In 2013, to get back into painting after a gap of 15 years, I started attending a weekly painting group led by Margaret SP, which provides encouragement and sharing of ideas and techniques, and has helped me to continue painting in busy times.

One person there, on seeing photographs of some of the best of my paintings, suggested I print those in book form.  Upon reflection I realized these paintings record more about me than mere photographs of people, so I took up the idea, and prepared a draft book.

But I found that only including the best of my paintings tells only half the story.  To give a more complete picture of the challenge of painting that I enjoy, I included all that I have available, including many I view as unfinished or failures.

That book remained a draft, waiting on me to produce many more paintings to make it worthwhile, but other things intervened to take up my time.

And if I printed that book, it would soon be out of date if I was still able to paint; a record of my paintings needs to have the dynamic nature of a website.

After preparing a website for my sketching group, I found it could be done, and here it is.

To my family, friends, fellow painters, and anyone interested in the beauty around us, I hope you enjoy these pages.

John C

Adelaide, Australia

February, 2023

Why Paint?

A hauntingly beautiful song by Enya stays in my memory. It’s called “How can I keep from singing” (link to song), and it describes a timeless inner joy and calm which is given regardless of life’s pain and suffering, a joy that cannot but burst out in song. It’s based on a very old hymn, with some of the lyrics changed to make it commercially appealing, but its uplifting impact has been retained.

When listening to it, I immediately translate it into “How can I keep from painting?” That same inner joy that demands expression is what I see in the beauty of this world and life around us, regardless of those who would destroy all that is beautiful. In our sketching group there are better painters than me who are drawn to record that inner joy in their paintings without any spiritual basis, but I find the original lyrics to that old hymn gives structure to what I try to record in paint.

These are the original lyrics:

1 My life flows on in endless song,
above earth’s lamentation.
I catch the sweet, though far-off hymn
that hails a new creation.

Refrain:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is lord of heav’n and earth,
how can I keep from singing?

2 Through all the tumult and the strife,
I hear that music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]

3 What though my joys and comforts die,
I know my Saviour liveth.
What though the darkness gather round?
Songs in the night he giveth. [Refrain]

4 The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am his!
How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]

Painting has led me to wider sharing of the joy in that hymn in various ways, and to building a website to explore it further. So, if you would like to look at life’s ultimate questions, check out this website: QuestionsAndBelief