Category Archives: Gallery Introductions

Gallery Introductions: The Earth and all in it

My latest gallery has a grand-sounding name, “The Earth and all in it”.

In it you will find not only the original designs

Cal 14 01 scan for web

but also photographs of the solids crafted from them.

C1401 photo for web

The Earth is the LORD’s

together with brief stories behind the images.

I hope eventually to publish a craft book to show how these solids may be assembled.

 

From the craft book

I have long been fascinated by patterns in nature, ranging from the microscopic to the cosmic. I have striven to maintain a child-like sense of wonder in my observations of space, skies, flowers and living creatures. I hope we may discover a common bond with people of all ages and cultures as we appreciate the beauty out there, and catch the hope that there is a meaning behind it all.

 

A bilingual explanation

Two months ago I tried to get a Christian publisher here in Japan to take up my designs for a calendar. I sent this bilingual explanation with the designs. In case you are wondering, I was politely turned down; but it was they who suggested I consider making a craft book.

説明 Explanation

Month

タイトル Title

Scripture

聖書の聖句

地球はのものである。

The Earth is the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

24:1

水はのものである。

Water is the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

24:2

光はのものである。

Light is the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

104:2

火はのものである。

Fire is the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

104:4

植物はのものである。

Plants are the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

104:14

小さな生き物はのものである。

Small creatures are the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

104:25

海胆はのものである。

Sea Urchins are the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

104:25

傘貝はのものである。

Limpets are the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

104:25

地からの食物はのものである。

Food from the earth is the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

104:14

10

種はのものである。

Seeds are the LORD’s.

創世記・Genesis

1:12

11

地にある実はのものである。

The fruit on the earth is the LORD’s.

詩篇・Psalm

104:13

12

私達ものものである。

We too are the LORD’s.

ヨハネ・John

1:11, 12

 

 

Next week on Saturday 14th September, I hope to introduce the wonderful world of ‘Wasan’ or Japanese mathematics.. It is fascinating how much knowledge was independently discovered in Japan during the country’s isolation from the outside world prior to the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century.

Gallery Introductions: God Cares

0 Frontispiece  hands for web

God Cares For You

Ninety years ago tomorrow at lunch time, the ground shook under Tokyo and Yokohama. Many thousands died in the fire that followed. Sixteen years ago today, Lady Diana died in a horrific traffic accident in Paris. At this moment as I write, in Syria people are dying at the hands of people.

Whether many or few people suffer, is there a God who cares?

About 2000 years ago Peter wrote about a God who lifts and cares.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand,that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:6,7 (Bible: NIV)

Is there a God who cares? My paintings express the hope that there is.

Next week on 7th September, I hope to introduce my current collection, on the subject of “The Earth is the LORD’s’’.

Gallery Introductions: Nature

In a job interview recently the interviewer asked me, “What is your hobby?”  I answered, “Painting”. Without reflecting I added, “It saved me really.”

5  A Butterfly in Our Garden web

A butterfly in our garden

Suffering from several stressors at the time I found that painting definitely had therapeutic value as I reverted to a more traditional style in these images of nature. I raided my photo collection for images to paint, starting with this one of a swallowtail butterfly happily drawing nectar from the pansies in our garden.

Pic039

The original photograph

Next week on 31st August, I hope to introduce another gallery featuring works in a hybrid style, on the subject of ‘God Cares’.

Gallery Introductions: Creation

Gallery Introductions: Creation

4 Land and Seas for web

Land and Seas

My purpose here is not to wade into the creation/evolution debate, important though that is. Rather it is simply to introduce twelve paintings originally brought together to illustrate a calendar for 2009.

I must come clean and admit my paintings reflect the classical Christian viewpoint that God Himself was the Creator of the cosmos and everything in it. How He did it is still very much open to speculation. To quote an ancient biologist from almost 3,000 years back:

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”                                                                                                                                                            Ecclesiastes ch.3 v.11 in the NIV of the Holy Bible

King Solomon’s statement is as true today as it was when he penned it.

Even if you do not share my beliefs you can still enjoy the paintings they inspire, on the ‘Galleries’ page, sub-page ‘Creation’.

 

Next week on 24th August, I hope to introduce another gallery, but featuring works in a much more conventional style, on the subject of ‘Nature’.

 

My First Gallery

I will shortly add my first gallery. (I hope.)

The topic is “Weather” I originally painted 12 works for a calendar way back in 2010. Weather has been an interest of mine since childhood when I was the self-appointed family weather forecaster. Was I more accurate than the met office folk? Er… no.

I hope you enjoy these paintings (once I have coaxed Word.press’ technology to work in my favour).