In just over a week, this painting was due to be shown at the annual Oxford Lent Concerts held in Queens College Chapel, Oxford University. Sadly it has been necessary to cancel the concerts due to the risk of spreading corona virus. These concerts were first created by an inspirational couple 15 years ago. I was asked to be involved by an artist friend of mine Tim Steward who’s idea it was to have art ‘icons’ to meditate upon whilst listening to the extraordinary live music in a setting I would not usually find myself in. We have been part of these concerts from the beginning and it has been a wonderful way to mark time and the changing of our lives over the 15 years. It has become a community of artists and musicians meeting together to create something free for people to come to and I’m sure will continue next year if not before.
The great thing about these concerts is that they give us all a chance to stop and reflect and to enjoy some stillness. We forget the busyness and sit listening to the music in total silence for 45 minutes.
This painting suggests a moment of stopping, looking ahead before embarking on our forward journey. It is inspired by the fields I look out upon near my home where there are the same tractor lines in the field almost all year round. I often put paths in my work. I like the idea of stopping and having a chance to dream ahead. I’ve done this a lot in my life and I’ve seen many of these dreams become a reality. I really think stopping is essential. We can’t go on in the way we have been in our culture with this ever increasing pace and filling our lives with so much content that it hurts. I’m seeing and hearing more and more people writing and talking about the need for simplicity and slowness. It’s what I’m craving and I think many others are too.
I hope that the corona virus dies out before taking any more lives and my heart goes out to any who have lost loved ones already. I also hope that throughout this time where our lives have been internationally interrupted, we can stop and reflect so that when we set foot on the path again we don’t end up running so fast that we miss the beauty of our lives.
So let’s use this time whilst we’ve been forced to stop, to make some thoughtful decisions about how we will live our lives when it is time to start moving again. When we stop, wisdom speaks and it is for us to decide whether we follow the path she lays before us or get caught up in our own addictions again; addictions of achievement and productivity. Let’s come together to bring back some quietness and slow enjoyment of our beautiful world.