Scottish Contrast

Landscapes can be like life, a contrast between light and dark.

Here I feel the space between a neglected old boat, probably in it's final resting place and the cottage peeking over the rise. I imagine the cottage full  of warmth and light against the dark sky.

Acrylic on paper.

Black Rock Cottage. Glencoe. Scotland

This is my second painting of Black Rock Cottage. The first one was sold from the Elgin exhibition.

I hope to exhibit this one at a gallery in Cromer. I know it is not a Norfolk scene but it may strike a chord with Scottish exiles living in Norfolk.

Tour de France 2015

2009

 The Gerry Active Tour de France 2015 proved one thing! Our memories are not holding up as well as our cycling abilities. We did not realize we were covering some of the same ground as in the 2009 tour until we came across this giant bottle at Albas! We thought we would reprise the 2009 pose to compare the physical deterioration and wear and tear in the intervening 6 years.

2015

The God in Large Things

The Indian writer Arundhati Roy wrote the acclaimed novel The God of Small Things. As mankind continues to kill in the name of religion, nationalism, sectarianism, tribalism and for no reason I continue to reflect on this old oak tree which I had the honour of painting. It is nearly 1000 years old as I mentioned in a previous post. In that time the killing has never stopped. This tree has killed nothing. On the contrary it is home to insects, birds and animals and each day aids in the purification of our planet. You could even believe it is better qualified to contain God than the Human Race!

A different life style. A nice story.

 Here is a nice story about a family who decided to reevaluate their life by dropping out for a while.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32974131

Poetry, Life and Beauty

 A. E. Housman's famous poem about the cherry tree and mortality from A Shropshire Lad has always resonated strongly with me. Each year I marvel at the loveliness of the wild flowers and each year I wonder how many more springs I will view this loveliness. There is nothing morbid about this, just a greater and greater appreciation and awe for the perfection of the moment. Here is the poem in which Housman talks about twenty of his expected life expectation of seventy years having gone. By his measure I am minus one! Definitely no complaints from me! My time has run out so I am so lucky to see the miracle of spring again.

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now

Is hung with bloom along the bough,

And stands about the woodland ride

Wearing white for Eastertide.

Now, of my threescore years and ten,

Twenty will not come again,

And take from seventy springs a score,

It only leaves me fifty more.

And since to look at things in bloom

Fifty springs are little room,

About the woodlands I will go

To see the cherry hung with snow.

Pond Life

I love the light and reflections dancing on water and sometimes try to capture the feeling, the essence of it rather than a photographic type of painting.

This pond is a metaphor for life, look more closely and there is more to be seen and experienced, above and below the water. The surface has pond skaters skimming around, plant life and the kiss of wind. Below there are all manner of things. tadpoles, larvae, newts and little fish.

Like life there is so much more than than what is on the surface.

My painting is 60cm X 50cm and is acrylic on canvas. Please contact me for a price if interested.
www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk

The Path

The Path

Who is leading who?

If that is the right expression

What unfolds for the adult

As the child points

Inspired and aflame 

Unfiltered by knowledge

And today's science

So often upturned

Scattered and rearranged

Like autumn leaves

Moved by fickle winds

I do know this

Beauty and truth

Pulse always on this path

Within yet beyond

The artists brush

And every one of our footfalls

____________

Painting by Chris Gaunt. Poem by Julian Gaunt.

