Gill Stewart Art, Lochgilphead (2025)

15/06/2025

Treasure…what is that to you?
I am curious.

I will share a few of mine for a start.

This could flow through many posts like the clouds and veils of time…

Today, it was dreich, soft Scottish rain, drizzle, gossamer veils of layers grey strewn in ribbons through the Glen.

Talking of drizzle.
Paul () bakes a mean lemon drizzle cake.
George, Gypsy and I have a whole one to ourselves, generously given by Paul and Gareth
Well, we would like to eat it all, but promise we’ll share.
And, That’s partly what treasure is about .
Collecting and sharing moments, sharing friendships, true and genuine friendships, and of course the tiny treasures that light up our life in the quiet moments.

For me, that can be leafing through a cookbook. Not only for recipes, but the writing and photography too.
A lifetime passion.
And a perfect one for being cooried in front of the fire today.

Today, a gentle Sunday I wandered into the garden with my camera to capture tiny moments. Treasured moments that are grounding, but also ascends the grey days of life.
Treasure is always there to be found, and often in the most unexpected places.
Mine today were not unexpected, but the familiarity of my garden which I have created out of nothing . . familiar. Am I sure? No. I don’t think so. Not when you look at everything with a fresh eye. No day is the same, so why should the garden be different.
We are a garden. We have the grounding of ourselves, but the wings to fly higher to see a different perspective, a new experience. A new treasure to be found.

10/06/2025

Running errands & rainy days …

The butcher, the Baker, the candlestick maker. . .

That old rhyme that rings true of local rural, village living.

In this modern day I could choose to order online from a supermarket.
Yes, it would be handy. But how much I would miss of the important and small things, that are really big things in daily life.

I like nothing more than supporting local businesses , perhaps because I was one myself for so long .
But I think really it is about contact and relationships. And mutual support such exchanges offer.
Such valuable things exchanged running the errands.
Why? Because people and community are at the heart of such exchanges . Exchanges that cover all aspects of life . The things common to all men and women .
Sometimes the best therapy lies in running the errands…

Love Gill x🤍🕊️

30/05/2025

Stuff…the gatherings of a lifetime.
The final whittling…

And. On matters of the mind
‘Don’t sweat the small stuff’

Thinking a lot about ‘Stuff’
Things we gather & things we think, and often over think.

The final decision has been made to let go of the old garage across the lane from our wee cottage .
We rented it in the hope of using it as a studio and place to have our creative gatherings.
It’s a fabulous space inside with old rafters and swallows nests. Painted and peeling brick walls.
My imagination ran wild thinking of gathering people together in there to make and creat …a space of conviviality and inspiration.

But alas, it proved to be too damp and dark for our purposes .
Art work nor dried flowers could not be stored. Most went mouldy.
Had we owned it, there are changes we would have made.

I created a wedding or two from there and painted some larger paintings last summer when it was warm enough to be in there for any length of time of time.
Some lovely memories it will hold.
The light at certain times of the day and season was magical. Not enough to work in, but wonderful to photograph.

Light always lights me up.
I can sit and stare at light in the garden for hours on end.
The shifting patterns , the shadows and glimmers…

During the clear out of many things from old furniture to,well, everything & anything. I am a collector of things. An eclectic collector.

Decisions have been hard to make.
Something that helped me was hearing a small voice say ‘ Keep what you need’
So, that’s what I am trying to do.
But I still wander around with a box of Bonne Maman jars 🙄deeply reluctant to part with them, whilst on the other hand, we have got rid of things we have had for many years and loved. Go figure🤷‍♀️

From garage to tiny shed and tiny cottage, some things are trying to find a home.
It’s the artwork we are struggling with.
Another shed might need to be bought.
And of course we will fill it as we usually.
Will we learn, therein lies the question ?

I have rambled, haven’t spoken to you for a while, so lots to say.
Think ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff’ will need to wait for my next post.

24/05/2025

Days and weeks of sunshine and warmth spent in the garden.
We moved outdoors for a while… living, cooking & eating Al fresco .
A perfect antidote to some health issues.

The days were long and languidly beautiful . Not much painting done though. It almost seemed too hot.
It’s not that often we have such prolonged heat with a ceiling of blue.
No cloud or point of interest for a painters eye.
Simply best to simply enjoy, and what a joy it has been.

