Art Journal Journey - Home

 Hi  you all. The theme over at Art Journal Journey this month is 'Home'. I was asked to be the guest designer this month, so thanks for asking! And now to some explanations to my journal page.
I have lived in several different countries, and have been in Germany for many years, but my home was, is and always will be London.

I grew up in post war London. The buildings were all blackened from bombs, smoke and fire. There were gaps everywhere where houses had been destroyed, sometimes whole streets. These bomb sites were our playgrounds. I was born near the Tower of London and the Docks, and lived in the heart of Jack-the-Ripper land - and loved it. It was one big adventure from start to finish. Places to hide, ruins of bombed-out houses where we played 'house', little alleyways and cobbled streets, loud and lively markets in Cable Street, Petticoat Lane and Spitalfields, dark Churches - especially Christchurch Spitalfields which we all convinced was haunted, and a beach at the Tower of London, which has now been closed for many years. Much of the area underwent demolition, but a lot of the old streets and houses are still there, much cleaner and better decorated than I remember them. Docklands has become a paradise for the rich who live in the lofts made in the old warehouses. But the Tower is still there, and Tower Bridge, which is now white and clean as new again. And when I visit London, I always take a day to walk around my old haunts.  It's a good feeling to be there, even though so much has changed.

The predominance of grey in my picture symbolizes the dirt, dust and smoke of London after the war, and the broken lines the destruction. But in between there is blue and yellow, for the blue skies and sunshine, and for the positive feelings I associate with my home town.

The row of pictures at the bottom show Fournier Street and Christchurch, Tower Bridge, the Tower, Warehouses, Harads Place and Fournier Street again.

And my head is full of London, as you can see.

This was exactly the right theme for me, thanks! Have a good day, take care, and thanks for looking.

'Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner, that I love London town'