Cars, Cars and More Cars
As you may recall, I made the difficult decision to scale back and not trade as much this year at the shows due to ongoing health reasons. I am still attending car shows, however, and wanted to start a short blog to share updates and let you know what I’ve been up to.
As you’ll see from the pictures, I have been out and about in Ellie a lot. The first one I did was at a car show in Sheerness, on a sports field where there was a nice mix of classics, one in particular was a 1902 vehicle. I went with my Ford crew and we had a blast catching up after the long winter and spring. Was a small event which was a nice way to ease into the show season.
Classic Ford Show at the South of England Showground was a washout, unfortunately. I’ve always caught the sun there in past years, but this time it was cold and wet throughout the day. Still, it was great to catch up with Mk2 Mitch and to see his spotless Mk4 Fiesta van up close.
Volksweald — The three-day VW festival at Penshurst Place was the first show where I sold my artwork. Every year I set up shop here and have an absolute blast seeing the VW community come together to celebrate their shared passion for the iconic camping scene that made Volkswagen the go-to manufacturer. From old Beetles to the new T7 Camper, every degree of VW was represented, which, as always, was a real spectacle. I had my stall for the three days which, although a very relaxed show, was still physically demanding. At this show I successfully sold my A4 prints and have since improved my packaging. I also received several commissions, which was fantastic.
Classic Cars and Vintage Retro on the Green — I had a stall at this show because it raises money for a charity close to my heart and is very local. I had help setting up, which was a game changer for me. This show raised £7,542.07 for KSS Air Ambulance, which is an incredible achievement. I am proud to be a part of this event. I didn’t sell many A4s, but I came away with a lot of commission work, which is amazing.
All Ford Show - This show was a mixture of old and new which I very much enjoyed. It was very hot this day but we had shade under a gazebo thankfully. Went with the Ford crew to this too as per which was brilliant. Even got to see one of them do a full of forward roll after he tripped over his own camping chair.
The Sugar Hut - This one was at Minster on the front. This show I really enjoyed last year, as it was just a few of us sat under our umbrellas in the pouring rain, chatting and having a real laugh. I got this amazing photo, taken from the side, of the three Moredoors with a massive storm cloud looming above them. I have been in the process of drawing it, but it has had to take a back seat due to the number of commissions I have been doing.
The Horseshoes - I have been doing evening meets too, which I thoroughly enjoy. The third Thursday of every month this meet happens, and I really have a blast catching up with owners, young and old.
Butcher’s Block at The Bell — another evening meet. This one is fairly new on the scene and happens on the first Thursday of each month. In the car park in Bearsted, a nice selection of cars attends.
Cars, Bikes & Coffee is another evening meet at the Lydden Hill Circuit in Canterbury. It’s £5 on the gate and you get a coffee included. This is a big meet and I have been here in both Ellie and the ST. It’s a great turnout of new and old. This last time there were cyclists racing on track, which looked like hard work — worth keeping an eye out for.
Headcorn Aerodrome Classic Cars, Running Retros, and the Hazzard meets on Sunday mornings have been fantastic staple car meets throughout the year, too. Honestly, I love this time of year. There are more to come, but I am done with trading for the year, and with just the two shows I have enough commissions to keep me busy.
Below are just a small sample of photos from the meets and shows this year so far. I hope to see you all at some point soon.
I have just done the Touring Cars at Brands Hatch. Next up is Leeds Castle on 9 August, followed by Classics at Penshurst. Once again, this is not even everything I have in the calendar.
Lets do this :)
