Okay, I promise to write about stencilling again very soon and I have a new featured artist for you.
BUT seeing as we have celebrated Halloween with our transatlantic cousins, we must now experience Britain's Guy Fawkes night, also known as fireworks night or bonfire night. It is celebrated with fire, food, gunpowder and the burning of an effigy known as a guy.
I usually celebrate in Hexham, our nearest town...so do seventeen thousand other folk. Come and visit with us, squeeze in.
Last year's Guy was a lady. Her dress featured flower shaped cut outs backed in clear film, the flames could be seen through the pattern and illuminated the flowers.
Fireworks whoosh,
sizzle and
bang.
The crowds "ooooooh" in unison,
drummers drum, the fire crackles and friends smile.
In my childhood, it was usual for children to make a Guy from straw or papier mache. He would be dressed in old clothes scrounged from the men in the family. Guy was then displayed in the street by the children and pennies were begged for to buy fireworks with. Thankfully that is not common practice now and families having bonfire and fireworks in their own garden have been mostly replaced by public celebrations. Guys are often lavish creation theses days. Take a look at these celebrity Guys from Edenbridge. I'll admit that I am uncomfortable with them looking like public figures but some are funny, read the James Hewitt one!
Why do we do this? Well, the history goes something like this. In 1605, Guy Fawkes and his friends unsuccessfully tried to blow up King James and the British government. Lethal amounts of gunpowder were planted beneath the Houses of Parliament in order to murder all that sat above it. Guy and his cronies were caught and given a grisly, violent death as punishment. The following year, Nov the 5th was made a day of thanksgiving. Hence, bonfires, fireworks and Guys.
Oh, we do have a firework stencil too, find it here.
Helen.
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