Fishy Tales

  Obtaining the references for the Wainwrights in Colour project is usually fairly straight forward. Once I have done the research the task normally consists of visiting the location and photographing the scene from where AW stood. However, there is one referencem in all of the pictorial Guides that I knew would be difficult or amybe impossible to obtain, that being a wooden "fish" signpost that he drew on page 6 of the Whin Rigg chapter. The fact that it was made of wood and of a small size meant that it had probably disappeared long ago.
What should I do? Look for it anyway and if not found just leave it out of the project?
The words thjat AW wrote about the signpost "-artist unknown,..congratulations on a bright and original idea" these gave me an idea.
So it was that on the 31st March (an important date for my plan) I set off to complete a route that would end up with me heading down from Whin rigg past the place where the signpost had been located. A few days prior to this I had fashioned from wood a replica of the Fish sign, spending some time weathering it and even adding some moss to give it an aged look. Taking it with me I was able to photograph it on site. I did of course spend a considerable time looking for the original sign but with no luck. consequently on return from my trip I was able to upload onto my website my photos from the day including the "finding" of this fish sign. The photographs were of course uploaded and posted on the morning of 1st April, hence my reason for doing the walk on the 31st March. As far as I know, no one cottened on to this April Fool prank until the exhibition in october when my replica fish was put on display.
The end result from this? I was able to complete a sketch of the Whin Rigg sign, OK it may not be the original but I would like to think that AW would find it amusing!