LEFT UK FOR ISRAEL
We started our adventure June 23rd 1991, family of five with a MURVI motor caravan, departing Ulverston, Cumbria driving south and crossing the channel into France, we proceeded driving through Europe and into Italy – catching a few boats and making our way through the Greek islands, Cyprus and landing in Haifa, Israel. Most of the other vehicles had left the ship along the way and we were about the only vehicle left. "Surrounded by six border personnel, we were asked, "What is the purpose of your visit?" We had to remind ourselves and answered "We have come to live in Jerusalem, put our children into school and see what happens!" he replied "Bvakasha!" pointing towards the entry gate – and we were off for a trip to Galilee, on the open road within 15 minutes!.... We arrived in Jerusalem on August 1, 1991, camping on Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, and folding our maps away!
DESERT TRIPS
After a remarkably wet winter, including snow in Jerusalem, I started exploring the desert places, always tantalising after years living on the doorstep of the English Lake District, with its beautiful mountains laced with stone walls enclosing luscious green meadows. Immediately took to painting the Dead Sea and its coast which was teeming with poppies and anemones right up to the edge of the salt laden waters, the lowest place on the surface of the Earth, as well as Ein Gedi and Timna Valley in the Negev,
CONTINUING DESERT VENTURES
More desert trips as well as painting spring landscapes in the Judean Hills. All making Bible narratives come to life - you can literally smell the stories!.
JERUSALEM
After three years of exploring the Dead Sea and the Negev, I started discovering Jerusalem! I was living in the city but slowly found that the delightful stonework was beginning to be revealed to my eyes. This was my first introduction to the American Colony Hotel, and I had the privilege of meeting Anna Grace Lind, granddaughter of Horatio Spafford the author of "It is well with my soul". The Colony, as it was known ", commissioned me to do some paintings from around the courtyard, and this was the beginning of several years work as a graphic designer for them. My wife, Claire, was invited to open a boutique store at the hotel, which also served as a good base for marketing paintings to well heeled visitors.
VISIT TO PETRA
The peace treaty with Jordan provided an exciting opportunity to cross the border for Wadi Rum and Petra!
TEMPLE MOUNT STUDIES
I was beginning to drill down with my fascination for Arabic architectural details on the Temple Mount, as well as the Armenian tiles.
SINAI BEDOUINS
Oscillating between Jerusalem and eastern Sinai, a very hospitable people.
A PROLIFIC YEAR!
Diverse subjects came together, a trip to Lebanon and Syria, all culminating in a major exhibition in the Pasha's Room at the American Colony.
Heavy
Another prolific period, a trip to Syria and Egypt, though tainted with personal sadness as well as anticipating leaving Jerusalem after nearly nine years of sojourn.
Santa Fe, NM
A move to Santa Fe, New Mexico, was an intriguing steppingstone to a big world, with big skies – though the imagery continued to be dominated by the Middle East.
WIDE-OPEN SPACES
The transition to painting New Mexico was slow, while maintaining a link with exhibitions in McLean, ensured the dominance of Middle East paintings.
BIG SKIES - MOVE EAST YOUNG MAN
Finally, an appreciation for the New Mexico landscape began to infiltrate my palette, with the inspiring sunsets over Los Alamos, glowing against the darkness. A move to Western North Carolina set the stage for the next series of subjects.
BLUERIDGE MOUNTAINS
While absorbing the geography of my new location, paintings of the Middle East were riveted into my psyche as well as the requirements of my clients in the Maclean area.
MIXTURE!
With the first paintings of the Blue Ridge Mountains appearing, the portfolio looks a right mix of subjects, oscillating between very different geography!
COMMISSIONS
Commissions from clients ensured my subjects from Jerusalem and the neighbourhood would dominate my painting flow. They sure helped pay the bills!
BROOKGREEN GARDENS, SC
My palette was enriched with being introduced to the beautiful Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina, which would continue to supply enjoyment to my brushstrokes for years to come.
WILSON CREEK GRAYSON HIGHLANDS
After years in the desert, I found clean, fresh, natural water tantalising as a recurring subject. Wilson Creek, is the highest creek in Virginia.
PROLIFIC
After settling into a nice studio in Grassy Creek, the results were reflective of a very busy period with a wide selection of subjects based on previous years of study.
MORE COMMISSIONS
Living out in the sticks had its convenience in supplying me with the perfect environment to concentrate on painting, much of which were commissions, including one from Jerusalem that was going to be of the Notre Dame as a gift to the visiting pope.
LOCAL SUBJECTS
After seven years in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the subject begins to take over.
DISRUPTION
A rude interruption launched me into Murrels Inlet in South Carolina, a blessing in disguise as I spent almost every day observing the beauty of Brookgreen Gardens, from the end of the year into next.
BROOKGREEN GARDENS
A most enjoyable year spent painting plein air in the gardens and being introduced to the butterfly house, which would offer new subjects to study and details thereof.
RETURN TO THE MOUNTAINS
I returned back to the sticks and the peace and quiet which I love, all haunts and gathering my thoughts for the next phase.
TURNING POINT
Settling into the new phase was accompanied by observing the beauty of the sun in its various positions for illuminating, from dawn until sunset – then a stroke!
"MILK THIS COW"
Nothing really prepares you for the outcome of a stroke, but I was determined to make the most of it and continue the output in painting my heart out.
"KEEP KICKING...."
..... and painting.
OIL & WATER
I realised that I was stuck with this left-side paralisis, thank God my painting hand was still intact. I started painting in oils again, after many years of devotion to watercolours, just to widen the opportunities given the use of one hand.
A NEW PILGRIMAGE
I couldn't walk the hills and the creeks anymore, but I could revisit them in my minds eye and wander around places that I loved on the canvases and paper through the end of my busy brush.
SETTLING-IN
I think I'm settling in, but I leave plenty of room for surprises! Commissions are still coming in and I am blessed by those opportunities, challenges and constraints.
EXPERIMENTS
I would like this year to be an opportunity for experiments, examining the beauty of texture and abstracting from previous realistic compositions by relying on memory of wonderful experiences, God willing.