WELCOME
Not long after Bob died I made a sympathy visit to Chris’s house. I already knew Bob was a painter, but had never seen his paintings as he was very modest and almost secretive about anything he did creatively. I had seen the order of service at his funeral and admired the paintings shown in it, but was very impressed to see the real paintings hanging on the walls in Chris's house. She showed me many more beautiful, skilfully painted pictures that were unframed and stacked in piles. Bob was completely self-taught, and gained his skills by observation of nature and the old masters. Gainsborough and Turner amongst his favourites.
You may think as we did that we should respect Bob's modesty, but this poem he wrote, revealed a different view.
Posterity
I struggle to bequeath of me,
Some part that for eternity,
When seen, will cause a man to say,
'Who wrought this work that yet today,
Can still bestir me - make me feel?'
And his reply be simply - Steel.
Chris is keen to give paintings to friends and family where they can be appreciated, but couldn't find a way of displaying them without involving hiring gallery space and then having to frame all the paintings. I suggested a website where she could show all the paintings, and people could view them in their own time. Chris arranged to have all the paintings photographed, and I set to work building this website.
We have catalogued the paintings into sections as named galleries, they are numbered for reference. There are two main catagories Oil paintings and Watercolour paintings.
We hope that you will enjoy looking at these accomplished and competent paintings.
Please contact Chris with any queries.
(Wendy Hoile 2018)