Saturday, November 13, 2010

Remembering Beyond Those Heather Clothed Hills

Sitting at my desk this week I haven't needed music or radio to keep me company. Outside at times it sounded as if the sea was on my doorstep. The trees danced to a wild wind symphony while I watched from the window, cosy indoors.

When I was a child I was scared of the wind and used to bury my head under the bed clothes so as not to have to listen to it's calling. Now I love it and always think I  hear and feel spirits and old souls in its song.
This week has been remembrance week and with that fierce wind blowing maybe on the 11th  hour we heard those souls that have passed a little more clearly.
Here is my Grandad. (Grampy) in 1916.

He was one of the lucky ones. He survived, came home, and had seven children and got to push me in my pram for a just little while.
And here he is older with my Nan.
 


It was on a theme of remembrance that a heart hanger took shape this week.
The Exmoor Emperor will join the spirits on the wind now. I have painted a little tribute to him here.

 There is a place beyond those heather clothed gentle hills where you run free. Deep within the starry constellations. Forever be.

The Exmoor Emperor was a stag that stood nine feet tall and was sadly killed by a trophy hunter a few weeks ago.
I felt a great need to make this little tribute. To settle something inside, for my own soul.
You can also help by clicking here. (A great charity that I myself donate to monthly)

It's strange how things seem interconnected sometimes. I painted a remembrance heart, in remembrance week. The painting was connected to Exmoor and so was a surprise package that arrived on my doorstep the other morning. Inside was a note that said the lovely parcel carefully wrapped in pink tisssue paper had been especially made for me. A thankyou gift for inspiring her.
 I opened it and revealed the most beautiful glass hanger...

And it even had a hare on it! Wow how lucky am I!! Thankyou so much Lizzie. I will treasure it  and soon hang it in my little wooden studio. :) x

Why don't you pop over to her shop. There are lots more beautiful things on sale.

The Exmoor Emperor heart is now for sale in my shop.
Take care in this windy weather. x

29 comments:

  1. How tragic that someone could kill that magnificent stag. I simply do not understand it.

    No doubt you shall hear him on the wind now, too.

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  2. Karen that is a stunning hanger you did, i love the heather it really lifted the colours and so sad to hear that someone killed the stag, i'm sure i saw something about that on the news only recently and what a lovely gift :)

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  3. I love to listen to the wind that sounds like waves aswell Karen :) Makes me very happy!

    Beautiful hanger, & a beautiful tribute post to all!

    And what a gorgeous gift to recieve too :)
    xxx

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  4. Beautiful post in honor of your Grandfather. Precious memories.

    Horrible to think of this magnificent stag being killed. :(

    Lovely surprise gift.

    Great new art!

    Thank you for sharing.

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  5. As always a lovely post and the hanging is such a beautiful tribute. Who would want to kill such a magnificent beast and why? The glass hanging is beautiufl too - lucky you! And I note you called your grandfather Grampy too like me!

    Jane

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  6. I heard with great sadness on the news report that someone without any thought to the consequences this action may trigger had taken the life of this beatiful beast. I am always very saddened when I hear of the stupidity of the few. At least there are still some of us in this world with the sensitivity and the capacity to recognise this stupidity and who can at least try to make some amends for it, and be able to mourn for what has been lost.

    Amanda x

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  7. Beautiful treasures and remembrances, Karen. I had read about the Exmoor Emperor last week and felt so sad. What a tragedy and such a shame someone would do that for a "trophy". Best wishes to you this wild November..

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  8. I had no idea that there were such creatures of the size and beauty of this magnificent red stag. How sad that someone would want to kill such a treasure of the earth. What a despicable act. It makes my heart ache. I can see why you felt the need to paint that beautiful door hanger in his honor.

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  9. The killing of the Exmoor Emperor broke my heart whn I read about it in our local paper here in Oregon. When I read your blog post, I scrambled over to your shop to buy your heart, only to find it had already sold. This is the 2nd time I have lost a hanger of yours that I wanted to buy. Please make more. They are so special. I am going to check your shop every morning so I don't miss out on another special item.
    Cenya

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  10. I was saddened to hear of the useless demise of that noble stag. Surely that is him in the wind now. You have the photos and memories of your grandfather to warm your heart.

