Art In My Life!

​Meanings in paintings

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One of my passions is the love of art.  Although I have never owned anything of significance, a rembrandt or picasso, I have always collected painting and pictures, buying them or having them commissioned at important junctures in my life.  I am a bit nostalgic like that.  I am no minimalist and hate blank walls; my old home in Southampton was full of  interesting things to look at.  Most of it was sold off, before I moved to Spain, but I did bring some of the more important ones, the ones with the most sentimental value with me.  Restarting ones life, can be difficult; choosing what one should take to ones new life, is even harder.  I have regrets about some of the items that were sold at auction, but I am happy with what I have with me in Spain, just enough to jog ones memory, now and again, of happier times!

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9/11, a terrible event in history, that struck a chord with me. Like most people from that time, I remember where I was and what I was doing, on the day, those planes flew into the World Trade Centre. Myself and Darrell had our own business in Salisbury and were working in the restaurant, when the towers came down.

This painting reminds me of that terrible day, but it also reminds me of our life together in Salisbury. On that notorious day, I lost a substantial amount of money on the stock market and 9/11 marked the beginning of the end of our time, running a business. In a few years, we would have left Salisbury, beginning a new chapter in our life!

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This modern painting is called 'Love; Ups and downs'.  I bought the picture from an auction, about fifteen years ago; it has a lot of significance for myself and Darrell and our life together.

No relationship is ever smooth and we have had a particularly bumpy ride. Not because we fell out of love, but because of the circumstances we have been in from time to time, rather like those we are living through today.

Looking at it, reminds me of our partnership together.  It has on occasion, been responsible for pushing me further forward, at a time, when things haven't looked good for us both!

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Mollie Sugden, or rather Mrs Slocombe! This fantastic lady was a massive part of my childhood. I have many happy memories watching her on television with family and friends alike.  When she died, I had this picture commissioned. She had to come with us to Spain, of course and sits proudly above the TV set. A picture that takes me back to the happy part of my childhood and something I will never part with!

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A picture of Buckingham Palace, painted in 1969, a couple of years before I was born. You would expect me to have some 'Royal' references, in the paintings I have; I am a complete Royalist and a big fan of HM The Queen; I have always been that way.

I am also English and very proud of my identity. Although I am living in Spain, I like to keep that link to home and this painting gives me that.

As someone who has lived and worked in Britain all my life, I did find it hard, giving up my house. I may no longer live in the UK, but I am still British and all that entails. The Monarchy encompasses everything; values and dedication, that I believe in.  As The Queen has given her life in the service of her country, all of us, should give a little of ourselves to a cause that we truly adhere too!

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The is probably the most important painting I have. It was painted by one of my volunteers, when I worked for Oxfam.  His name was Mark and he had schizophrenia. As a person, he was always determined and a joy to be around. 

Mark painted this picture about five years ago.  It is of me, how he saw me and the three different sides of me, that he believed made up my personality. This is a picture that will always take me back to happy times, despite the charity I worked for and the manner of my departure.  The people on the ground were always true stalwarts, doing what they believed was right, for those in most need; Oxfam owe these people a great debt!

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I have studied Palmistry or as I call it, Chirology. I was also in contact with many other Palmists, all over the world. This painting was sent to me by a friend in India, while I was actually learning 'Vedic Palmistry' and has a lot of meaning for me.

I have been practicing the study of the hand since 2004, whilst living with a friend in Southampton, who enjoyed doing tarot. I suppose he fueled my interest in all things mystic and although I enjoy doing tarot myself, hand reading is really where my talents and interest lie!

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A painting I had commissioned nearly twenty years ago. This is The Mansion, long since demolished.  I used to live here in the early 1990s, with a group of other gay people. It was a difficult period for the gay community in general and a group living together, had a lot to do with safety in numbers.

​This was also a party house; although we only lived here for six months, the time spent at the Mansion has left more of an impression on me, than any other time in my life so far!

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A painting of the amphitheatre in Pula, Croatia. This was the first time myself and Darrell traveled to Darrell's home country; it was the beginning of a journey, that would take us back to this beautiful jewel, on the Dalmatian coast, year after year. We became very close to his relatives in Split, who welcomed us with open arms and are always accommodating and friendly!

​Pula, was the last real holiday we had together on our own, without staying with family.  It is a wonderful historic place that holds some fantastic memories; a place I hope to visit again one day!

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A painting I saw at an auction, which reminded me of Sorrento. Darrell and I have been to Italy on many occasions, too many to remember. We especially loved Sorrento, Amalfi and Napoli, where we holidayed twice.  This painting of a street scene, brings back happy memories, of walking through the narrow cobbled streets, winding roads and secret hideaways. Southern Italy is another place I hope to return to one day.  Italy is also somewhere I want to live. Every time I look through this street, I always mutter to myself, 'one day, one day!' Paintings keep dreams alive; even at the darkest moments in ones life, a picture can take you back to the happiest of times!

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You can tell a lot about a person, by the paintings they have on their walls. I couldn't live without the colour and vibrancy pictures give a home.  Everything I brought with me, in the back of a transit van, across the continent from Britain, has meaning and purpose. I didn't have much left, when I arrived in Gran Alacant, certainly nothing of value, but what I do have I cherish and will not part with.  A world without pictures, would be an unhappy place.  There is a part of me, in all the art work I have, brought, made, commissioned or acquired.  When you put a picture on your wall, you are also including part of the person who had it before you. These are just a few of what I had collected, over many years, now with me in Spain;  as time moves on, I hope to begin my collection once again.

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