The finishing touches. Someone on social media asked me the other day if I was now going to have some time off after completing the mammoth task of The Wainwrights in Colour. Sadly this will not happen just yet, although all the sketches are done and the book is at the printers there is still a fair amount of work left to do. The main task for me today has been getting the wheels of publicity moving, sending out press releases to a wide variety of magazines, newspapers and other media. The one main thing about self-publishing is that behind me there is no PR department beavering away to make contacts and sell the book. As with the whole project, every aspect of this work is down to me and it has to take a bit of effort and research to promote the book but then that is how Wainwright did it.
I must say, I have been humbled that some very respected publications have come to me without prompting and in the next few weeks don’t be surprised if you open a walking or outdoor magazine to see me and The Wainwrights in Colour project getting a hefty plug. Apologies if it gets a bit much for you but despite the wave of pre-orders that have come in I still have copies of the book to shift. In addition, I am now being asked to give talks at not only prestigious events but also at lesser occasions, all of which I am more than willing to do, telling the whole story to an attentive audience will be a real pleasure and hopefully the passion that I still have for the subject will come across and be appreciated, even those who think they know all about the Pictorial Guides are likely to learn something new which I have uncovered in my research for the book.
In the meantime I am now framing up the last few fells of the 214, one or two are for customers but the nine that currently left unsold need to be completed ready to purchase such as this one, Haycock.
This fell is one of the remotest of the all the 214 and lies on the high land between Ennerdale and Wasdale therefore it is unfrequented by many walkers. It features in Book 7 of the Pictorial Guides. The framed work measures 55cm x 58cm and the sketches can be seen in detail here it is the only western fell remaining unsold. As part of my “crowdfunding” campaign I am offering the person who purchases this fell the opportunity to have a day out with me on a walk which will take in Haycock itself and during the day I will take you to the very locations depicted in the sketches. I will also answer any questions about the project and also explain my new and exciting project. They will also be allocated a ticket to the official launch evening of the book on the 5th May.
If buying one of the few unsold works is out of your budget then make sure you pre-order a copy of The Wainwrights in Colour Book as all of the 1500 sketches are included in that book along with notes and articles on the project, Wainwrights methods of working and other fell related pieces.
At the official launch weekend at The Castle Green Hotel, Kendal over the first weekend in May I will be displaying any available original fells which are still in my possession so this will be a great and possibly the last opportunity to see the original sketches for real.
See you there.
