May 2017

open-door-smAs many regular readers will know, I’m a great believer in If a door opens, we should walk through it. It’s so ingrained in the way I live life and run my businesses that when it’s challenged by ‘head’ stuff as much as it is at the moment, my faith in ‘the process’ can’t help but become clouded.

For a few reasons, we’re moving house. What’s wonderful about that is just how smoothly the sale and purchase process has been (clearly, therefore, meant to be). So why is my head screaming at me?

ben_taffinderDuring a time when my mother’s health has been challenging, my father’s Alzheimer’s worsening, my faithful dog’s quality of life is deteriorating rapidly, not to mention being on the verge of the busiest periods of the year, is this really a time to be ‘upgrading’ house?

When I first started realising that if the Gods want you to do something, all the doors will open and it will be smooth, I was amazed at how clear everything became. It made my life-choices easy and the more I immersed myself in that ‘process’ the more it became true.

robin_masonMaybe it’s time for that resolve to be challenged… to see how strong it is? We’ve all known times in life we just need to close our eyes and jump in the belief the net will appear, but whether we do or not, or let doubt reign, is the question.

stephen_higtonReligious people may call it having faith in their deity, atheists: fate or synchronicity. Whatever your beliefs, I believe disengaging with the fear of ‘what ifs’ is the key to any happiness in life. There are a thousand scenarios that could happen and almost certainly the ones that do are the ones we haven’t even thought of.

joe_armstrongLife throws enough curve balls at us without us creating our own, so despite my brain’s fears and distractions, I will continue to heed to ‘the process’. Not because I want to test provenance, but simply because open doors lead to new experiences and for me, that’s what living life to the full is all about. And, truthfully, it is only in doing that we define who we are.

ilric_shetlandBefore we kick off with all the new work and a stunning new recruit to the THG stable, I want to remind everyone that the Ben Taffinder exhibition is now on here in the gallery. The open evening and weekend has seen some great sales, but you can check out all the work here. Well worth it as always with that fella!

hester_berryNow, I’d like to introduce you to the superb Hester Berry. She agreed to join us earlier in the year and is working on some local scenes for us, but for now, we have three incredible works in. Her pedigree is astonishing and we’ve also added her Landscape Artist of the Year Time-Lapse video to our podcast page to give you an insight into her awesomeness! Enjoy!

Right, so who’s been dropping in new work? Well, to be honest pretty much everyone. Robin Mason’s Fisherman’s Shelter exhibition was a great start to the season in mid April and there are just a few newbie from him here.imogen_bone

Stephen Higton painted two beauties for us just recently and I imagine they’ll fly out the door once his fans get a butchers at those lovelies. Joe Armstrong, too, bought in a couple of stunning new pieces last week, so do drop in and check those whoppers out: the fella’s shining with his usual excellence. Oh and Joe’s our next Fisherman’s Shelter exhibition on May bank holiday: 26th – 28th!

jenny_aitkenThat crazy-talented Ilric Shetland popped over with a stunning new Seascape mid-month so it’d be a crime not to check that powerful work out… and his incredible 3.5 meter wide mountain scape is live on his page, too. What an astonishing piece of work that is!

claire_henleyClaire Henley got everyone on Facebook guessing who the two people were in her new work last week. Might be worth finding out as it could be you? Be a shame to miss buying that if it is, or?

andrew_allansonAnd just last week the amazing newcomer, Imogen Bone, bought in the final huge piece of hers, which is now in-house to see. There’s another I suspect won’t last the month. It’s a beautiful piece! Oh and the lovely Jenny Aitken has delivered two new Portscatho stunners, too. Sublime!

Is that it? Hell, no! There’re some magical new pieces from both Andrew Allanson and the most bodacious Philip Tyler this month. Philip has spoiled us with a new collection between bites of writing for The Artist magazine. What a sterling and hard-working fella that is, eh?

On that note, I shall leave you to browse the magnificence that is THG’s website. Always bursting with stunning new work, it’s a crime not to make a weekly date to drop in and see what’s new. One never likes to miss out on a stunner, now, does one? ;0-)

Adios Amigos and hope to see or hear from you soonest!

Mark

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April 2017

freedom-smOne of the benefits of being around children (especially another’s) is how much one learns about one’s self. This month I took a group of our youth club kids to Centre Parcs for the weekend and the learning curve became much more intense.

How kind, thankful and giving some are and how much some others reflected back to me some of my worst traits, allowing me to remember how I was as a youngster, how far I’ve come, and yet how much I still have to learn…  read more

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