< Previous20 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE To look upon art is to consider the humancondition in all its complex and warringbeauty. The extremes of the human soulhold court on canvas and depict the greatexistential themes alongside exquisiterepresentations of the natural world. Somefind comfort in absurdity, or make sense ofthe world through surrealism. Others feel theneed to capture, in perfect and unflinchingdetail, everyday observations. Through allthis, the artist is the mouthpiece throughwhich the universe communicates. So manyfind solace in their work, nurturing a talentfirst awoken in adolescence.A common thread throughout, our artistprofiles have seen creative urges manifest inchildhood. This was the case for Worcester-Surreal visionsSurrealism comes inmany shades as artistGary Walton proveswith his portfolio ofcolourful, charmingand dreamlike visionsof buildings,landscapes and theendless ocean. born artist Gary Walton who, at an earlyage, discovered he had a natural inclinationfor painting. Throughout his formative yearsat school, Gary excelled at art. It was aperiod of rapid evolution, with his styleunfurling and revealing itself to observersand artist alike. Despite taking on a‘conventional’ job after finishing school,Gary eventually went part-time with his artand now paints for a living. Subjects which come to dominate anartist’s trajectory likely reveal themselvesearly on, where they’re firmly affixed inexperience, both positive and not. Artists onthe darker end of the spectrum cite earlybrushes with death, decay and disease asinspiration, while others find an affinity withBobbing AlongGary Walton - Patch N ScratchOur House of LoveMe My House and BallBlossom Cottage20-21_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:23 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY21THE LITTLE REDGALLERYLove art? Then we’d love to meet you, please call in for a cup of tea and a chat.The Little Red Gallery are feeling ‘Love’ with a fantastic range of pieces and perfect gift ideas.8 Bailgate Lincoln LN1 3AE01522 5891348 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DPart@thelittleredgallery.co.ukwww.thelittleredgallery.co.uka certain form or colour. For Gary, hisfascination is for unusual designs, withthe shape a building or object occupiesas important as the subject itself. Hisunusual design reveals his penchant forabstract architecture and landscapes; acollision of the environment, built andnatural, in celebration of surrealism.These two opposing states stem fromGary’s own creative duality. On one sidewe have his obvious graphic ability andon the other a highly artistic side. And inthe middle we find a body of work asprecise as it is endearing. Amongst his greatest loves are landand seascapes, painted with an almostcartoonish quality. These aren’tcaricatures, though, but a reflection ofARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE the world as Gary sees it. His paintingsare comforting, gentle reminders thatthere still exists magic and an unsulliedwanderlust. With dark seas rising on thepolitical stage, we need beacons of lightlike these paintings to remind us ofbeauty and virtue. Gary’s work is just theantidote. If the unusual angles and charactersthat populate his work are reminiscent ofDali, it’s only because the Spanishsurrealist proved pivotal in Gary’sdevelopment. “He [Salvador Dali] was theartist to give me the inspiration to createmy own unique style,” says Gary.While certainly offering a particularperspective on his surroundings, Gary’swork doesn’t contain the typical signifiersone might associate with surrealism.There are no melting clocks and peopletwisted into bizarre new configurations.Rather, it proves there’s a full spectrumof surrealism, each deviating from theterrestrial in their own way. This is whereGary’s pieces exist, offering an etherealcontrast of reality and dreamlike images. “I am very passionate with everythingI paint and I will always strive to achieveproducing a unique range of paintingsfor all to love,” he adds. One need onlylook at any of his pieces to see theuniqueness and charm of his vision.Gary will be arriving in Lincoln thisAugust, where he’ll be exhibiting hiswork and answering questions at theLittle Red Gallery.Love RetreatFrankelRingo and StarTea RoomThe Grumpy Fish20-21_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:23 Page 222 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYREADERS’ GARDENSA family gardenwith panache This month, Lincolnshire Today visits a reader’s in the wolds. Roband Sandra Robinson’s blossoming garden is a testimony to theirtenaciousness, as they ‘learned the hard way’ taking over ten yearsto create what they have today.22-25_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:33 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY23READERS’ GARDENSob and Sandra bought the property over tenyears ago, although Sandra explains it was morefor the views than the property itself .