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  11. Oh dear.... I've been hearing gunfire in the forest here, wondering if the huge stag they speak of has finally fallen. Or the little ones I have seen coming into my clearing in winter with their mothers, hungry enough to eat what the birds drop from the feeders. Too bad, sounds like the Exmoor Emperor was a grand stag indeed.

    The stained glass gift is lovely... I'm going to pop over and check out the shop.

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  12. Poor stag! How beautiful and imposing he was! What a pity (and a shame for us, people) to meet his death in such a way! I like the hanger, created out of sorrow and with love... The special gift for you is so charming and fragile! It's important that it was made with a thought about you and I suppose it'll find its appropriate place in your studio!
    Yes, there're so many voices in the wind's song...

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  13. That poor stag!!!! I cannot believe that happened - it breaks my heart. What a beautiful hanger you created in remembrance of him. And thank you for the beautiful tribute overall. Theresa

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  14. I love the idea of the wind being spirits and souls, there's something comforting in that.

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  15. A meaninful tribute for the stag - why someone would consider taking his life a trophy is beyond reason. Your grandfather's tribute also so lovely - it's that time of year as well when you find yourself thinking over people and others no longer with us.

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  16. What is it about us humans...when we see something beautiful and awe-inspiring...we have to kill it?! Where does this come from? As if, knowing we can never create something as wondrous, we must prove our power by destroying it? I've never understood the notion of trophy hunting, it makes no sense whatsoever to me. So very sad.

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  17. I really love your blogue and the art you make. thank you!

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  18. Beautiful heart.

    Sadly, trophy hunting is big business in the Rockie Mountains here in Alberta, Canada. It pains me. People just don't realize that the animals look so much better in the wild than on the wall. (Much better to have one of your hearts on the wall!) :)

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  19. Its a beautiful piece of work, very evocative and magical.
    It broke my heart to hear about that majestic animal ~ how anyone can be so cold hearted to do such a thing is beyond the realms of my understanding.

    Your gift is wonderful too, what a marvellous surprise!

    Sending love
    Julia x x x

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  20. Beautiful post and I love your tribute to the Emperor.

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  21. Thanks for sharing your rememberance thoughts and the shooting of that stag was just another example of thoughtless waste.Lovely post.

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  22. That's a beautiful hanging from Lizzie and it looks so lovely hanging there with all your other crystals :) I heard the sad story of the stag on the news, so to me this piece is particularly beautiful and poignant. xx

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  23. Your heart hanger is such a beautiful idea Karen, i felt so sad when i heard that he had been killed!

    I too used to hide from the noise of the wind when i was small, but love to hear it now as it whistles round the cottage, it conjures similar thoughts for me too.

    ruthie x x

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  24. Hi Karen. I'm so glad you made your beautiful tribute to the Majestic Stag, and I'm sure if you made some more they would be snapped up, and I would buy one for sure! I was affected by the senseless slaughter by bounty hunters. Living on Exmoor one can't be squeamish about the professional culling and gamekeeper practices, and I'm a vegetarian, can't eat dead animal ~ but accept those that do, but can't, won't ever tolerate the cruelty and mentality of some. Thank you for showing and mentioning me, that was kind of you to do that ♥

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  25. This is a verybeautiful post!

    What country do you live in? Here in Australia we had rememberance day November the 11th.

    Lest WE Forget.

    http://simonevanon.blogspot.com

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  26. Hi Karen,
    This is a lovely post about remembering your grandfather during the war and a sensitive tribute to the stag that was killed. He was such a noble and beautiful creature.
    The heart hanger and the glass hare are very beautiful and magical.
    Have a good weekend.
    Jo.

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  27. your tributes to your grandfather and the exmoor emperor are lovely and the painted heart is one of the most beautiful things i have ever seen, i'm finding it hard to stop the tears though.

    the glass gift you recieved is magical.. so special

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