While on holiday over the summer in Derbyshire I came across David at an exhibition of local artists. I enjoyed chatting with David and left wishing I had enough money to purchase a painting I fell in love with.

A few months later I was able to contact David through his website as I had saved money for the painting I had loved …. only to be told that his cat had slept on it the night before and ruined it … so the painting was no more.

But … then … the email conversation got a little more exciting when David said he could paint one very similar for me. Of course I agreed and waited a few weeks patiently. I got an email to say she was finished … but that the weather was meaning the oils were taking an age to dry.

A few weeks ago I took delivery of this amazing painting loosely called ‘the Lady  in Oils’  …. my title as I could not come up with a definitive name for her. I find the painting stunningly beautiful. The calmness, dreaminess and serenity of this painting just draws me every time I look towards it …

And … I love ‘The Lady’ in her setting on this wall in my study with creations from my amazing friends Zara, Rikard and Andi.

I find this wall to be a gentle catalyst in my thinking, particularly when I am reflecting on what is happening around me. There is a saying …’beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ … to an extent that is true … but are there also universally understood ideas of beauty, for example? Lots of people have visited since I have received ‘The lady’ … and everyone, without exception, has remarked on the beauty of the painting. So … I think there must be.

Is there a point to this post?
I am unsure …. I am still tying to return to writing regularly sett a long break when stuff just crowded my head.
Part of this is just that I have not written anything … so writing rubbish and rambling is better than writing nothing!
I guess the point is that this … this space … here … immersed within and confronted by my wall of beauty created by others and kindly offered to me …. here is the space that I attempt to create.

Through reflection I am very aware that I can be creative, but for that creativity to thrive I need to be working in a  creative environment, preferably with others of a similar focus. So … I have the environment …. I simply need a few more people  ….

So … for now … back to look at my wall of beauty … back to reflect … and maybe create something better than the ramble I have just written ….