The rains have come in all their soft mood gently caressing the new growth of the season.
Like a Mother who knows her young need milk. .

19/05/2025

A week of warmth and sunshine both from the heavenly skies and friendship .

Something old something new….
A line relating to a marriage ceremony.
Whilst I am not talking about the friendship and bonds of marriage here between two people, but of friendship.
In some ways it is part of the same.
Trusted friendships can be hard to find, but when you do, your life is lit up.

Last week we caught up with our old and dear friends of thirty years or thereabouts.
Friends from our gallery days in Kintyre .
Now through Instagram it is so much easier to keep up from a distance.
We shared a beautiful lunch together at their idyllic cottage in Kintyre .
Chat never stopped as we caught up with the Winter happenings .
Tea and Elderflower sparkles flowed as did our smiles as we shared together.

Through Instagram we met our new friends & .
Both have become dear to our hearts in a very short time .
We gathered round this table in the corner of the garden to share our belated birthdays and catch up with all the news.
We talked gardens amongst other things. Talk of paint for our next visit along with so much else.
A beautiful line Gareth & Paul shared with me in a birthday card read this :

One Doesn’t
Measure Friendship
By Length of time Only
Depth of Time Is
Just As Valuable.

Whether old , whether new the flow of the currents of friendships in this river of life are abundant and a blessing .

13/05/2025

Just wanted to come on and say hello.
A while since I have posted.
Lots going on.

A random phone photograph this evening atypical of the last days spent in the garden.
The most glorious of weather filled with birdsong and varying veils of light, elusive in form drifting through the days into evensong.

Days of living outside immersed in all the beauty God offers.
The question often is, do we take time?
Even just for a few moments.
To stop and notice, and as a result be nourished. Be strengthened even for whatever else our day may bring .

For me, simply the quiet moments for me of stepping through the garden door into a world of magic.
Same view,but never the same. Each day sings its new song, both in what’s before us and in our hearts.

07/05/2025

A simple study…

From a tiny corner of our little cottage by the garden door.

An Aquilegia I accidentally broke off when transplanting yesterday.
Initially I was sad to break the little stem, but the plant remains, and will give more bounty.
The wonder of plants, they always do.
We humans can learn a lot from a broken plant.

I have the little stem in an old stoneware jar which will hold its own story as a working vessel in its lifetime.
Now, it brings me joy through the season for little pickings,waifs and strays .

Tonight, in the little corner, they sit well together.

A lesson in simplicity, as I sit and study the incredible intricacies and beauty of. I would have missed this moment if it were still growing in the garden.

The simple things in life are always the best.
As a friend and I walked and wandered today, we shared the simple things.
My day was greatly enriched.

Keep it simple 🤍🕊️

05/05/2025

Through the greenhouse door…

My tiny greenhouse, which is a little like a dolls house with some of my treasures.
An old Lloyd Loom nursery chair, which has no arms so it was easier to nurse a baby.
George was most likely nursed on this chair.
It now sits in the corner of the greenhouse, where I like to sit and read or paint. Or sometimes, simply daydream as I look at the garden and Glen.

An old potting table from a friend who has now moved away. I always think of her when watering my plants.

Old china, I am an avid collector, filled with pelargoniums this year.
I am also a collector of baskets, some of which hang in the little house .

A new fig tree and tiny orange tree have moved in this season. Hoping they do well.
May have to bring them in for the Winter.

Not many seeds this year.
Only cosmos, sweet peas, fennel, dill and lupins so far.
Still time to plant a few more herbs.
Decided to do very few annuals this year.
Focusing more on perennials.
Happily receiving some annuals from friends to dot about.
I have two or three great growing friends, all with bigger gardens than me. They often have some leftover plants of which I am the happy recipient.

May so far has been utterly glorious, if not a bit cold at times… perfect for the blossom.

Today, the sun shines brightly. We are off to lunch with friends.
Our little barbecue you have seen me cook on is coming with us.

Hope the sun is shining where you are.
Have a glorious and happy week.

With love,
Gill 🤍🕊️🌱

Gill Stewart Art

15/06/2025

10/06/2025

30/05/2025

24/05/2025

19/05/2025

13/05/2025

07/05/2025

05/05/2025

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