Spain

It’s The Big One!

The Dentist’s Chair
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Not long to go before the re-match between Scotland and England at Wembley. The first time since 1996! I remember it vividly, England won, with one of the most celebrated goals in recent memory.

The audacious goal by Paul Gascoigne, lit up the tournament and broke the hearts of Scotland fans.. the celebration was just as notable as the goal, Gascoigne throwing himself to the ground to remind everyone that only a few weeks before he (and the team) had been caught out celebrating in an establishment which delivered drinks from a great height, in huge quantities, to the open mouth of the person lying on a Dentist’s Chair… It was a moment England fans relished in spite of themselves! I confess that I was one!

I made this sketch recently and think I might have had a lemonade or two, as I had completely forgotten about drawing it! Not my best drawing but I love the Dentist’s Chair… many happy memories of a magic time for England and my own life too. It’s a long time ago but feels very close.

Good luck tonight, wishing everyone a wonderful time, safe and sound… and don’t be too silly with the pop!

The Dentist’s Chair
The Dentist’s Chair


It’s coming home, it’s coming…

| Maxine Dodd - Art

Well, as an England fan, I certainly hope it is! The tournament certainly is – along with 10 other host cities, matches will be played at Wembley – and there will be fans in the seats! Wonderful news after all this time. I can’t wait to follow the action with my pens and paints – it will be so exciting. Three home nations is fantastic – I also love to watch France, Spain, Netherlands and Belgium – it’s going to be a busy few weeks and my drawings and paintings will, no doubt, be frantic and emotional, like these from 2016… Magic!

  • Football art, Payet, France
    Goal of the tournament? Payet, France,
  • Football art, Wales, Bale, red
    A sea of red – Bale for Wales
  • Football art, France, Romania
    One nil to France!
  • Football art, France, Romania
    Romania equalise!
  • Football art, France, Romania, Giroud
    Celebrating goal No.1 – Giroud, France v Romania
  • Football art, Maxine Dodd, England, Russia,
    After the ball, England vs Russia

These are not from the Euro 2016, but some great players who will be there… so many new ones to try as well, I can’t wait…So excited!!!

  • Football, World Cup 2018, Harry Kane, England
    Harry Kane set about taking the net apart!
  • football art, world cup 2018, england, harry maguire
    What a magnificent header!
  • Chilwell superstrike
    Chilwell superstrike

La Vuelta 2015 – Impressions

La Vuelta, Stage 21, with a big Union flag! by Maxine Dodd
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! I’ve had time out recently which has meant that I have not been able to follow La Vuelta and the Tour of Britain day by day as I would normally. However, I have been catching up with both races and thought it would be fun to make random posts from various stages, which I’ll feature over the next week or so. Today is La Vuelta and the theme is flags, fog and passionate fans! Here are my drawings:

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La Vuelta, Stage 14, Mountain melee!
La Vuelta, Stage 21, with a big Union flag!
Silhouettes in the sun, La Vuelta, Stage 21

In case you were wondering… all the paintings are original and for sale. Prices from £150 To find out more about them and how to buy, click here or Picture Information

ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT MAXINE DODD

 

La Vuelta 2015 – Impressions from week 1

Coming into town, Stage 2, by Maxine Dodd
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! What a week it’s been for cyclists and fans alike! Stage 1 saw the team time-trial take place on 14 different road surfaces, an horrendous crash in Stage 2 – one of the biggest stars disqualified… the list goes on! Speaking personally, the gremlins have hit me somewhat this week… a few mechanicals, so to speak. Therefore, I’ve decided to publish the impressions I have made so far and wish you a very warm and happy weekend!
Here are my drawings:

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Steep, hot climb, Stage 4
Cadiz, Stage 4
Coming into town, Stage 2
La Vuelta, Stage 2
Reaching for water, Stage 2
MTN Qhubeka, Stage 1
Saturday night by the palm trees, Stage 1
BMC, Stage 1
Lotto Jumbo, Stage 1
The setting sun, Puerto Banus, Stage 1
Passing through Cadiz, Stage 4

In case you were wondering… all the paintings are original and for sale. To find out more about them and how to buy, click here or Picture Information

ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT MAXINE DODD

 

La Vuelta 2015… getting ready!

Bullish! Tony Martin, by Maxine Dodd, watercolour, pen and ink
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hello! What a summer of cycling it’s been! Some amazing moments in France and Italy, now we’re heading for the last Grand Tour of this year, La Vuelta a España, which explores the dramatic country of Spain. I’ve followed this event for two years, so it will be interesting to see how the race goes; the developing story of Froome versus Quintana should be fascinating not to mention the emerging stars building on their achievements in France. There should be much to enjoy. To get into the mood, I’ve selected a few highlights from 2013 and 2014 for you.  Here are my drawings:

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Barguil checks behind!
Racing for the line!
Hillside suburbs
SOLD – Into the setting sun, Team Orica Greenedge
Tight bends in Sitges
Astana descent
Peloton all together
Watching the peloton!
Lampre Merida
Kiriyenka on the descent!
Bullish! Tony Martin
Looking down to the sea
… The rest of the pack!
Return to the blues!
To the line!
Going for it! Alexandre Geniez descends
Luke Rowe on the road
The coast road
Cannondale come in for the finish
Sky cross the line

In case you were wondering… all the paintings are original and for sale. To find out more about them and how to buy, click here for Picture Information

ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT MAXINE DODD

 

