The unidentified flying object seen at high altitude over England’s South Coast a week ago has at last been identified… it was actually 16 multi-coloured, giant helium-filled balloons flying in formation, each one towing a long ribbon tied to a postcard from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
“I was amazed how the balloons stayed together as a close group at least 10 miles after they were released in the strong breeze, and how long we could see them with the naked eye,” said Artists Harbour art gallery director Leon Reis.

“They looked like a bunch of polka dots and within two minutes they were still completely visible, very high in the sky and speeding past Chichester, heading southeast over the English Channel and looking set to reach France within the hour,” said Leon. “At one point I started to worry about a high-flying light aircraft that appeared to be in their path”.

The balloons were let go by a sales team from the pharmaceutical giant Glaxo SmithKline, who had hired the Grade 1-listed art gallery in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for a team-building awayday.

One of their exercises had involved each of the 16 team members writing observations about the team on a postcard of HMS Victory. What the team members didn’t know was that the postcards would be collected, addressed back to them and stamped, then laminated to make them waterproof. Finally, a hole was punched in each encapsulated card for a ribbon to attach it to a helium-filled balloon. The surprise climax of the day was for everybody to release their balloons and send them sailing into the sky, with a prize for anybody who eventually gets their own postcard back through the post.

Disaster nearly struck when the helium balloons, arranged from London, were delivered and were found not to have enough helium in them to even lift one postcard. But a quick call from Artists Harbour to Portsmouth city centre novelty shop Uneedus saved the day… within an hour they had provided 16 huge balloons, each 60cm wide BEFORE inflation, pumped up tight with helium.

“When they were blown up the balloons were so big I could only get five at a time into the back of my big Volvo estate car, even with the seats down,” said Leon. “I thought they might lift me off the ground, let alone a postcard”.

The team released the balloons between HMS Victory and HMS Ark Royal, berthed a few yards away in HM Naval Base.

If any ever of the British-stamped postcards ever make it back from France to Glaxo SmithKline’s London HQ, Artists Harbour promises to let you know. If they don’t make it, perhaps complaints on a postcard to the EU would be appropriate?

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EXCLUSIVE - Under Licence from the Ministry of Defence

Artists Harbour sells photographic and art paper prints of Royal Navy photos from the Trafalgar 200 International Fleet Review (T200 IFR) plus the few remaining copies of the (all zones) DVD of the week’s events, including the brilliant fireworks in which 45 tons of high explosuives went up during the re-enactment of the Battle of Trafalgar!

Probably the biggest peacetime naval event the world will see throughout the whole of the 21^st Century took place on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 in the Solent off Portsmouth, UK. A unique range of sea vessels filled the waters of the eastern Solent and aircraft and helicopters took part in thrilling fly-pasts.

The Royal Navy had invited 35 foreign navies and 24 maritime organisations from around the world to send a total of 105 warships and naval support ships plus 51 non-naval vessels to take part in friendship in the International Fleet Review to celebrate Trafalgar 200 ( T200 ) – 200 years since 1805, when at the Battle of Trafalgar Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson’s fleet finally destroyed Napoleon’s ability to invade Britain with his then invincible armies by sea. Nelson, in his famous flagship HMS Victory, died a hero at Trafalgar.

Vessels at the T200 International Fleet Review ranged from the massive USS Saipan and France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carriers to romantic tall ships under sail, tugs and Cunard’s famous QE2 luxury liner, as well as a huge contingent of all types of warship from the Royal Navy. Merchant ships, racing and cruising yachts, fishing boats and family and work boats were also there - a dramatic reminder of the importance of the sea in Britain’s national life.

The ships queued almost into Southampton as they were reviewed by Her Majesty The Queen, Elizabeth II, on waters that had seen the massive naval reviews of Victorian and Edwardian times – when Britain’s navy really did rule the waves and was always kept bigger than the combined might of the world’s next two biggest navies – all the way back to King Henry VIII inspecting his warships in the early 16^th Century as he built the Royal Navy.

• List of the Royal Navy ships at the Trafalgar 200 International Fleet Review
• List of International Navies and ships attending the Trafalgar 200 International Fleet Review
• List of Civilians Ships attending the Trafalgar 200 International Fleet Review

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Artists Harbour goes out on the road on Sunday, July 1st as part of the Southsea festivities in Portsmouth.

We will be exhibiting at the Southsea Art Fair in the Southsea town centre shopping precinct alongside many other stalls manned by local artists and other galleries.

If the forecast possible rain clears our stand in Palmerston Road will be outside Boots the Chemist. If it rains the Fair may still go on but our stand could be under awnings somewhere else in the precinct. Either way if it’s not rained off we will be there 9 am to mid-afternoon we will be displaying a wide range of local prints and local cards, many of which cannot be seen anywhere else, plus a range of other artworks, some at sale price.

Two fine local artists, Chris N. Wood and Maureen Flaherty, will be on our stand, painting new works and happy to discuss art with passers-by. Some of their existing paintings of Southsea and Old Portsmouth will also be on show.

We hope our many local friends and supporters will come along to see us - and tell all your friends, families and neighbours to come too.

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In The Water & Shopping Night

March 7th ~ from 4:30pm - 8:30pm

• A 5% discount will apply to the artists’ original artwork and
  prints.
• A special 10% discount will apply on the purchase of all other full price items.
• At the moment we also have several exceptional value reduced priced items on sale in the gallery.

If you would like to join our invitation list for events such as these, please email us at info@artistsharbour.com with the first and last names plus addresses of all the people who would like to come. Please also give us an email address and phone number for each of these people in case of late changes to any events.
We do not give your personal details to any third party.

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The delightful Christmas aromas of mince pies and Portsmouth’s most luscious mulled wine will waft around our gallery and our outdoor artists’ market again this year at the seventh annual Festival of Christmas in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, one of the South Coast’s most popular seasonal events.

The Festival returns reinvigorated and strengthened with a Victorian costume theme featuring snow, carols, Father Christmas, music, lights and colour outside our gallery, and the usual beautiful art inside.

Artists Harbour’s contribution to this family voyage into Christmas past will be the artist’s market outside under cover in the colonnades with a range of artists and crafts people selling their work.

This is a chance to find a totally original Christmas gift.

> Admissions charges to Festival of Christmas

Market stalls still available! Contact us if you are interested!

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