Thursday, July 11, 2019

'DOGS', new illustrated poetry book


I am delighted to announce the launch of my new humorous book, DOGS which is a look at our best friends via poetry and illustration!
It's a unique view of dog-life and I hope all you lovely pooch-smoochers, Pug-cuddlers and retriever-believers will enjoy it (don't let them lick you too much will you though, it makes me feel a bit queezy!) I know the Wolfman does it but he's got a cast iron immune system, you might not have?

The book is now available from Amazon, price £14.99 (109 pages in glorious full colour and featuring over 50 different dog breeds each with their own comical portrait and poem).

Hint; use the Amazon Look inside feature to preview some of the book's content.


Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Live appearance; Motorcycle Museum opposite NEC, Sat 4th May 2019

PAPERCRAFT & STAMPING SHOW at the Birmingham Motorcycle Museum

SATURDAY MAY 4th 2019

Book signing and live pet caricaturing with Card hut publishing.
10am till 3.00pm. Standard adult ticket £4

The Motorcycle Museum is situated off the main roundabout opposite the main NEC complex.

Bring mobile phone pictures of your pets for an on-the-spot portrait (just £10 for an original, signed sketch). Signed copies of my illustrated book, 'Pet Poems' will be available or you can just have a chat about my work as an illustrator with Card Hut and my live appearances on the Craft Channel and BBC2's Autumnwatch.

See you there!


Friday, October 5, 2018

Live drawing & book signing at Stafford Wynnstay store this Saturday 6th October


Another chance to have an on-the-spot cartoon of your horse/pet and to obtain a signed copy of my recently released  book of humorous animal poems.
There will be a free prize draw where you can win 2 of my signed prints.

Approx 10am until 5pm.

Wynnstay store, Unit 10, Brindley close, Stafford. ST16 3SU.
Phone 01785 250595
stafford@wynnstay.co.uk





Monday, July 16, 2018

AUGUST BOOK SIGNING & CHILDREN'S WORKSHOP TOUR

Mark Bardsley’s Crazy Animal Tour
AUGUST LIBRARY WORKSHOP
& BOOK SIGNING SCHEDULE
Thursday 2nd         Wem, 11am-12.30pm
Monday 6th            Much Wenlock, 10.30am-12.00pm

Wednesday 8th      Shifnal, 10.30am-12pm
Thurday 9th            Shrewsbury, 10.30am-12pm
Friday 10th             Cleobury Mortimer 11am-12pm
Sunday 12th           Gregynog Hall, Powys, 1pm-4pm Book signing & Pet Caricaturing
Monday 13th          Market Drayton,10.30am-12pm
Tueday 14th           Church Stretton,11am-12.30pm
Wednesday 22nd   Bayston hill, 10.30am-12pm
Friday 24th             Bridgenorth, 10.30am-12pm
Saturday 25th         Berriew Show All day (book signing & pet caricaturing)
Monday 27th          Welshpool, Coed y Dinas, 10am-4pm (book signing & pet caricaturing)
Wednesday 29th    Ludlow, 10am-12pm
Thursday 30th        Shrewsbury 10am-12pm
                               Oswestry, 2pm-4pm
Friday 31st             Harlescott, 10.30am-12pm

Friday 31st             Shifnal  2.30pm- 4pm


Saturday, June 9, 2018

Ludlow bells are calling!


Well, yesterday was a fine day for a poet; a trip to the beautiful Shropshire jewel, Ludlow and a recital by previous poet laureate and national treasure, Andrew Motion!

Andrew is currently reading his latest work 'Essex Clay' which I found of considerable interest as I was born in Essex and attended Braintree college when I was eighteen. I have only spent three years of my life there in total but I know parts of rural Essex and it's coast.

Essex Clay is a biographical long poem about about life, love and loss, an intimate narrative that I felt very privileged to hear from the author's own lips.


Today is another literary one at the first Montgomeryshire Literature Festival. It is situated at Bodfach hall near Llanfyllin and promises to be an absorbing day.

The weather appears to be getting up steam now. Although I don't have a Ludlow poem (yet) I do have a summer one set near my old stamping ground near Allscott in Shropshire, home to a large part of my childhood. It recalls an idyllic time that seems so very far away now, but that is the beauty of place, and a place which remains unchanged.

The Aqueduct

In August haze we'd barefoot down
Through dandelion and daisy grass,
Toward the river's lazy brown
Where swan and coot and moorhen pass.

Our place below the Aqueduct,
Where iron framework high and dry,
Stood cattle mired and puddle ducked,
Black against the summer sky.

With cautious toes in velvet silt
We waded where the milkers drink,
Our pleasure pool where Telford built
A highway making waters link.

Still it stands to bridge the stream,
The Aqueduct and Longdon's pride
Where once we, in a childhood dream,
Stepped softly by the river side.

I also got to take a selfie with Alfred Housman (well, kind of.)


Sunday, May 13, 2018

Mark Bardsley's Crazy ANIMAL POEMS out now!

Yes folks, after grafting away in my burrow all winter I am now able to release my book of crazy animal poems. It is a full colour larger format (6"x"9) paperback containing 55 humorous poems about animals and their antics. It has a small back section with a few poetry hints and tips and 6 blank but illustrated pages for aspiring poets to use (hopefully the page footer illustrations might provide some inspiration). The price is £12.99 and it is only available from Amazon or me if you can catch me at a live drawing or book signing event.
If you would like to host a book signing event, do contact me at bardsleyart@gmail.com

My next Book signing event will be on Saturday, May 26th and Monday May 28th (bank hol)
at Coed y Dinas Country Store, Welshpool, SY21 8RP. 10.am till 5pm.

Hope you enjoy it and I am always grateful for a written review if you purchase it from Amazon. The next book is already in the planning stage!


Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Mrs Flossy Cotton Bottom

I'm rapidly approaching launch time for my new paperback 'Mark Bardsley's Crazy Animal Poems'
so here is a taster. This one is a bit Beatrix but a bit Bardsley as well (the bit that's Bardsley is usually the nutty bit, but you probably already know that!)

The new book will be a soft-back in full colour containing 55 illustrated poems and some secret  writing pages for budding poets at the back.


MRS FLOSSY COTTON BOTTOM

Mrs Flossy Cotton Bottom
Asked me round for tea
But dandelions and thistle down
Are not the food for me.

‘Oh do partake of toadstool pie
And have some teasel tart.’
Dear Mrs Flossy Cotton Bottom
I must now depart.

‘But blue bell batch and cicely greens
You surely can’t refuse?’
Oh Mrs Flossy Cotton
I would rather eat my shoes!

My colon cannot cope with food
That rabbits can digest.
So Mrs Flossy Cotton Bottom,
                     Fare thee well, ‘tis best.