Thomas and Friends: Fun in the Sun

by The Blue EM2

Izzy and the Painter

One morning in Paignton, things were slightly slower to start then normal. Sunny and Izzy had decided to use the slower time productively, and as such visited the local art gallery. The gallery had many paintings, all from the local area. Some were portraits of people in old clothes from long ago. Others were paintings of the local scenery and landscapes, painted in landscape orientation (hence the name, 'landscape orientation' for painting and photography). The gallery, although not huge, had many interesting specimens.

Eventually, the pair entered the special exhibitions room, which had rotating artwork from season to season. Izzy was confused though. "If it's called rotating artwork," she asked, "then why is none of it spinning?"

Sunny laughed. "Rotating as in different pieces are shown at different times of years, not rotating as in spinning around."

"Oh," Izzy replied. "I understand now."

What was in there was fascinating. The artworks were from local street artists, according to the notice, and this fascinated Izzy. There were pieces from all across the local region, all achieved using spray cans and clever shading.

Izzy went in to touch one of them.

"No touching the artwork!" said a museum staff member. "These items are very fragile and must be preserved."

Izzy looked down for a second, but then her eyes lit up when she saw another piece. "Is that a genuine Flanksy?" she asked.

"Yes, it is," said another staff member. "It was painted here a few years back. It certainly was quite a pull when we started exhibiting it here. Not only that, it proves that art isn't just something that stuffy old men do in large studios with a painting on an easel. No, art can be anywhere, be anything, and be experienced by anybody."

"That's certainly a positive outlook," Sunny said happily. "Here that, Izzy?"

Izzy's eyes had lit up. It seemed as though she was planning something. "Art can be anywhere?" she asked, her eyes glowing. She opened the windows nearby. "ART CAN BE ANYWHERE AND ANYTHING!"

"Could you please close the windows?" asked the first staff member. "The outside air will interfere with the climate control system."

---

Later that day, the General Manager of the Kingswear Steam Railway came to see Izzy and Porter. "I have some exciting news for you," he said. "A painter is coming to the region today, and he plans to paint a picture of the local landmarks, to be called 'The Spirit of Devon'. I would like you two to convey him up and down the line to try and find something."

Porter thought. "What's the Spirit of Devon? And I don't mean the drink."

"It's everything that's special about our county," the General Manager replied.

"Neither of us are from here, so that doesn't really help us."

"I'm certain we can find something, Porter!" Izzy said optimistically. "After all, we aren't exactly short of lovely things to see."

---

Porter collected a van and a brake van and took it with him to Paignton station. The artist was waiting there with his equipment and assistants, who loaded his equipment onto the van. The artist then rode in the brake van. "I was half expecting a coach, but I guess this will do," he said. "I wish to see the Spirit of Devon, so I can paint it," he said. "Please convey me to the best beauty spot so I may paint it."

"Right away!" Porter said, the line being clear. Soon enough, the very odd train set off up the line.

Their first stop was Goodrington to led the morning train pass. The view from the station gave an unparalleled vista. "Look!" Izzy said to the painter. "Blue skies, no clouds, sweeping cliffs in the distance, and the beach with blue seas! This, in my opinion, would make for an amazing painting!"

The artist took a long look at the scene. His face fell. "There are far too many beach huts," he said. "These are vulgar, and spoil the view. This is not the Spirit of Devon."

"You could always not paint the beach huts," Porter suggested.

"They spoil the sight lines. Please show me something else."

Izzy nodded. It seemed she and the artist had different ideas about what constituted the Spirit of Devon. Once the signal had cleared they were on their way again.

---

After a fierce climb out of Goodrington, the train arrived at Churston, stopping in the bay platform that had once served the Brixham Branch. Izzy was certain the artist would like this. "You could paint an authentic railway scene here!" she said. "All these vibrant colours, old buildings, and even steam locomotives! The GWR is a key piece of Devonian history, after all, as it allowed many people to experience this area for the first time."

The artist was still not convinced. "The buildings are too brown, and there's too much smoke," he said. "Again, I would like to be shown something else."

This upset Izzy. She thought the things she had shown so far captured the spirit of the region extremely well, and wanted to tell the artist that he was wrong. But she feared the repurcussions, and had always been taught that if you can't find something nice or constructive to say, then to say nothing at all. "OK. Porter, let's show him the viaduct!"

Porter backed up onto the line, and then continued on his way down the line.

---

Unfortunately, they continued to have little luck with the artist. He rejected the viaduct that leads down into Kingswear Bay as being 'too tall', and the nearby collection of grain silos as 'too round'. Eventually, they pulled into Kingswear Station. There were two trains getting ready to depart back towards Paignton. Engines gleamed in the sunlight as steam rose majestically from their funnels, and passengers walked back and forth to get to their trains or to the beach. Or to a steamboat to convey them back home to Paignton.

The General Manager was waiting there when they arrived in the siding. "So, how'd it go?" he asked.

"Not well," Izzy said. "The artist doesn't seem to find the railway very impressive."

"I don't," the artist said, as he stepped onto the platform. "This whole journey is like a kareoke night- completely pointless."

"You take that back!" Izzy snapped, who had finally lost her patience with the artist. "Kareoke is a fun activity for all ages and skill levels!"

"You only make things out of junk," the artist sneered. "A toddler could do that."

Porter seemed similarly incensed. "You're so demanding, you know that?" he said. "How can it be so difficult to find something to paint?"

"You're an engine," the artist said. "You would never understand the troubles of being an artist." And he walked away.

Porter sighed, and waited until the artist was out of earshot. "It would not surprise me at all if it turned out he was called Mr. Demandepants," he said.

---

That night, Izzy lay awake in her bed. The words the artist had said echoed through her mind.

"You only make things out of junk. A toddler could do that. You would never understand the troubles of being an artist."

