If you have never been to the Scottish Highland Games, you really should go. They take place at Central Winds Park at (1000 East SR 434 in Winter Springs). The event’ is still going on today (Sunday, January 17) from 9AM to 4:30PM with a concert following at 6PM. I had an absolute blast sketching the events all day long on the first day of the festivities. This sketch is of the Kingdom of York which is an encampment which demonstrates the art of blacksmithing. It threatened to rain several times but the weather held. The Kingdom of York lists their core values as: Fairness, Integrity, Loyalty, and Respect. One of the blacksmiths, when he saw the sketch, was very pleased that I had trimmed at least ten pounds off of his figure. I discovered the artisan working the bellows is named Jack and I had sketched him and his wife Christina before. They were the couple I chose to sketch who were helping paint over hate at the Center on Mills Avenue.
In the background of this sketch you can see the sheaf toss in progress. I never got close enough to see the competitors up close but now I realize that they use a pitchfork to hurl the bales over the pole. The bar is slowly raised after each round and it becomes increasingly difficult to get the sheep over the pole. The crowd would scream with delight whenever the sheaf went over.
We had so much fun at the games. We stopped by the Kingdom of York after looking at the Highland Cows. We probably walked right past you when we returned to the music tent following the sheaf toss. Love the sketch! (btw it's a 'sheaf toss' not a 'sheep toss' as in a tossing a sheaf of bound hay 😉 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheaf_toss
In the olden days, when men were tougher, perhaps it really was a sheep toss!
Your sketches are captivating, and your commentary is extremely readable and interesting. I have been a silent, and admiring daily visitor for the last few months.
I did see an area where children were encouraged to throw stuffed sheep over a pole.
Thanks so much Balaji, it is comments like this that help keep me motivated as I push forward into my second year of sketching. Some feel I should just stop having completed my one year commitment.
Thanks again for visiting. (i was one of the Blacksmiths)
Thanks Earl for your diligent blacksmithing.