GARDEN RENDEZVOUS

A footfall breaks the silence as the mist drapes aimlessly about ruins that date back to the time of Avalon. The woman in the painting has just heard the sound and turns in its direction. A rendezvous is about to take place . . . . You cannot accuse Jim Christensen of being anything but an incurable romantic. While exploring the grounds of Castle Combe in southern England, Jim found himself taken in by the mood of a foggy day and stunning a rock wall that seethed a storied history. “This piece” Jim says, “is about a sense of place and the flights of fancy a location can evoke if you let it.” Jim lost himself in the painting of the old stones and textures. He spent about a month working on the wall and far less time painting the woman.“I felt my job here was to set the scene, to breathe life into a magical location. However, what noise she heard and the meeting about to take place — that’s up to the viewer’s imagination.”