“The first thing that struck me about the garden was thatthere were such lovely views, but the garden itself looked likeit’d been designed by a parks and recreation team with lawneverywhere, apart from two large circular rose beds plonkedin the most off places - even the roses were past their sell-by-date as there were more thorns than roses” laughs Sandra.“So, our first job was to introduce a few borders and plantthose up, which was back- breaking work as weunderestimated how big they’d need to be and in a gardenthis size (approximately an acre) we’d go back to the houseand decide it needed to be bigger, then bigger again andeventually bigger still.“Not being particularly green fingered or understandingthat plants should be chosen so they get the right sort ofdrainage, sunlight, shelter and so on, we got a bit carriedaway and selected plants that looked good at the local gardencentre. We’d plant them in and water them regularly but ayear or so later we’d find these didn’t come back, and we’dstart all over again. Eventually though, we learned, albeit thehard way, that a little research was needed. “As the borders started to take shape and mature up, we24 ÁBA well stocked borderwith herbaceousperennials helps keepweeding to a minimumA mixture of plants and hardlandscaping add interestShrubs and plants wereplanted with no realforesight at the time, but theborders are now a delight22-25_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:33 Page 224 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYREADERS’ GARDENStackled the large circular rose beds, digging up theroots and leveling the whole area off, sowing grassseed which again took us about three attempts toget a decent coverage, as the birds were presumablyvisiting whenever we weren’t there to snaffle it.” “Much of the design influences for the gardencame from your magazine actually,” explains Bob,“sometimes we’d pop and see the garden’s you’dfeatured, if they were open to the public, and othertimes we’d see a particular picture in the magazineand think, wow lets try that. Inevitably what we’dcreate would look totally different to what we setout to do, but the end result is very pleasing and weget lots of compliments from family and friendswhen they visit.” The couple also loves trees, which is just as well asone side of the garden is almost entirely covered inthem. But, as Bob explains, “We were advised tothin the quantity down when we first bought theMany of the ideas for borderscame from visits to opengardens or those featured inLincolnshire TodayA dense canopy of leavesfrom mature trees offersmuch needed shade onhot days22-25_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:33 Page 3Scunthorpe Lawnmowers LtdWe have the tools to tackle Summer and AutumnAgents for: Honda, Stihl, Mountfield, Atco, Bosch,Bobcat, Stiga, Hayter, Countax, Lawnflite & many moreTel: 01724 866581 - email: wayne@scunthorpelawnmowers.co.uk187 Cottage Beck Rd, Scunthorpe DN16 1TRwww.scunthorpelawnmowers.co.ukLINCOLNSHIRETODAY25GARDENSproperty but Sandra wouldn’t have any of it as she feelsthey’re living things. And, whilst the others might benefitfrom more space and light she just couldn’t bare to killone off. I guess, I’m as bad in that respect. As a result I’malways resowing seed beneath them, as the roots seemto dry the soil and the canopy of leaves and branchesdon’t allow much rain through.” Bob is obviously no stranger to hard work, having notonly dug the large borders but also re-laid all the patiosby hand, to give the couple somewhere to sit and enjoythe fruits of their labour. There’s even a hot tub on theeast side of the garden, where the couple can relax witha glass or two on an evening or weekend. “It’s a greatway to relieve those aching muscles after all thatdigging” laughs Bob.Clearly this garden has been a journey for the couplewhich they’ve both enjoyed, even with the failures in theplanting department but now the Robinson’s seem atone with their creation which is surely what it’s all about. A Hemerocallis sits amidsta group of Arum Lilies. Astrange combination thatworks wellOne of the many lighthearted characters in thegardenOur planting still borderson the ‘experimental side’admits Sandra22-25_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:34 Page 426 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYater – not tonic water for your G&T– but H2O is the key this month!While we may have the odd