Heart-land

      Every true journey is an allegory and every real journey is a vision quest. Our lives are presented
      in terms and in ways that we are not yet concious of -as for instance in a dream.
            Every traveller has to pass through a gateway or a portal , and must be tested - They may be asked riddles or  have to run the gauntlet , but they will be tested, They must be found worthy of such a journey. Yet when you have been tested, the  gatekeeper will allow you through  and everything will be there to help you , although you will still have challenges !
             After all , the place itself  ( like a magnet ) drew you irrevocably  towards it , although you may have thought in your naivity that you had chosen, just as you may have imagined that you choose your partner, pet , friend or lover !
     
                Lucas and I travelled in WestWales, desiring to fish for sea trout in the river Teife, its waters running into the Irish sea at Cardigan . The weather was bad and so we decided to find a hotel or bed and breakfast . We walked through the side streets of Newcastle - Elmyn (Where I had lived some forty years before and also when  I was seveenteen -all those years ago when I came here for the first time .)The place had always held a speacial place in my imagination and feeling for the spiritual.
              We were near to the gateway to the castle  ,a golden dragon was represented over the gateway .A creature that was killed in the middle ages as one of the last dragons of Wales. We tried to find the information bureau but we were told that we had to go to the historic book shop ,
                      We walked into the shop  and met two old bearded gentlemen  (just  like ourselves! )     The atmosphere was extraordinarely friendly , as if we were expected  or that we knew each other from some far past . We exchanged pleasantries  - joked about things  and asked about lodgings and most important about the fishing

                  We were advised to go to the next village -(Cenarth ) go to the White Hart , drink a beer and go from there  ( I personally found this profound advice !) We  realised that we could have spent more time with the " old gents " but we had little time and much to do !However , at this point in the story , it was begining to dawn on me -that many of the personages that I had met , were all characters in  the story that I had written some years ago .A story about justice and injustice played in the middle- ages Many people were waiting in the pub  for us , and they helped us to find accommodation and helped us with the fishing (.If I had been a film director), I would have cast  many of the people for the film ! ( the film about my story -)



                    Life copies art as art mirrors life as Oscar Wilde and the symbolists observed ----

         And even more mysteriously life and dreams give us symbols and allegories that we cannot totally understand at least --------------
                                 
                                           (    Short  extract from my story entitled The Cauldron)

      Lucius(  after cantering down the hill on his horse )  , came to a standstill by the bridge with his three friends ,    he removed his large brimmed hat and threw back his long blond hair .                   ,
                "\ We  should find lodgings here  " said Demian ", and certainly drink a beer ."
".    We  have things to do here   -this is  a place of magic and transformation" . Said Lucius .
         Their voices drowned by the sound of the cauldron  droning beneath the bridge  .

Tree of life -acrylic . Inspired by an old ash tree in The Lake district england 2005

Work in progress entitled - Frieze phantasy , card applique cork oil and acrylic

Two water colours made in wales around 1970 .entitled Banners of spring ( left ) and a journey inland (*right )

composition entitled Marine Tenby 1970 gauche

Usk at Brecon

                              The kingfisher


                                       Streaked colourfully


                              Past me


                                        As I stood in the middle


                                                Of the river -


                                      And sat in a tree watching


                             Me intently.


                                  It must have thought -



                        That old heron


                                Will never catch fish that  way !

The negative side of Cenarth .Why pour cement and make a car park right in front of one of the most picturesque places in Wales , I always think that there shouldbe a poet or and painter on every town council!Deventer Nederland included !

contemplating fishing at Cenarth with Mr lucas

In the deep green ---( this is poem that I wrote all those years ago after a walk along the river Teifi at Cenarth . )

     



                         In the deep green 


                          Mysterious river - 


                 What  sharp poise you paint


                       Little    yellow wagtail - 


                What strange  N E W N E S S


                     Yet an image


                Of lonely beauty -


                       Perched upon that rock 


                            dancing


                In the moving mirror 


                    Of Autumn trees .

Wales revisited

                    After fortyfive years I came back to the small town of Cenarth - famous for its waterfall and leaping salmon My good friend Lucas and I were there to fish for the magical sewen or sea trout which can only be caught at night because they are so shy and clever .In my memory the place had a very important  place , a place of inspiration and magic ,Therefore of course I was inevitably in for a confrontation of the real world versus the ideal world!Of course there were changes ,but generally the place remained the same  but of course my mind had created a wonderful ideal world and the real world could never match this  . For instance I remember the river as being a charming idyll but now when I caste my fly into the water , the river was unheimisch .You would not want to fall into this river! One of my great memories of the place was of a small house by the bridge that had a bar with just one barrel of wonderful beer - non of the local people living there at that time could remember it, so maybe  reality and phantasy are again entwined ! As for the sea trout I hooked one but lost it !(made a photograph  on my blog of the falls )

Cenarth falls West Wales

Brecon Beacons

                   The beacons lovely geometry

                    Gracing the evening sky

                    In sparcely brushed calligraphy .