I was sitting enjoying a quiet lull in my beautiful garden the other day, watching the bees buzz from petal to petal and for a moment, I saw what I thought was a design flaw. Most plants are totally reliant on outside help to pollinate them and it seemed to me that in all their millennia of adaptation, this was an oversight. That was until I realised its ingenuity.
Contact is such an essential part of life on all levels. Family therapist Virginia Satir said a person needs 4 hugs a day for survival, 8 for maintenance and 12 for growth and there’s no doubt that without contact our lives would be excruciating if not impossible.
We even build touch into our day-to-day lives; shaking hands with acquaintances; cheek-kissing friends and hugging besties when we meet them.
Research shows that physical affection has measurable health benefits too; lowering blood pressure, cortisol levels and reducing stress, and a study by the University of North Carolina found that women who hugged their spouse or partner frequently had lower blood pressure which can decrease heart disease.
Moreover, in a recent realisation, Forester Peter Wohlleben and ecologist Suzanne Simard have proved trees not only talk to each other, they actually heal each other sending vital nutrients through their roots when conditions in a forest change.
So maybe my misgivings about nature’s flaws are unfounded. Maybe the birds, bees and flowers need that contact, too; not just for pollination, but for many reasons we’ve yet to discover?
Once again it seems nature has taught me something incredible, so I truly hope you’re getting your vital nutrients via your daily hugs. If not, feel free to pop into the gallery and get one; Debs and I are always up for a giving and getting ours with you!
Oki Kokey, what a blinder of a month May was! Our fifth consecutive record month and with a new financial year blooming today, what better time is there to say thank you, thank you, thank you! You’ve helped make a simple gallerist very chipper! And even more reason to be thankful when finding my new book at No. 1 in the Amazon Art bestsellers. Humbled, truly!
So, what about our incoming, Marky? Well, I’d like to kick off with 4 astonishing pieces from our Bulgarian prince, Angel Angelov. I’d love to see these four seasonal landscapes go as a group and would be happy to take a hit to see that happen, so make me an offer. Otherwise either of them would be an incredible addition to anyone’s collection. Superb painting!
Robin Mason’s exhibition (and sales) was a complete success and he’s working away on some commissions for us as I write. Some cracking new work on his page now, too! John Hopkins added a fabulous new watercolour of Pendower to his collection and the inimitable Penny German painted three newbies, two of which sold in a heart-beat!
Jill Hudson came in on the weekend to drop in 6 sublime new pieces (just LOVE those daffs!) and Jamel Akib had a fabulous time then, too, with his first Fisherman’s Shelter exhibition. His collection was incredible and he’s off panting commissions for us as we display the others new works on his page.
Everyone’s favourite Stratsfordian, Claire Henley has been beavering away at the easel for us. Then just as they come in, they fly out. We’re really horrid to her! She has one new one on her page now if you’re quick, but more’ll be coming very soon, I promise. And the totes fab Amanda Hoskin popped in with two whoppas for ya! Blimey, them’s goodly!
And to finish off, the powerhouse that is Philip Tyler has sent down three stunning new seascapes (or should that read cloudscapes?) and Roseland’s impasto prince, Ben Taffinder brought in two new pieces (which I’m surprised have lasted the night to make it to the newsletter) but more will be with us in a week or two, so keep refreshing his page!
Righteo, that’s me done for another month. Thanks soooooo much again for all your support over the past 12 months and here’s to a cracking 2019 for us and for you and yours!
Adios amigo!
Mark
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May 2019
I was talking to my brother-in-law the other day about legacies. There’s no question that we enjoy just a brief moment on this planet and my belief is that it’s not necessarily what we achieve when we’re here, but how we achieve it.
I feel if we can leave behind more love than we’re given, that for me is spirituality at its purest… read more.