Imagine Gallery

" What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason,

how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable,

in action how like an Angel, in apprehension how like a God!

The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals - and yet,

to me,

what is quintessence of dust?

Man delights not me - nor woman neither............................

Hamlet, by William Shakespeare.

The Jim Malone Exhibition is open at last.

Although there is not a lot left to see if you make a visit, it was almost a "sell out".

Because of telephone "bids" we had to open the door early, and within minutes most of the work was showing 'Red Spots'.

I will come back to this and show a few more of his pots on another post, and include one pot that I love which remains unsold, I just wish that someone would purchase it so that the lust and temptation to buy this pot for myself would be removed.

I have to remind myself that 'I sell art, not buy it'.

However, I am going back in time a week.

The week that I travelled with Sam [my son] to the Lake District to collect Jim's pots.

We travelled across North Yorkshire on route to his pottery. I have come to associate any trip across Yorkshire with the famous pub

"The Green Dragon".

The Green Dragon will feature in a later post,

there are just so many things to say about the place.

It's famous waterfall, painted by 'Turner', visited by Wordsworth, and bathed under by Kevin Kostner [Robin Hood]. Still more of this later, including the new gallery situated there

which we will become involved with.

Later, later, later. It's all I seem to say.

But Much More Later.

Sam was persuaded to join me on the journey by the promise of a visit to the famous

"Uncle Monty's cottage", featured in the film

'Withnail & I".

This film and its locations I have mentioned before, and I will do again, as in my opinion it is the very best example of English humour, acting and film making ever produced.

Mind you, it did "flop" at the box office,

but we are continually hearing about the possibility of a 'Johnny Depp', re-make.

If any man can do it he will.

So after an overnight stay at the 'Green Dragon' Inn, which included the most magnificent "English breakfast" in front of a log fire, we set off for "Crows Crag", the fictional name for the fictional cottage featured in the motion picture.

Although it has become something of an annual pilgrimage for myself this was

Sam's first visit and his own excitement fed my enthusiasm.

After a long drive and an even longer walk amongst the hills of Cumbria we eventually arrived at our destination.

It had changed.

It sold last year at auction, against strong bidding from many celebrities it sold to a local publican, who made the promise that it would be restored for film enthusiast's to visit.

Which interpreted means "give me your money".

I had wanted, and especially for Sam, to see it before "restoration" had finished.

What a disappointment.

Had it ever been started? For obvious reasons I will say no more.

Although we both really enjoyed our brief visit it was tinged with sadness.

The last time I came you could look inside and see the fireplace and room made famous in the film.

It obviously has attracted many thousands of pilgrims over the years, and on my last visit I was able to photograph the famous monologue from William Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

[used at the films ending],

which had been written on an old door.

Not vandalism, a homage.

I am sure that visitors respect, love and would help to pay for restoration of the building.

Seeing inside is no longer an option.

Restoration means surrounding the building with barbed wire and closing the windows with bricks.

I do understand that this is now "one" mans property, but what a shame.

I don't doubt that there are many reasons for this and perhaps one day we can all see inside again, but until then if you are to knock on the door, it will be a case of

"No answer came the stern reply".

So above I have the picture of the famous "Hardraw Fall" [Green Dragon].

Inside the kitchen of "Monty's cottage" [from a previous visit]. The famous monologue [written on a door], a view from the window [previous visit], and the window as it is now.

What a piece of work is man?