Ancient Oak.The Election and Social Media

This Oak is nearly 1000 years old and stands in the grounds of the Fairhaven Trust in South Walsham, Norfolk. It was a sapling at the time of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It made me reflect on the relative unimportance of the recent general election which has produced such an outpouring of hatred on social media from those who didn't like the result.. My question to those posting these sort of views as my friends, is what do you really want? Are you seriously suggesting as one post did that we have a revolution to overthrow the government?  Do you really think everybody who voted for a party you didn't approve of is a vile Nazi scumbag completely devoid of any human kindness? Because that is the implication of some posts.The British public donate more to charity and disaster relief per head than most other countries and I bet that includes folk of all political persuasions. Now that we have a multi party system some form of proportional representation may be a fairer way BUT according to one P. R. system the result may not have pleased everybody either. It seems the Conservatives and Labour would have fewer seats but still be the two largest parties but UKIP would have had 88 seats! The Liberal Democrats would have more seats than the SNP who would have 25. The Greens also would have more. Winston Churchill said Democracy is a lousy system of government but it is the best we have. I suppose that may be questionable but what else? A dictatorship? All this I was reflecting on as I viewed that magnificent Oak in the tranquility of the countryside. Hopefully this tree will still be alive when all the protagonists in this election and myself, will, after strutting our stuff and rounding our little lives with a sleep, be of no consequence.  So my friends, wait five years and you will probably get the government you like but meanwhile if we prefer Democracy we must accept the will of the ballot box. I leave you with a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. " I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too greater burden to bear."

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step

The huge beach at Holkham

And so does a 36 mile three day walk. I had a very nice walk along the North Norfolk Coast with my son Julian.Walking from Holme on Sea to Burnham Deepdale on the first day. Burnham Deepdale to Wells on Sea on the second and on to Morston for the final day. We were blessed with fine weather and enjoyed two evenings in lovely pubs. The White Horse at Burnham Deepdale and The Crown Hotel in Wells where we analyzed the days walking and put the world to rights.

How did my little son grow to be so big!

Wells Harbour

First time

 We all remember the first time don't we? Last week I took my grandsons on their very first fishing trip. I bought them a rod each and researched the best fishing lake for a good chance of success.
 Well what a first time, both boys caught quite large Carp as well as several smaller fish. They were so excited and the day exceeded my wildest expectations.
The fish were caught on tiny barb less hooks which fall out when the line is slack and were returned carefully and unharmed.

The Kindness of Strangers

A month ago I undertook a solo six day cycle ride around the North York Moors and Wolds.
Leaving my car with my friends Terry and Gill at Driffield and after enjoying a pleasant day ride with Terry I set off on my solo ride. I cycled via Scarbourough, Whitby, Great Ayton and Osmotherley. I stayed with Mike and Naoko in Great Ayton and enjoyed catching up with friends at Osmotherley. Leaving Osmotherley early in the morning I thought I could make the 64 miles to Driffield in one day. Alas 10 miles from York on the busy A19 I got a puncture and couldn't pump up the repair as my pump handle snapped after a couple of strokes! I tried hitching to no avail and was walking towards York when I saw a house on the right with a couple of men working on it. Thinking the house might have a resident cyclist and therefore a pump I stopped. No luck but they said try the offices in the old mill set back from the road. Entering a large office 20 office workers swiveled in their chairs and stared at this bedraggled old fellow confronting them. After explaining my predicament and having established there were no cyclists and therefore no pump I asked if they knew a local taxi firm. They did and arranged a taxi, then after conferring amongst themselves offered me a lift in one of their vans instead. They cancelled the taxi and sat me down with a cup of tea while waiting for the van driver. The van driver was a lovely man who took me to a cycle shop in York. It was closed but ( wait for it ) he then offered to take me to Wilco where indeed I was able to sort the problem and continue my journey. I didn't make Driffield but was left feeling so grateful for the kindness of strangers. With all the terrible things going on in the world we sometimes need reminding most people are kind and generous. If you are wondering what the photo has to do with this story, well it is in my next village where the residents are trying to care for the annual frog migration and is therefore another example of kindness. Let us celebrate it.