La Vuelta 2014: Stage 3, Cádiz to Arcos de la Frontera

Maxine Dodd painting, Head down for the descent
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! Stage 3 began on the coast of Cadiz and wove a course inland that saw the first climbs of this year’s race. Travelling through sizzling countryside in sweltering temperatures, riders ground uphill and flew down at breakneck speed. A hard day all round! Here are my drawings:

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Midday Sun
You can’t play with the peloton!
Heading for the Hills
Head down for the descent

La Vuelta 2014: Stage 2, Algeciras to San Fernando

Maxine Dodd, cycling painting
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! Stage 2 was a stage for the sprinters, being mostly flat.The course travelled across the extreme south of the country, passing through industrial zones and salt flats. It was hot and windy. There was a crazed dash for the line with a fantastic win for French FDJ team rider Nacer Bouhanni, one of cycling’s exciting new sprinters.  Here are my drawings:

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Peloton all together
Riding past the palm trees

La Vuelta 2014: Stage 1, Jerez de la Frontera

Maxine Dodd, painting Tinkoff Saxo cycling team
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! So good to be back to cycling for the last Grand Tour of the season, which takes us round beautiful Spain. Stage 1 took the form of a team time trial around the southern city of Jerez de la Frontera – a lovely evening stage showing all the teams to great advantage. and whetting the appetites of fans for three weeks of great racing. Here are my drawings:

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Team Sky cornering
Viva Espana! Movistar win Stage 1
Sky Stage 1, Jerez
Tinkoff Saxo into the sun
Movistar smash the time!
Jerez de la Frontera, Stage 1

La Vuelta 2013: Stage 7 – Almendralejo to Mairena de Aljafare

| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! Stage 7 of La Vuelta turned south and crossed into the heat of Andalucia. Riders coped with temperatures touching 38 degrees as they left the countryside for the tree-lined town of Mairena de Aljarfare on the outskirts of Seville. The race was a much closer affair than Stage 6, with a nip and tuck race between the two leaders Gilbert and Stybar to the cross the finish. Here are my drawings:

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Into the shade
Coming into town
Everyone dives for the line!

La Vuelta 2013: Stage 6 – Guijuelo to Caceres

Bullish! Tony Martin, by Maxine Dodd, watercolour, pen and ink
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! Stage 6 of La Vuelta explored further inland, into the plains of bull-fighting country. Certainly the theme carried over into the race with an incredible performance by Tony Martin. As the world time-trial champion, he set a blistering pace and led the stage by a great distance for 170km. In spite of huge effort, the peloton could not keep up. The sting came at the finish where the riders finally caught and passed him as they crossed the line itself. Martin finished in seventh place. Cruel sport indeed… Here are my drawings:

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We’ll run with you!
Still in front!
… The rest of the pack!
Bullish! Tony Martin

La Vuelta 2013: Stage 5 – Sober, Lago De Sanabria

| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! Stage 5 of La Vuelta turned away from the sea and travelled inland through rolling countryside, fields and pine trees. Orange roofs gave way to dark grey and for the first time in this race there was rain. Sunshine prevailed by the end as riders came into Lago de Sanabria to a sprinters’ finish! Here are my drawings:

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And then came the rain!
Puebla de Sanabria
Charging for the line!

La Vuelta 2013: Stage 4 – Lalin, Estrada, Finisterre

| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! Stage 4 of La Vuelta was a rolling course again taking in coastal scenery and pretty red-roofed houses. There was barely a flat road on the route but the test came with the climb to the Mirador de Ézaro. This was a test for everyone’s legs! Here are my drawings:

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The start of the Mirador
Looking down to the sea
Climbing the hill

La Vuelta 2013: Stage 3 Vigo – Mirador de Lobeira, Vilagarcía de Arousa

| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! Stage 3 of La Vuelta was a twisting, turning route through the Galician coast and hills. Climbs not as tough as Stage 2, but strong crosswinds off the coast to contend with not to mention narrow roads and tight space over the bridge to the Illa de Arousa. The surprise finish came in the form of 41-year old Chris Horner,  who after 4 hours of riding, sprinted uphill to take the win like a teenager, giving hope to us all! Here are my drawings:

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Leaving Vigo
Tight bends
The coast road
Trouble on the bridge!
Peloton catching through the trees
Chris Horner takes the win!

La Vuelta 2013: Stage 2 Pontevedra – Baiona

| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! Stage 2 of La Vuelta continued exploring the Atlantic coastline of Galicia with a dramatic climb from the coast road to the finish at Alto de Monte da Groba in Baiona. The day’s racing was led most of the stage by a breakaway of three riders but the stage was eventually won in style by Nicolas Roche. I confess that my eyes were distracted by the sea, with breakers and high hills – even a landlocked boat! Wonderful! Here are my drawings:

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Riding into town
Peloton heads for the breakers
Climbing towards Alto de Monte da Groba
Hola!

La Vuelta 2013: Stage 1 Vilanova de Arousa – Sanxenxo

Sky cross the line, by Maxine Dodd
| Maxine Dodd - Art

Hola! So good to be back in the saddle for the last Grand Tour of the season, which takes us round Spain. Stage 1 took place as a team time trial on the gorgeous north-west coast of Galicia. 22 teams began the race by crossing a glass pontoon at Vilanova de Arousa and riding their way by pine forests and vineyards until reaching the pretty beach town of Sanxenso. The stage was won by team Astana. A great start to three weeks of racing – Fantastic! Here are my drawings:

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Over the glass
Sky cross the glass
Sky cross the line
Cancellara
Movistar by the river
Cannondale come in for the finish
Astana take the win!