#039 Bikes and ladders

Message to Sir Keir / Ten things I've been doing

Hello Diagram Club readers.

A slightly different introductory comment this time.

There’s been some really sad news. As you know I’m a regular attender at Essex Wildlife Trust Langdon Nature Discovery Centre, or as I call it in this newsletter, The Cafe. At the end of last week we heard that Jean, one of the loveliest members of our community, had died. We are all absolutely heartbroken.

Jean was lovely person to be around. She took a genuine interest in people and their wellbeing. Most weeks I spent time talking to Jean, and she often asked after the members of my family, as she knew that 2024 had been a difficult year. She always took great interest in hearing about what I was working on, and she would show me what she’d been drawing or painting in her daily sketchbook.

Jean’s passion was art. She was a retired art teacher, and was a huge encouragement to me and many others in our creative endeavours. She was the founder of the Plotlands Art Group, or as I’ve called it here, the Lovely Art Group. I was there this morning talking to members of the group - the sense was that she was a superb teacher, and knew exactly how to point people in the right direction to improve their work. To say she will be hugely missed by the group is a significant understatement.

Besides the art group Jean was a committed volunteer at the visitor centre, of which The Cafe is part. She was a favourite amongst the staff, volunteers and regulars. Members of Jean’s family were there this morning, as they knew quite how important the place was to her. The art group will be involved in plans to celebrate Jean’s life.

And, as an aside: just to mention, without elaborating, that the managers, Charlotte and Yasmine, have done such a good job this week during what has been a really difficult time for our community.

Jean enjoyed reading this Diagram Club newsletter, which is one reason I wanted to start this week’s this way - thanks for understanding a slight change of tone compared to my regular newsletter introduction. My more usual content continues below, but first, the art group picture I drew for Jean a few weeks ago. I included it in Diagram Club #034, but it seems appropriate to post it again.

Cycling cartoon of the week

This week: Bikes and ladders.

It’s fun, when you’re somewhere high up, to cycle downhill to somewhere low down. I should add: this is just me playing around with an old cartoon - it wouldn’t be worth an attempt to find any additional deep and hidden meaning within it, as there really isn’t one.

Topical content

More of a handwritten opinion than a drawing, I realise.

[Want more of this kind of thing (but better drawn)? Let me know.]

My cartoons on an enormous banner

My friends at the Billericay Cycling Campaign have used some of my cartoons and put them on an enormous banner to advertise their event. The banner is currently in a park in Billericay.

Just a reminder for anyone interested in doing something similar: I’m happy for Diagram Club Paid members to use my work in this kind of way. Click the button below to join.

The family cycling images used on the banner can be found on my website, and if you’re local to Billericay you’ll find info on the event here.

Admin announcements, etc

Book news

I’m pleased to say that a paperback version of From A to B is out at the end of this month. Yes, I know, it wasn’t that long ago I was saying it was out of print, so this is very welcome news. You can pre-order here.

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Ecclesiastical cartoon update

My first tassel drawing for quite some years can be found in this week’s Church Times. Never let it be said that I’m not addressing the pressing issues of the day. You’ll find all my latest CT work here, if that’s of interest. There’s a paywall but you get one or two free articles.

And, if it is (of interest) another reminder that regular ecclesiastical diagrams continue to appear on the Facebook page for my church cartoons, thanks to my exceptional team. And it’s entirely free.

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Colour of the week (filler), final remarks, etc

Enormous banner green

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Thank you for reading - we’re drawing to a close for this week, I think.

However, content continues for Diagram Club Paid members below The Line. This week I talk, at some reasonable length, about ten of the things I’ve been doing. And there are some pretty profound thoughts, largely to do with a pen pot.

Thanks everyone, and see you soon for edition #040.

Dave
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Advertising feature

If you’d like to support my work, I now offer two subscriptions:

Diagram Club Paid. The paid upgrade to this newsletter, that makes this whole caboodle possible. Click this button:

CartoonChurch licence - for those that would like to reuse my church-themed cartoons. Details here.