Wednesday 22 April 2009

Water on "Earth Day" Morning Mist on the Helford


My day usually starts with a walk. As I work from home I like to think of these walks as my "walk to work", also I need to walk the dog. I am very fortunate to live right by the Helford River in Cornwall, possibly one of the most beautiful places on Earth (I think so anyway). And so, rain or shine, sweltering sun or swirling snow, I trudge the paths alongside this river as it makes its final mile out to sea. The river, its wooded banks, little inlets and hidden beaches have woven themselves into my heart and into my work, as I walk I see a thousand things that cry out to be painted. As artists we are compelled to record, thoughts, feelings, places and people, this beautiful earth and I have always felt that part of an artists job is to highlight or underline the ordinary. A metaphorical poke in the ribs... "hey, you there, take a look at this, see the light there, that line of trees in the mist, isn't it so wonderful, are we not the luckiest folk to have this, to live here?"
Lets keep it safe!

6 comments:

Making A Mark said...

A resounding vote for "appreciate what we've got"!

I so envy you where you live!

vivien said...

and you do live in a little bit of heaven :>)

the poke in the ribs is a very good analogy - I remember walking home from college once and the sky was just amazing - looooooong thin stripes of cloud like razor shells, banded with the colours of the rainbow. Utterly amazing.

I kept pointing them out to people who just looked and said 'oh ..... yeah' and walked on

they are apparently very rare and are called nacreous clouds - most people simply didn't notice them

Jeanette Jobson said...

Funny how the average person doesn't really see what is around them. The most ordinary things become extraordinary when you examine them.

Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said...

I have to say that the French are VERY appreciative of nature and its beauty..just this morning my hairdresser went on for about 30 minutes about how he opened up hs window this morning and spoke to the birds and heard their whistling and the sun streaming into his room and the blossoms on his way to work etc etc. I couln't get a chance to tell my version of delight!
Ronell

Gesa said...

That walk to work sounds so much better than mine :) I am very envious!

annie said...

The perfect way to start a morning with a walk like that. It sets the mood for the whole day. And yes, some people, too often, don't notice what's around them, and then don't WANT to look, even when a companion tried to point it out.
annie