Standing at the top of the ridge upon which Knaptoft stands you did get a feeling that you are looking out on a very green and pleasant land. This is of course is true right upto the point it is not. It also appears that the whole of the Soar valley is wooded. Again, true in parts. What was very clear was that it was lovely autumnal afternoon and just for a moment it felt that everything was right with the world. Surely you can forgive me my small delusion.

Glen Williams

My partner in crime has been able to put a name to the artist I couldn’t find in my previous blog – Glen Williams. He does have a website but it clearly isn’t updated that much. If you want a better feel for his work, including a number of paintings that were exhibition at Huddersfield, then the better link is this.

I guess the reason I found the work so emotive was because it reminded me of the life I lead growing up in a pit (coal) village. Of course that way of life has now gone to be replaced by commuting into Birmingham. I know only visit the village occasionally and it just isn’t the same place. Life moves on and that is the story of the village which has been mining coal for the best part of two millenium, unlike many of the pit villages in West Yorkshire which sprung up because of a deep mine being sunk, and so has experience of moving on .