Come home to yourself

I like it here
this place of quiet
time alone

Firelight faces dance
to the music in my head
as evening slips by

No need for words
for a week, no need
to offer up any sacrifices


All the open wounds
all the torn pieces
are band aided together

And I can sleep
with the door unlocked
my thoughts light as snowflakes

Poem by Eileen Carney Hulme. Painting of Retreat Cottage by Chris Gaunt

Small girl forms bond with crows

Fed up with bad news? Here is a nice little story.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31604026

The Sun in Me

Oh we've got to trust
one and other again
in some essentials,

Not the narrow little
bargaining trust
that says: I'm for you
if you'll be for me,-

But a bigger trust,
a trust of the sun
that does not bother
about moth and rust,
and we see it shining
in one another.


Oh don't you trust me,
don't burden me
with your life and affairs; don't
thrust me
into your cares,

But I think you may trust
the sun in me
that glows with just
as much glow as you see
in me, and no more

But if it warms
your heart's quick core
why then trust it, it forms
one faithfulness more.

And be, oh be
a sun to me,
not a weary, insistent
personality

but a sun that shines
and goes dark, but shines
again and entwines
with the sunshine in me

till we both of us
are more glorious
and more sunny.

Poem by D H Lawrence   Painting by Chris. Bigger than my similar painting and is intended to be sold with Piper at the Gates of Dawn as a pair. Size 20"x 20" on canvas.

Waiting Spirit

Along your journey's road
I have shadowed you,
Unknown, unseen
A deep wishing well

Along your dark pathways
I have watched you stumble,
My open arms at ready
a downy field of light

Along your starlight stepping stones
I have watched you dance unlimited,
free as a spirit wind
In search of unknown galaxies.


Poem by Eileen Carney Hulme  My modified painting 16" X 16" on canvas

Podemos? maybe but can Greece?

What interesting political times we live in. Where will all this end? How is the EU going to resolve the demands of Syriza to cancel half of it's enormous debt pile? The most likely outcome is to spread the repayments over a much longer period at a lower rate of interest.In effect the debt ( unsustainable anyway ) will never be repaid. This enables Alexis Tsipras to claim success and Mrs Merkel to say there has been no debt forgiveness. However can this be sold to both electorates and will it work? What about Spain? Mrs Merkel doesn't want Spanish voters to think Greece has won and therefore encourage support for Podemos! What if Mrs Merkel calls Tsipras's bluff and there really is no debt forgiveness? What happens then?
 I am sure the intelligent Mr Tsipras has thought this through and would then default and return to the Drachma.
Perhaps this is his game plan all along and by pretending to negotiate in a reasonable way he can say to Greek voters ( who apparently want to stay in the Euro and are naturally worried that any money in their bank accounts will suddenly be worth much less ) look I really tried to stay in but Mrs Merkel didn't play ball.
Should Greece default we really are in uncharted waters. How would Mr Tsipras pay for his social programme? It could be a disaster even bigger than the current one OR on the other hand a complete change of fortune for Greece.
It is possible that with a much devalued currency all the money which has flooded out of the country will flood back in. The tourist industry will boom creating jobs. Foreign investment will return along with economic growth. We just don't know, only time would tell.
If it is a success then that surely would be the end of the Euro experiment as Spain almost certainly would follow suit.
One consequence of a Greek devaluation would be that Greeks could no longer afford to holiday outside Greece but given the fact that 25% of Greeks don't have a job and those that do have had massive pay cuts maybe it won't be an issue.
I am sure my view of this crisis is simplistic and could very well be totally wrong as we do live in a complex world. Time will tell but let us hope it does end well.

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Wind in the Willows is one of my favourite books, even as an adult! Chapter seven when Ratty and Mole search for the missing baby otter Portly and find him fast asleep protected by Pan takes children's literature to a mystical level. If you have never read Wind in the Willows then you are denying yourself a treat. This painting is inspired by Pan.
20" x 20" Acrylic Ink on Canvas and is for sale.

Leaving for the Stars

If you ever get caught up in the sense of your own importance then stand outside and look at the stars.
My painting is inspired by this. 24" x 24" on canvas.

Here is a poem I love.

