The painting illustrated below depicts a Lapwing. The local name for this bird is Horniwink. In times past flocks of these beautiful birds were so large and noteworthy a sight in our area that the people of Bradworthy themselves became known as Horniwinks.
Ann Atkin, who we know as the founder of The Gnome Reserve and Wild Flower Garden, has a new project underway....
She says 'My love for those magical, enchanting, beautiful and humour-filled 4 acres at West Putford, together with all the lovely people who have visited over the last 21 years, will remain for ever together with my gratitude to everyone who has contributed in so many ways to make it what it is including the holiday accommodation providers large and small in the area who have suggested to their visitors that they come to see the Reserve. Thank you one and all. After 21 years and including broadcasting over 50 times on TV and numerous times on radio, and giving interviews about the Reserve for newspapers, magazines and books worldwide (again very many thanks to all the reporters, camera people etc) it is however time my responsibility for it passes to our son Richard and daughter-in-law Meg, who wonderfully love it too and are now adding their particular creativity to it for the years ahead. I now have the time, vision and energy to use my painting skills to the full and to bring about the birth of The Peoples Wild Bird Reserve'.
As a small child in the Sussex countryside Ann Fawssett showed an interest in wild flowers - and then when she was a little older she discovered birds. She taught herself to identify all the birds she saw from the Observers Book of British Birds, a pocket sized book which went everywhere with her. Her first piece of bird watching equipment was her father's naval telescope. (her father was a Captain in the Royal Navy with a D.S.O. for services in Russia in the First World War. He was also recalled to serve in the Second World War). This telescope did not have very strong magnification but she became adept at using it to the extent of being able to pick up in the small viewing circle a bird flying across the sky and keep it in sight. She was very fortunate, when in her teens, to be taken bird watching for several years under the wing of Peter Conder - a family friend who came with his family to live nearby in Sussex after his years as the R.S.P.B. warden on Skokholm Island in Pembrokeshire and who later became director of The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. He passed on to her some of his invaluable knowledge including recognizing birds from listening to their different songs. She went on Junior Bird Recorder Club holidays at Spurn Head in Yorkshire, Minsmere in Suffolk, and Dungeness in Sussex, and aged 19 had the honour of becoming a registered bird ringer for The British Trust for Ornithology.
All this inspired her to study painting at Brighton College of Art for 4 years where she obtained her N.D.D. in Painting. (An etching she made of the College garden is in the Brighton College of Art's Collection).
She then merited a place to continue her studies at The Royal Academy Schools, London for a further 3 years - where she also met her wonderful life's partner - a fellow student - Ron Atkin. (She was awarded 2 David Murray travelling scholarships for landscape painting and the Fred Elwell prize for a Still Life painting). Dip: The Royal Academy of Arts.
Ron and Ann and their two sons Francis and Richard came to live in West Putford in 1971.
The Peoples Wild Bird Reserve will be a completely unique piece of landscape - not like a Wildlife Trust or R.S.P.B. land, nor a species protection rescue place like for example an Owl Sanctuary - brilliant and necessary as both these kinds of places are. The Peoples Wild Bird Reserve will have fields farmed, not for people but especially for the farmland and countryside birds. Fields which because of farming methods resulting from governmental policies over the last couple of decades have lost practically all of the birds' natural foods. If you watched Bye Bye Birdie on TV at the beginning of March you may recall some of the horrendous facts about the ever increasing population decline of these birds - many of whose very existence is now under threat.
In the last 20 years it is estimated that the UK has lost 2 million pairs of Skylarks. Skylarks whose songs are the very affirmation of Spring. Skylarks celebrated by poets and beloved by everyone since back in the mists of time. They survived the last Ice Age - and surely we owe it to future generations to do what we can to see that they can survive 'us',
A quote from Cobbett's Rural Rides of about 150 years ago: 'I do believe I had before me 10,000 goldfinches' Just another of the inspiring sights to aim to restore in The Peoples Wild Bird Reserve for people to see.
Ann says: I believe our indigenous wildlife riches are vital to the well-being of people everywhere and in order to create a superabundance of it in The People Wild Bird Reserve I visualise fields planted with all the so called weeds which are the birds' food. Imagine if you will a complete field of stinging nettles where the butterfly caterpillars (many of our native butterflies are equally threatened) will have had such a profusion of their natural food that they will have flourished themselves in addition to providing food for birds. Also fields of teasels, of vetches, violets, knapweed, corn left standing especially for the birds' winter feed, etc etc. A place where Skylarks are thus helped to sing freely in the heavens above and perhaps 10,000 goldfinches once again flit ahead of people along the paths (or viewed from unobtrusive 'hides').
A place where many bird populations may be restored including the Curlews which of recent years have left us and where the remaining Horniwinks will increase once again.
Funding for this exciting but possibly expensive project (the land has to be purchased and Ann is hoping to raise sufficient funding to cover its maintenance so that it may be admission free for everyone) is partly by donation (one person has already made a substantial gift to it) and various 'bodies' perhaps the lottery fund or whatever. At the foundation of raising the funds are the proceeds from the sales of her current bird paintings and prints. (The Dartington Hall Trust purchased her painting 'Land of Bird Song Between Here and There' for their permanent collection at Dartington Hall a few years ago). The paintings are expensive but she's selling prints from them at just £15 each - so that they are affordable by everyone who likes them. At present she has a range of 20 different birds available as prints - including Barn Owl, Heron, Kingfisher, Wren, Curlew, Skylark, Robin, Long Tailed Tit, Whitethroat etc etc..
The style of these paintings is described by John Butler of The Burton Art Gallery in Bideford as 'instantly recognisable' Each bird is realistically depicted and is surrounded by the flow of what may be interpreted as it's song or call - or as the loving embrace and movement of the boundless cosmic energy field - portraying its particular territory.
If you would care to see a selection of these bird paintings - with the possible view to your having your own signed bird print - or perhaps consider the idea of giving one as a different birthday or Christmas present - or should you be in a position to become a sales outlet (on no matter how small a scale - with commission) please do contact Ann on her home telephone number 01409 261 480 or come to see examples and browse through a folder displaying the complete selection at The Gnome Reserve, West Putford (any time between 10am and 6pm).
Ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson describes birds as 'The very affirmation of life'.
Should you purchase a print you will I think find it a source of inner tranquillity and joy. It may also prove to be a little 'investment' by an artist whose work is perhaps of more relevance today than a bed, a beach hut or a pickled cow! You will also have contributed to the fund for the restoration of the bird population - when the time comes - in beautiful North Devon (as near to the West Putford, Abbots Bickington, Bradworthy area as possible).