Henshaw's Mobile Shop - by Michael Herring1000 Piece Puzzles - 685mm x 490mm Box Dimensions - 305mm x 305mm x 50mm Henshaw's Mobile Shop is a new addition to the 2008 Gibsons jigsaw puzzle catalog. The puzzle is Gibsons most popular size which is 1000 Pièces. We are looking at a picture arranged in the 1950's, which is a particularly favourite nostalgia period for Gibsons jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts. Despite, according to Napoleon, being a nation of shopkeepers Britain did not always have shops close at hand especially in the countryside just after the war. Small entrepeneurs would fit their vans with all manner of domestic merchandise to sell in the more remote areas of Britain. There are still mobile librairies to be found as part of government schemes to encourage reading amongst those who are unable to get to their local library. The cottage in the puzzle is quite delightfully set in the English countryside with it's great oaks, small cultivated lots, rolling fields and red tiled roofs. This 1000 piece Gibsons jigsaw puzzle contains all the elements that would appeal to those hobbyists longing for a less hectic and more friendly interaction between family, neighbours and friends. Michael Herring's life has been spent in the countryside, amongst farming communities. He was born in Watford, long before anyone even thought of building the M1 motorway. His parents' home backed onto open fields where football and cricket were played in between the cowpats. He climbed trees in the woods, explored the banks of the Grand Union Canal and fished and swam in the nearby river Coin. As soon as Michael's talent as an artist developed, it was always going to be the working countryside that he most enjoyed painting. His grandparents lived on a mixed farm, so cows, chickens, tractors and old farm buildings are vivid memories of his childhood. In 1985, Michael took the opportunity to turn professional. His paintings have been the subject of two one-man exhibitions and published both here and abroad, as limited edition prints, ornamental plates, table mats and jigsaw puzzles.
