I visited a huge supermarket yesterday and watched the people in it silently moving about .... like a colony of insects only the airconditioning was on and no one spoke to anyone unless it was somehow necessary.
      What has this to do with painting?
      Three things: humanity, climate and community.
      As a close friend sometimes points out - we are nothing extant but for our humanity. In cyberspace, and with Blind Eye, we mostly promote care and humanity which is appreciated and enjoyed by most involved.
      Over the time I have contributed my 'mixed bag' of articles and, in doing so I have learned much of the peccadillos? of others, as no doubt they have of me.

      So is humanity; and the more we know of others, who write and thereby expose their character, the more we, by default, become a community. We therefore learn to co-exist with the disparate character traits of others to the extent we would be uncomfortable would they disappear. Consider the horror should Wittenstein begin embracing a less than rigours approach to debate or Rembrant fall into using student colors - or John Hagan become overcome with lassitude.
      No, the supermarket scene I witnessed struck me a bland in more ways than one. The writers of great literature seem able to place human beings in landscapes, - be it ice or heat, rain or snow, sleet or monsoon, the characters and their story is enhanced and propelled by the atmosphere they create. Furthermore the writers make us believe we somehow all exist as cyphers, passing through - be it in winter, summer, fall and winter again ... all living out our simple transition. This is not surprising and if my columns to Blind Eye suddenly stopped, by virtue of my sudden demise, no one should wonder too much. Such maybe the nature of the 'virtual' community, but that is another story.

      Community is the final element since we are no longer simultaneously and universally touched by climate we need to live by the rules of a new and different community. The interesting thing is this ... the disembodiment of those in Cowdisley or Blind Eye who talk and exchange ideas contrasted to the embodiment to those in the supermarket who would consider a comment or two, on the world political situation gross and dangerous. It is an interesting phenomenon.
      My questions is therefore: should I be one of those walking about the supermarket in the temperature controlled environment silently collecting my supplies and endeavouring not to speak unnecessarily to anyone and saving my comment for Blind Eye or should I not? It's raining here and maybe I'll give up painting and buy a good horse.
      Your Editor