One day I shall leave this place
I will blow through the trees with the rain
And listen as the leaves fall like snow

One day I will talk to the mountains
And they will smile
I will shelter from the beat
of a butterfly's wings
And hear spiders walk

One day when the tears and the fears
And the years have slipped away
I will light a fire on a beach

the smoke will take me to the stars
And I will be free

Temptation according to Mae West

This painting is the result of thinking about Oscar Wilde's quote on temptation. " I can resist anything but temptation "
Mae West said something similar " I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it "
Then of course there is Adam and Eve!
Nothing is new under the sun so the title of this painting is ' The Same Old Story '
Painting size 20" x  20" Acrylic on canvas.

Weakness for Werthers

I can resist anything except temptation. So said Oscar Wilde!

Like my father before me I have a weakness for toffees. Unable to keep to just one I never keep them in the house. However in an effort to sabotage my manly figure my cousin bought me some for Christmas. Here is evidence of the shameful result, a whole bag in one sitting!

Happy Christmas everyone. Don't overdo it!!

Fortunately couldn't get this bottle back to England. This photo was taken on one of our French cycling trips and is at Cahors. I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. May the world work towards reconciliation and the ending of violence.

Wood Spirits

Do you ever feel the life in the trees, lakes and forests? Do you feel the energy? You are never alone. Can you see the nature spirits dancing round these two young lovers in my painting?


For sale on http://www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/653049

The Lake Isle of Innisfree W B Yeats

This poem by W B Yeats was on my mind when painting this. I was listening to Mike Scots fantastic CD ' An Evening with Mr Yeats ' on which he adds music to Yeats poetry. This poem invokes the vision of a cottage by Lake Innisfree. Maybe my cottage is a bit grander than the cabin in the poem but I hope my painting captures the spirit of peace.
Here are the first few lines.
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there,of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

Do look up the rest or buy Mike Scots CD.

Albert Einstein on Technology

Albert Einstein said " It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity "
He said this long before smart phones and facebook of course. I wonder what he would have made of social media which is routinely used to bully, exhort acts of violence and reinforce simplistic prejudices?
We as humans have the choice to use technology for good or bad. I give thanks to all those who choose the former.
I was thinking all this while painting this peaceful picture! Is that a happy dog I see in it?

The Path Again

When I am in between inspirational direction and am not sure what to paint next I come back to this path through the woods. I like the composition but never get it quite right. I always feel there is a great painting in this scene. Maybe I will get it right someday!

More art to cheer up a dull winter day. My semi abstract on stretched canvas. Size 91cm wide x 60cm high. Ready to hang. View more paintings on Saachiart.
http://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Flower-Pot/653049/2263024/view?wmc=1139&utm_medium=social_media&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=1139&utm_content=art_upload_share

Brightness on a Dull Day

I was feeling a little down today having spent four hours at a speed awareness course. I was caught speeding at 3 mph over the speed limit!

So to cheer myself up produced this colourful abstract. Felt more into the Christmas spirit afterwards. Acrylic ink on paper.

A New Path

This is my first painting since moving back to Norfolk so it is appropriate that I painted a path symbolizing a new direction. Actually I come back to this subject time and time again. I think I have restless spirit that is intrigued by what might be round the next corner.

Today I went for a gentle cycle ride to a gorgeous country pub with my friend Jeff to celebrate his birthday. We had a splendid ride through lovely lanes and the trees are turning the beautiful colours depicted in my painting.

Meeting of the Riff Rafia at 70th

Jeff opening cards and presents

 Quite a few of my loving disfunctional family were present at Jeff's 70th bithday meal. Jeff, the partner of my ex wife Jo said it was like a meeting of the Mafia. Rachel my step daughter said it was more like a gathering of the Riff Rafia! .

Also present.My son Julian and partner Vicky with children Ben, Jayden and Isla, Jeff's son Philip and his two boys. Rachel's husband Andrew and their son Teddy plus dog Charlie. Andrew had to eat in the courtyard as the dog couldn't come inside!

