Who am l?
I am a professional artist,
originally from the United
Kingdom but now living and
working in the USA. I paint
primarily in oils though I also
work in acrylics, graphite and
pen and ink.
Mood and emotion feature
strongly in all my work, for in
this my voice and spirit speak
together. Art is beauty, love,
yearning, and hope, but it is
also about the darker
aspects of our shared
human experience. In my
work I endeavor to capture
both the light and the dark,
the rough and the smooth.
For in life nothing is black or
white, just shades of gray.
Thank you for taking time to
view my site. I wish you a
pleasurable and thought-
provoking stay.
originally from the United
Kingdom but now living and
working in the USA. I paint
primarily in oils though I also
work in acrylics, graphite and
pen and ink.
Mood and emotion feature
strongly in all my work, for in
this my voice and spirit speak
together. Art is beauty, love,
yearning, and hope, but it is
also about the darker
aspects of our shared
human experience. In my
work I endeavor to capture
both the light and the dark,
the rough and the smooth.
For in life nothing is black or
white, just shades of gray.
Thank you for taking time to
view my site. I wish you a
pleasurable and thought-
provoking stay.
A World of Fine Art by Mark Kettlewell
Please visit my home gallery
in Richmond, Virginia
in Richmond, Virginia
Just a Counter
"Menhirs in the Rain" 16x20" Oil on Linen $650
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Menhirs are the old standing stones erected by the Celts before the Roman
invasion and many were erected as far back as 3000 BC. No-one truly knows
the purpose of these strange and haunting edifices. Archaeologists believe
they may have been used as temples, celestial observatories or even a way
to measure the time of day. Others believe they have a more mystic purpose
connected with ancient Druidic rituals.
Whatever the reason, standing stones are a common feature of southern
Britain and the northern European landscape and have a strange appeal to
many people. They appeal to me mainly because of their aesthetics and how
well they fit in with the wild and rugged landscape where they are found.
It may interest people to know that in many cases the rock used for these
monuments was often conveyed to the site from hundreds of miles away. The
rock used to erect Stonehenge, the most famous group of standing stones in
the British Isles, was transported from outcrops as far away as South Wales.
Archaeologists agree that having no wheeled conveyances during the period,
construction must have been a logistical nightmare for the builders.
The scene I painted above is my attempt to convey the a group of standing
stones hit by a rainstorm, weather very common in the British Isles. In many
ways adverse weather conditions underlines the iconic beauty of Menhirs.
See Also Standing Stones at Dawn
invasion and many were erected as far back as 3000 BC. No-one truly knows
the purpose of these strange and haunting edifices. Archaeologists believe
they may have been used as temples, celestial observatories or even a way
to measure the time of day. Others believe they have a more mystic purpose
connected with ancient Druidic rituals.
Whatever the reason, standing stones are a common feature of southern
Britain and the northern European landscape and have a strange appeal to
many people. They appeal to me mainly because of their aesthetics and how
well they fit in with the wild and rugged landscape where they are found.
It may interest people to know that in many cases the rock used for these
monuments was often conveyed to the site from hundreds of miles away. The
rock used to erect Stonehenge, the most famous group of standing stones in
the British Isles, was transported from outcrops as far away as South Wales.
Archaeologists agree that having no wheeled conveyances during the period,
construction must have been a logistical nightmare for the builders.
The scene I painted above is my attempt to convey the a group of standing
stones hit by a rainstorm, weather very common in the British Isles. In many
ways adverse weather conditions underlines the iconic beauty of Menhirs.
See Also Standing Stones at Dawn