Along the shores of the Taunton River, at the head of Mount Hope Bay, on the Somerset edge of the river, is an amazing natural environment flourishing around a series of man made intrusions. There is a power plant, shut down and discarded like an old shoe box. The six lanes of Rt 195 splits what was once, in my lifetime, flourishing farm land. Long before that, this was the location of a Native American village. Above it all, the mighty blue Charles Braga Bridge reaches across the river’s widest expanse, connecting towns to cities and closing the time gap toward old Cape Cod.
From that location, I began an exploration of the beauty that lies in unexpected places. The light, unfettered and resilient does not discriminate. It touches steel and straw in the same manner that it touches gold.
Cattails sway in the gentle afternoon breezes while waves splash and linger amongst the stone and sand. In the distance , on the city side of the river, the old tenements and the older still, high school reach into the sky, grasping for their share of the guilding power of light. I see it, I smell it and I feel it as I draw and paint from this muse. Her power coaxing me throughout my life.
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| Field of Grasses |
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| Southern Tides II |
There is history here. The river fed life to this region. It provided food to the native peoples. It provided a means of transportation to the early settlers. Textile mills and shipping lines formed along the banks, and brought a brief time of extreme prosperity to some, and the means to a dreams becoming reality to so many others. To me, it provides energy, clarification, solstice and opportunity. It has become my own natural, life filled, light filled,
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| Yellow Fields |
Monet like garden. It only takes 1,000 steps or less, an awareness, an open eye, a state of mind, and my brushes.
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| Field of Blue and Gold |
Each painting is inspired by a step along the way, something I have seen, processed and interpreted in my way. It is a deeply personal expression that focuses on color and emotion, but relies on the viewer to complete.
They are works of contemporary art that make a fine addition to any collection. They are equally appropriate in a home, office or public space.
For more information on Archival Giclee prints of this collection and more please visit the Taylespun Studio on line shop.
The river also serves as the Pokanokets’ conduit to the divine, Chuck, as water of any natural form has always done for them.
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