“Kissed by the Water’s Edge” is a mixed media painting inspired by the reeds that stood flanking the banks of the river… The way the reeds gently danced, swaying to and fro in the breeze, their heads nodding in homage to the water…sending soft kisses on the wind…

Of Quiet Moments is an expressive painting in a muted, soothing palette, inspired by early mornings, sat with a steaming mug of coffee watching the river come to life…a moment of calm before the day ahead…

Well before lockdown, I used to spend long periods beside the river. I loved walking along its banks, absorbing its changing moods and cast of characters; from the chattering swallows to the haughty swans, to fleeting flashes of blue and orange, to footprints in the mud telling of night time visitors.

This river landscape provided a whole world of inspiration…

The end of a glorious summer day. The light was fading, sounds of the day melting away, punctured only by the chattering of the swallows and house martins as they swooped and skimmed over the surface of the water, before heading off to roost. I recall sitting on the riverbank, cool drink in hand, aware of the hush that was ‘settling’ over the landscape; that period before the stars of the nighttime - both in the heavens and on land - made their appearance. The trees and tall reeds seemed to bow to the river, paying homage, before sharing stories from the day; the meandering river carrying them downstream, scattering them on the breeze…

I succeeded in my challenge to do 15 minutes of meditation for thirty days - bar one, but as my Dad passed away during this period, I am not giving myself a hard time about missing that day. Am I proficient - hell no! My mind still wanders and I am continually having to refocus BUT… there have been times during the past days that the teachings and practice of meditating have come into their own. Remembering to breath during the funeral, enabling me to read the eulogy, staying calm when beginning to feel overwhelmed and focusing on positives rather than negatives have all helped me to deal with recent events…