simplicity,stillness and satisfaction

I was fortunate ,thanks to the internet, to hear a short talk given by a lovely friend of mine Murray Watts on the subject of "hope". He tells the story of his sheepdog Tiffy who he takes for walks on the beach . Tiffy , Murray recounts, charges along the beach , sees the waves, says to herself "what is that ?" and proceeds to herd the waves and play in the sea full of joy and wonder. The next morning when they go for a walk Tiffy sees the waves , says to herself "what is that ?" and ...well away she goes..
Since retiring from bookselling (I do not like the word "retire") so since having a change of lifestyle the most frequently asked questions are " have you been on holiday ?" to which our answer is "we are on holiday for the rest of our lives" and "what are you doing with yourselves" to which we mainly answer "living."
The point being that , as Murray points out , the world is full of cynicism and we are surrounded by bad news but we can seek another path within the world .
I am looking for that path. Most days we will walk the hills and dales and , like Tiffy , we say "what is that" and charge off to have a look!
A line from an old hymn goes "One day at a time sweet Jesus" . Sentimental ? yes but charged with a simple important truth? YES . Try not to miss this moment .
Would it not be wonderful if we could start a revolution of simplicity and satisfaction found in the joy of living that could turn the world upside down?

It would be fun trying....

A Gentle Reminder

Battle continues . Seeing and not seeing. A couple of days away from painting .Getting into the garden in the sunshine , moving stuff, Zen Gardening. Calming the mind and stilling the need to create .Sitting in the sunshine ...

"In this 21st century ,to stop running around,to sit quietly on the ground, to switch off the worls and come back to the earth , to allow the eye to see a willow, a bush , a cloud , a leaf , is an unforgettable experience" from "The Zen of Seeing".

exciting times

Bakewell Arts Festival 2012

Janette Hockley-Webster

http://thestantonmoorproject.blogspot.co.uk/?spref=fb Keith How's exhibition, The Stanton Moor Project, confirmed for Friday 29 June to Sunday 8 July - the first event of BAF 2012

THE STANTON MOOR PROJECT

thestantonmoorproject.blogspot.co.uk

 ·  ·  · Share · 19 May at 12:18

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    Janette Hockley-Webster H's Wine Bar & Bistro, Bakewell. With thanks to Helen of H's.

Mr Blue Sky

I just love the sky. The relationship between the horizon and the sky at the point where they appear to touch seems to generate energy. One thing about Stanton Moor is the sheer vastness of the sky.In winter the sky goes on for ever ,on a dank cloudy day layers of grey hang as drapes blocking out the sun .On a windy day huge clouds bubble up  their edges whipped into shapes moment by moment as they skid across your view. Wandering daily over hill and dale I took to musing on how to express "the sky" in paintings. I take many photos as inspiration( a sign of the times I guess the old school painters set up shop on site). I can reference these images while at home.
The big question for me is how do I depict the "sense " of the sky? I reworked one sky/horizon 5 or 6 times ending with utter frustration . Ask the question!
Why are you copying natures beauty? Hundreds of painters have mastered "the sky". There are videos tutoring "how to paint a cloud" on You Tube.
I long to feel the sky, float away on the breeze, see with another eye....
The sky is hardly ever really blue is it!!

"Hidden Glade"

16"x 16" 

mixed media on canvas

Fog on the Barrow Downs. L.O.T.R. Part 1 ch. v111

"But even as he spoke he turned his glance eastwards ,and he saw that on that side the hills were higher and looked don on them; and those hills were crowned with green mounds and onsome were standing stones, pointing upwards..."

"so they turned from the sight and went down into the hollow circle.In the midst of it there stood a single  stone , standing tall under the sun above.."

"the standing stone was cold and it cast along pale shadow.....

"I got a head full of ideas, that are driving me insane." -Bob Dylan

Corkstone Blues

Damn You Basquiat Part 2

Took me an hour to find the soundtrack, new it was somewhere 

in the house, and let it flow......

damn you Basquiat

Had a couple of frustrating days where nothing was happening no spark, no nothing ...Over a coffee I was browsing "DON'T PANIC art in the punk years" and found my self reflecting on a painting by Jean Michel Basquiat. I loved the biopic and love much of his work and meditating on this picture I became aware that I should be looking at the Moor with different eyes or ,as my good friend Ray might say, a different head .
We took wander on Stanton on another grey day .Again two major themes filter into my mind.
1) whenever you walk there the landscape seems seeped in magic. The birch trees ,the soft bright green   mosses, the mysterious paths and the sense of presence in the stillness.
2) the sky and the clouds. Vast skies, low horizons a sense overlooking the landscape. It's the sky though. Whatever the weather or the season the sky is overwhelming!
Much to digest.

somethings bugging.......................meeeeeeeeee................