thunderyshowers this month, the warm days willcontinue, and so your garden will need a regular drink andyour pond will need topping up due to evaporation. It isalso worth bearing in mind that evaporation will bequicker from a pond if it is hot and windy. It is surprisinghow much the wind can reduce the water levels.You can continue to mow your lawn and remember toraise the blades if it has been very hot and dry. You canalso apply some fertiliser to your lawn now, but make sureyou adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions. It is best notto apply a high-nitrogen fertiliser at this time of the year asthis will promote vigorous growth which will not stand upto the rigours of winter. Fertilisers high in phosphates willinstead promote root growth which will toughen up thegrass ready for the winter ahead. Now is a good time to plan ahead if you want to haveflowers and colour in the house at Christmas. You will findthat the bulbs for spring flowering will be ready to buy fromgarden centres now. If these are planted and given the rightconditions, you will end up with a fantastic colourful displayfor Christmas. I would recommend you try Hyacinths, butmake sure you use the bulbs labelled ‘prepared’, andDaffodils such as Narcissus ‘Paper white’ or Hippeastrum(amaryllis). In order to get them to flower at the right time you needto do the following:Place the potted bulbs in a black polythene bag and standthem in a cellar or dark corner of a shed or garage. Thencheck them regularly and water if there are signs that theyare drying out. Bowls or pots without drainage holes shouldbe tipped on their sides for a while after watering to allowthe excess to run out. When the roots have developed andthe shoots are 4-5 cm long then you can bring the potsinside. Initially leave them in a cool room away from brightlight to allow the leaves to green up. Then move them closeto a window in warmer surrounding. Don’t stand them in adraught or close to a source of artificial heat. 'A humidIn amongst the infamous Britishsummer washout are bouts ofgenuine sunshine during whichtime your garden will need plentyof water, as Ed Fuller from FullersForestry and Landscaping explains. Thirstywork© Shutterstock / ERainbowWThirstywork26-27_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:36 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY27Specialised Servicesin Garden DesignLandscaping andTree MaintenanceBacked by a highly-skilledand experienced team,we’ve built our reputationon an ability to provide our clients with professional, tailored gardening and forestry solutionsFREE NO OBLIGATIONQUOTATIONSFULLERSForestry & LandscapingCall 01522 868717 or 07867 510544info@fullersforestry.co.uklwww.fullersforestry.co.ukwww.landscapinglincolnshire.comatmosphere is preferred and stand pots and vases on shallowtrays filled with gravel which is kept moist, but with the waterlevel below the base of the pot. If the leaves are developingfaster than the flowers then put them back into a cooler placeand cover them again to keep them dark for a day or two butno longer. Hyacinths will need around 10 weeks of cool conditionsfollowed by around 22 days indoors to reach flowering stage(especially the Pink Pearl), while daffodils such as the Narcissus‘Paper White’ will flower 6 to 10 weeks from planting andHippeastrum will take around 10 weeks from planting toflowering. Remember to keep an eye on the water levels of your bulbs,and as for your flowers and plants in your garden ensure theyare kept hydrated, as well as yourself.Around thegarden•Prune Wisteria•Deadhead flowering plants regularly•Keep watering containers and new plants•Feed containers, and even tired border perennials, with a liquid tomato food each week to encourage them to bloom into the early autumn• Collect seeds from favourite plants• Inspect chrysanthemums for the first signs of white rust and take immediate action•Harvest sweetcorn and other vegetables as they become ready• Continue cutting old fruited canes on raspberries• Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners• Most perennial weeds are best dealt with when in active growth. Apply a weed killer containing glyphosate• Keep ponds and water features topped up• Feed your soil with green manures.