Then she remembered what the museum staff had said. "Art can be anywhere, be anything, and be experienced by anybody."

Izzy then had an idea. "If our artist friend won't create the Spirit of Devon, then I'll just have to do it myself!"

A bit of time passed, and she had gathered some old workman's clothes, a hairband, and a gas mask. In her bag were stashed several spray cans, and some other useful items that she would need to create her piece.

She headed outside and stopped in front of a flat wall. As she got to work, she started to sing. Or rap, technically.

"What up?
Look out, it's Sneaksy/
Style is on fleek, see?
Take something dull and go all masterpiece-y!
Gonna take something average and make it shine/
Gonna add that beauty to the Devon Line!

"Make these dreams a reality!
Gonna turn this place into a gallery!
Just let it all out for all to see/
'Cause we know art's for everybody!"

She then switched to singing, which was quite an impressive achievement with her gas mask on.

"It goes round and round, yeah!
We know that art makes the world go/
Round and round! (makes the world go round and round)
'Cause art is for everybody!"

"You dye it/
You paint it/
You draw it/
You shade it!

"You dye it/
You paint it/
You draw it/
You shade it/
Art is for everybody!"

She then switched back to rapping.

"Gonna make it wild/
Gonna flip that style!
Outside the lines/
Gonna make 'em smile!

"'Cause I'm out here/
And I got that vision/
Makin' it pop is my main mission!
But shh!
No one knows it's me/
Got a secret identity!
Sneaksy's the name, and I got next/
In the street art scene, yeah I'm the best!"

"Make these dreams a reality/
Gonna turn this place into a gallery/
Just let it all out for all to see!
'Cause we know art's for everybody!"

She then switched back to singing.

"It goes round and round, yeah!
We know that art makes the world go/
Round and round/ (makes the world go round and round)
'Cause art is for everybody!"

"It goes round and round, yeah!
We know that art makes the world go/
Round and round/ (makes the world go round and round)
'Cause art is for everybody!"

"You dye it/
You paint it/
You draw it/
You shade it/
We know that art makes the world go round and round!

"You dye it/
You paint it/
You draw it/
You shade it! (round and round)
Art is for everybody"

"You dye it/
You paint it/
You draw it/
You shade it/
We know that art makes the world go round and round!

"You dye it/
You paint it/
You draw it/
You shade it/ (round and round)
Art is for everybody!"

After all that, work, the image was finished, and Izzy returned home before anybody could spot her.

---

The next morning, Sunny and Izzy were walking to the shed when they saw a commotion. "What's going on?" Sunny asked, as they walked closer. They then saw what had caused all the excitement.

On the wall was a spectacular piece of street art, depicting a steam engine at speed over Goodrington Sands. The General Manager was there, and he was stunned. "Who is this Sneaksy?" he asked. "They're very good."

"It's remarkable how they pulled this off with just spray cans," said one of the museum workers. "It's a bit large to fit in the museum, isn't it?"

The artist was there, and he sneered. "That's not art," he said. "That's vandalism. A child could blast some spray cans at a wall. Doesn't make it art."

Izzy shrugged. "What is art, anyway?" she asked. "Besides, it's not as if you produced anything."

The artist fumed and walked away.

The General Manager smiled. "This, ladies and gentlemen," he said. "This is the Spirit of Devon. If Sneaksy is hearing this, I'd like to formally thank you for this contribution."

Izzy outwardly didn't react to the situation, but her heart beamed with pride.

Author's Note:

This chapter combines elements from both Percy and the Oil Painting and the Sneaksy Strikes Again, an episode of Tell your Tale. Sneaksy is the second Banksy allusion in the MLP franchise; the first was Flanksy in the EqG universe, who turns out to be Sunset Shimmer.

There are also a few other references in there for you guys to spot. See if you can find them.

Comments

[shining paladin]

great chapter mate keep it up, my friend

[The Blue EM2]

11633466
With a touch of Izzy, of course

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Izzy looked down for a second, but then her eyes lit up when she saw another piece. "Is that a genuine Flanksy?" she asked.

Lol, love the Eqg reference here of Sunset!

Porter collected a van and a brake van and took it with him to Paignton station. The artist was waiting there with his equipment and assistants, who loaded his equipment onto the van. The artist then rode in the brake van. "I was half expecting a coach, but I guess this will do," he said. "I wish to see the Spirit of Devon, so I can paint it," he said. "Please convey me to the best beauty spot so I may paint it."

I wasn't expecting a train myself but since the painter has more people with him, I can understand it perfectly.

Their first stop was Goodrington to led the morning train pass. The view from the station gave an unparalleled vista. "Look!" Izzy said to the painter. "Blue skies, no clouds, sweeping cliffs in the distance, and the beach with blue seas! This, in my opinion, would make for an amazing painting!"

to let*

"You only make things out of junk," the artist sneered. "A toddler could do that."

Anyone can do it I feel they have good art crafting skills!

Izzy outwardly didn't react to the situation, but her heart beamed with pride.

You earned it Izzy.

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

11633402
Aye.

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

This was a very grand chapter.
A cool way to retell Percy and the Oil Painting. (Which, was one of the better episodes HiT ever produced.)

And that song number was very nice!

[The Blue EM2]

11633583
1. Seeing as both are Banksy allusions, it felt wrong not to include them.

2. Indeed he does.

3. Corrected.

4. Snobbery is remarkably common in the art world. When people often say 'that's not art' what they really mean is 'it's not the type of art I like'. Besides, as Georgia O'Keefe once asked, 'what is art anyway?'

5. She sure did.

[The Blue EM2]

11633589
Yup.

[The Blue EM2]

11633593
It seemed only natural to blend the two tales together, seeing as they are about finding creative spirit and overcoming outside snobbery.