My lovely grandchildren

Myself with Jeff

Julian and Vicky

Jeff with Jo

Rachel

Summer Light

It's Autumn now but this painting is my attempt to capture the intensity of a late summer sun and shadow. I also took a photo of the scene ( see previous post ) so you can see my interpretation is not exact. Artistic licence!

Bridge over river Bure

I have been rather preoccupied lately to do much painting but have almost finished painting this scene The photo was taken in August and is of a bridge over the river Bure near Oxnead church and hall. It captures the strong contrast between light and dark which I so love as a painter. Perhaps I love it so much as a metaphor of the human condition?

Scottish Referendum

I was wrong. I thought the Yes side would sneak a narrow victory ( see my previous post ) but in fact the No side won.. Now Facebook and Social Media are continuing the arguments! I would like to see Yes and No voters coming together in a spirit of reconciliation otherwise we will perpetuate the bitterness and resentment so much in evidence.Facebook and Social Media can be wonderful but is often used to bully and insult anybody with differing views. Please stop.

Goodbye Scotland my love

All my life I have loved Scotland visiting practically every year. For the last five years it has been my home too.

I take my hat off to Alex Salmond surely one of the most consumate politicians in my life time.


From the very start he has out manoeuvred the opposition. The very wording on the ballot paper immediately has negative connotations by voting No. Yes sounds so much more positive.


The length of the campaign has given lots of time to work on whipping up grievances and injustices imposed by the auld enemy. You would almost think Scotland has been occupied by a merciless army rather that being in a benign and mutually beneficial union with the rest of the United Kingdom.

He has created a whole army of new swear words which are articulated with real venom as often as possible. Top of the list of course is ' Tories ' closely followed by BBC, Metropolitan Press,Big Business, David Cameron, Team Westminster, London etc etc.


He has persuaded practically all voters that they never got the government they voted for. A total lie. The majority of Scottish voters voted for the last Labour Government. There are still over 50 Labour MPs in the PRESENT  parliament and only a handful of SNP MPs!! He has made voters believe the NHS is in danger off privatisation when in fact it is controlled by Scottish devolved powers. Another total lie.

On North Sea oil I often wonder how it has been accepted as Scottish oil when the waters around the United Kingdom were considered to be just that, United Kingdom waters. On that basis the oil belongs to Wales too. The SNP started claiming it as Scottish from the moment it was discovered. Shetland may now decide to become another country and claim oil! But the oil is controversial so I won't get into how much is left.

Alex has also persuaded voters that all the promises can be funded without raising taxation and that no public sector cuts could happen. Again I won't go into it or the currency issue. Everybody believes what they want to believe.

What has REALLY disturbed me is the bad feeling and sometimes downright hatred all this has generated and it will not go away. If there is a yes vote as seems likely the aftermath will be very ugly. When the SNP doesn't get all it wants in the two years of negotiations it will be another opportunity to blame it all on the English. Actually polls show an overwhelming majority of English, Welsh and Northern Irish want Scotland to remain in the Union. I wonder how they will feel if told to Sod Off? I wonder also what the ( as seems likely ) half of the Scottish electorate who vote no will feel about coming out of the Union on a tiny majority? Of course in the event of a NO vote we will have to go through this all again until we give the right answer.

As for me, like a lover who has been rejected, I hope you leave.

Buxton Mill. Norfolk. Stormy sky. Sunlit foreground.

Aristotle said. " The aim of art is not to represent the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance"

For me the significance of this painting is the marvellous heartwarming conversation I had with a young man while painting it. He was so positive about life and was totally inspiring.
Do you love these wonderful chance encounters?

A Girl Needs Her Handbag

Isla my granddaughter with her protective brothers on holiday at Wells next the Sea Norfolk. Leaving the handbag was not an option!

Below. Can I play in the mud too?