Paintbrushes and Words -

For the past few years I've become addicted to the work of British artist-poet Gary Bunt.

It's hard to describe his huge body of work, however I do know that his paintings bring my homeland to me in ways that take my breath away, often bring tears to my eyes, but more often giggles, or an all out guffaw because of his sense of humor! For an artist to do all this with strokes of a brush, and to do it so often, is just wonderful.

His paintings, simple and true as they may be, cover not only land and seascapes around the United Kingdom, but everyday happenings both inside a typical British house, outside in the ubiquitous vegetable garden, sauntering across the beautiful countryside through the changing seasons, on road trips, picnics, boat rides, even just walking to the village shops.

He adds titles and brief poems which, even if you are not very familiar with British lifestyles, family traditions, country/town life etc., may still hit the nail on the head and immediately you can feel, as well as see, just what Gary was thinking at that moment and depicted with his brush strokes. His people are fantastic, shaped and posed so perfectly in action for each situation in the painting, that they need very little detail to tell the entire story. You fall in love with them as they look over their garden wall or sit out in the middle of a patchwork field.

According to Gary, the 'old man', who has made many appearances on his canvases, is himself. There are many animals in his paintings, especially dogs which, as you may know, are often just as important as people living in those little houses, walking through the rain-splashed lanes, over the hills and dales, and along often desolate beaches on a blustery winter day. Solid mutts, well-behaved as British dogs always seem to be 

Gary's art makes me happy. Makes me smile. Brings back so much of my country/seaside childhood in England.  Thank you Gary.

Here are links: the YouTube documentary is awesome - I watch it often as it showcases not only the story of Gary's life, it brings calming thoughts and beautiful art to mine.

YouTube - Gary Bunt Painter and Poet

Instagram: gary.bunt

www.garybuntart.com

Just a small sample of the amazing stories told in Gary Bunt's paintings.