All items by Alison's Canal Art

Knobstick Roses

I fell in love with the canals the very first time I went on narrowboat. It was a hire boat on the Llangollen and the slow and steady pace and the appreciation of nature and machinery captured me. From that moment I was destined to buy a boat of my own.

Salter Paul is a lovely 70 ft narrowboat, a replica of a Large Northwich with a vintage Kelvin engine. She needs a lick of paint and so I started to learn about Rose and Castle art. Never one to do things by halves I researched the history of the craft and the work of many of the old masters. I found myself captivated by the work of Bill Hodgson.

I will not claim to have made a direct copy of Bill Hodgson's roses, but his art has certainly been a strong influence in my work as I developed a style of my own, just as every Rose and Castle painter does.

The Knobstick Roses, so named as the boats from the boatyard Bill Hodgson worked at were known as Knobstick boats, have a particular style and so have many fans on the Inland Waterways, myself among them.

I hope that you will find my work enjoyable and that the strong colours and cheerful roses will brighten your day.

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