© Shutterstock / Sophie McAulay26-27_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:36 Page 228 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLOUTHCulture is a word many towns and villages often boast, butfew offer quite so much evidence to back the claim up asLouth. With an alluring, near spiritual, connection, the townhas long fascinated cultural figures and historical influencers forcenturies. Among its many noted visitors and sometimeschampions are Winston Churchill, acclaimed writer JulianFellows and pop eccentric Björk, who enjoyed the local marketand cafés whilst working on an album with local musicianRobert Wyatt. But this relationship is hardly the preserve of therich or famous, and extends to the town’s varied residents. This inspiration is reflected in many of the amenities andattractions Louth offers. The Playhouse Cinema, with its artdeco frontage, was converted from a Victorian chapel in the1920s and, despite numerous refurbishments; theestablishment still retains some of its original fittings. To betterindulge visitors, the cinema offers more than just the typicalrange of movies. Live performances are a staple, with balletand theatre taking centre stage. Louth is very much integrated in the arts, with thecommunity owned Louth Playgoers’ Riverhead Theatreattesting as much. In fact, it’s run and maintained almostentirely by volunteers. Based on Victoria Road, the theatre putson an eclectic mix of shows, appealing to all audiencemembers, with ample choice for children and moreintrospective options for adults. But for many, nothing quite sums up Louth’s vibrant artscommunity like the independent record shop, Off The BeatenTracks. Stepping inside is a great way to gauge the town’smusical scene, with numerous local bands and musicians andthe nearby Pump House Recording Studio. What’s more, it’salways busy, particularly on Saturday mornings where folks ofall ages come in for the diverse selection of vinyl and CDs.Although true record shops are few and far between these days,Off The Beaten Tracks is enjoying the recent resurgence in vinylLPs and maintaining a crucial part of Louth’s cultural identity. There’s more to Louth than art, however – even if that issomething one cannot wax lyrical about enough. The area is ashopping dream, with a town centre that is dominated hugelyQuiet and rural, yet with a wealth of history that would leave even Lincoln feelingthreatened. Louth is an experience waiting to be sampled. © Danny Coy - www.wildcoyphotography.comA lot tooffer in Louth28-31_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:39 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY29LOUTHLOUTH GOLF CLUBCrowtree Lane, Louth, Lincs, LN11 9LJTel: 01507 603681 www.louthgolf.comThis voucher entitles 2 players toplay 18 holes at Louth Golf Club forthe price of 1. Available Sunday -Friday. This voucher cannot beused in conjunction with any otherspecial offer and has no monetaryvalue. Valid until 31/12/2017.Voucher holders must book theirtee time by calling 01507 603681stating they are using the voucher.2 for 1Over the years the club has evolved toprovide a well groomed yet challenging6,444 yard 18 hole parkland courseSituated less than a mile from the A16bypass in the heart of rural LincolnshireBOWLER AUCTIONS atLOUTH CATTLE MARKETEvery Saturday at 10am - viewing from 9amMany items go under thehammer very week.Free parkingCafe open during auction Tel: 01507 606578 or 07785 246392www.bowlerauctions.co.ukA great place to buy and sell anything!Butcher Lane • Louth • LincolnshireTel: 01507 604029 • www.striacroft.co.ukLincolnshire Jewellers, Engravers & GoldsmithsEstablished 1978Wide range of high quality Diamond, Gold andSilver Jewellery, Watches, Clocks and Giftware.In house Jewellery Repairs, Engraving, Valuations and Insurance. Watch Repairs. Above all we ensurethe highest quality of productsand services. by local independent traders, many of whom have been in thearea for generations. Yes, there are the big brands too if youwant them, but these are interspersed with unique shops thatoffer a fabulous mix of items you won’t find anywhere else. It’sthe perfect combination of both local and national names. Theindependent nature of Louth is something the residents trulybelieve in, with a 2008 local pressure group formed under thename of `Keep Louth Special`, which lobbied against aproposal for a major supermarket on the local cattle marketsite. The local Council supported their choice, and noted thatmore than 50% of residents opposed the idea of a large retaildevelopment. This approach has led to success for Louth, and in recentyears it has been commended in two national surveys as oneof the nicest places in the UK to visit. Countryfile named it asthe UK’s favourite market town in 2012 and the Sunday Timeshighlighted it, alongside Stamford, as the best place to live inLincolnshire, paying particular attention to its huge number ofdelis, farm shops and cafes and regular markets.That local approach is very important and throughout theyear there are numerous events that go on in Louth that30 Á© Danny Coy - www.wildcoyphotography.com28-31_Layout 1 17/07/2017 11:39 Page 2Next >