by peterhugomcclure
I am and have been an Independent Artist for over 40 yrs...My art-work has a very strong Geometric bias...though i am passionate about "The Arts" i have had to support myself by other means mainly through building work! So when-ever i get a surplus of money/time i throw myself into various artistic "Projects"...The following Haiku sums up the path i have taken:
Bending with the wind
The Taoist gathers water...
In a straw hat
I have Great Respect for all cultures from all over the world in particular The Ethemeral which includes: Raku, Kolams, Mandalas and folk art in general where True Art Reigns where there are no price tags...where value is measured by the heart and feelings... where The Philistine has no sway...
Picasso said "There's no such thing as an abstract painting". I say "all paintings are an abstraction of Truth"... the only universal Truths are mathematical.
I was born in a R.A.F. Hostpital near Venice, Italy on a sunny day on 19th Aug. 1947...both my parents were in the RAF towards the ending of W.W.2. and based in Italy where the met & married. Six months later we were esconced in London...I started traveling at an early age...At school i was type cast as "The Merchant of Venice)...I and my younger sister were brought-up in an Experimental Residential School were there was an emphasis on Art, Craft. Music, Dance & out-door activities...there was no pressure on traditional academic subjects and we were both illiterate on taking the 11plus...i do have very fond memories of making things and drawing almost anything! And even now I truly enjoy working with my hands and have designed and built almost single handedly a few houses with some of my art-work forming an integral part of the structure. I have been passionate about The Art & Craft Movement, The Bau-Haus, De Stjl & Constructivism...The Artist was also a craftsman,designer and sometimes an Engineer/Architect...the ARTISAN was respected.Picasso said "There's no such thing as an abstract painting". I say "all paintings are an abstraction of Truth"... the only universal Truths are mathematical.
I have been a Vegan for over 40 yrs and promoted: Holistic Medecine, Sustainable Organic Farming, Proportional Representation, Self Building and respect to All Sentient Beings. I ran a Vegan Restaurant/Mini Art Centre in Penzance (called THE MILLHOUSE) in the early 90's...where chess was played, music played, lyrics sung, poems recited, debates held, greenies gathered, Bhudists chanted & faith healers HEALED.It was also a place where books/magazines could be perused and where local poet's work was published...I almost forgot it was also a venue for local Artists/Artizans and I did all the cooking!
In the last fifteen years or so i have been doing a lot of travelling and doing slide shows of various places which can now be viewed on youtube...i have also written many Haikus and one of my favourites is one I wrote in Japan on Cherry Blossom Viewing Day (a public holiday):
SNOWING PINK BLOSSOM...
RAVENS GRUBBING FOR WORMS...
THIS WET MAY MORNING