Helen Wheatley

Went to Portsmouth to make preliminary sketches for possible paintings of Victory while she is refitting. It was so dark down below that the only way to work was in heavy black and white. I worked fast to get as much down as possible, drawing very directly without measuring or correcting mistakes. A new kind of image for me came out of this. Everyone there was really helpful so it was possible to work without feeling pressured or in the way. People workingon historic sites seem to think of painters as one of themselves, with the sort of cameraderie this implies – jokes, help and interest offered all at the same time. Special thanks are due to Giles Gould, Enterprise Manager for English Heritage there, who made the whole thing possible. www.hms-victory.com