardly contain herself and she knew that any moment they would hear the loud, discordant clanging which she had tried so long to suppress.

   

 

9. Now in some fairy tales that kiss might have transformed the little man in to a prince and changed the Bell Girl into a princess. But not in this one. However, what they heard surprised and delighted them both. The sound was delicate and melodious to their ears and so lovely that everyone in the park looked up and smiled.

 

 

 

10. I don’t know if the couple lived happily ever after but they did open a book shop next door to the church and have several children.  And in the evenings, when the bell ringers were practicing, they would all go up in to the bell tower and dance and clang and ring and sing at the top of their voices until it was time for supper.

 

THE END

 

 



The Bell Girl X

 

 But what they heard surprised and delighted them both. It was a delicate, melodious  sound which was so beautiful that everyone in the park looked up and smiled. Then holding her friend’s  hand, and with her hips swaying gently from side to side, she walked out of the park to start her new life and hopefully live happily ever after.

 

                                                                                             THE END

The Bell Girl lX

 

This happened several times over the next few weeks. Eventually the bell girl realised that next time they met in the park she would have to explain herself even though it might mean losing her dearly beloved friend. However, much to her surprise, when she had finished her story, the lady leaned across and kissed her gently. Naturally the bell girl could hardly contain herself and she knew that any moment they would hear the loud, discordant clanging which she had tried so long to suppress.

The Bell Girl Vlll

 

 

After several uneventful years a beautiful lady started coming in to the shop on a Tuesday morning and she complimented the Bell Girl on her delicate porcelain skin. They became friends and had lunch together in the park every day and talked about books and fed the ducks and picked blackberries. Then one day the lady asked if the Bell Girl like to join her for supper? Much as she would like to have done so, her friend declined.

The Bell Girl Vll

By the time her elderly parents died the bell girl was a young woman. She tried very hard to live a very quiet life so as not to upset anyone and found a job in the library where there was very rarely any excitement. Through a combination of meditation and deportment lessons she managed to keep the clanging to a minimum. So much so that the townsfolk forgot that she was a bell girl at all

The Bell Girl Vl

"The answer is simple!" said the third doctor and instructed the  old man to make a very slim porcelain dress for their daughter which would not leave room for the clanger to swing so wildly. The Bell Girl too liked this idea as narrow skirts were more fashionable. But, after a week or so, her legs were black and blue with bruises and she was unable to walk properly any more. With regret she put on her bell shaped dress again.