TELLING TALES
As curator and participating artist of the exhibition Telling Tales my contribution came about after reading the book Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. The book describes the Yorkshire moors which reminded me of my own childhood when we used to cross the moors to various places inluding my Grandfathers home. The English tradition of Sunday walks through village, fields and moorland often resulted in weather changes and exposure to harsh conditions. Wuthering Heights is told against the backdrop of the bleak Yorkshire moors where wind and gales blow and where deep snow drifts deeply in the winter. I was born not too far from the setting of the Bronte sisters in Howarth and the weather conditions are graphic in my memory; stormy dark rain clouds would soon brew and many times we would get a severe wetting with chills and asthma to follow. The author writes, "it was one of their chief amusements to run away to the moors in the morning and remain there all day, and then often, punishment grew a mere thing to be laughed at." Heathcliffe and Catherine were defiant children and this trait had dire consequences later in their lives. The book follows the chilling reality when there is rejection of some kind in families: Heathcliffe belonged to no one. He appears in the story of the Earnshaw family as a lost boy. His lost-ness and his great need to be loved led him to posses Catherine. If he could not have her entirely to himself then he would become sulky and go into dark foreboding moods. Those around him could not abide his presence of darkness of soul and let him know of this. Later he would take revenge on those who ridiculed and rejected him. As human nature goes he hurt those who were close to him especially Catherine the girl whom had loved since they were both children. As an artist I read the book and made art works when I felt I could describe in visual terms what Bronte was telling. There are sixteen pieces in the series that tell about naughty children who bond while playing, who smoulder with passion as teenagers, and who have deep pain when rejection occurs. Unrequited love took these two lovers into an intolerable situation that continued longer than death. Bibliography; Bronte,E J, Wuthering Heights,Publishers, Penguin Group, Middlesex, England 1847, 1965.
Click on a work to view an enlargement
" He opened his great big coat which he held bundled up in his arms. See here wife, I was never so beaten with anything in my life; but you must e'n take it as a gift of God, though it's as dark almost as if it came from the devil" From Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte.">
"Not a soul knew to whom it belonged"., 1999
Acrylic on canvas
65 x 52 cm framed.
[Purchase for $850]
" He opened his great big coat which he held bundled up in his arms. See here wife, I was never so beaten with anything in my life; but you must e'n take it as a gift of God, though it's as dark almost as if it came from the devil" From Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte.
Away to the Moors., 1999
Acrylic, egg tempera, collage. on stretched canvas.
52 x 41cm framed
[Purchase for $650]
" It was one of their chief amusements to run away to the moors in the morning and remain there all day, and then after punishment grew a mere thing to be laughed at" Quote from Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
Catherine's Dream, 1999
Acrylic, egg tempera, collage. on stretched canvas.
52 x 41cm framed
[Purchase for $650]
" I was only going to say that heaven did not seem to be my home and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth, and the angels were so angry that they flung me out, into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights, where I awoke sobbing for joy" Quote from Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte.
Last Request, 1999
Acrylic, egg tempera, collage. on stretched canvas.
52 x 41cm framed
[Purchase for $650]
" I dreamt I was sleeping the last sleep by that sleeper, and with my heart stopped, and my cheek frozen against here." quote from Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte.
Love Sick, 1999
Acrylic, egg tempera, collaged fabrics. on stretched canvas.
52 x 41cm framed
[Purchase for $650]
"He (the doctor) bled her and told me to let her live on whey and water gruel, and take care she did not throw herself down stairs out of the window."
Quote from Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte