Monologue-ing Chris

  'Around Every Corner' by 'Paul Horton'

是從 Royal Worcester 和畫家合作作品的馬克杯，開始認識 Paul Horton 的，初初在 Twoday Coffee Roasters（註）看到他的作品就愛不釋手，爾後又在 The Centre MK 的 Castle Galleries 看到他的作品展示。嗯，好愛。這個英國中部（Midland）背景的獨立藝術家。城堡藝廊的網站上，林林總總的藝術家那麼多，一個一個點開來，最後你一定還是會回到 Paul Horton 的那一頁，然後對著他那些表面上看來一點也不令人抑鬱的作品，悶不作響地沉思好久。

Paul - I wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember, on recalling my childhood it seems I was always drawing and painting - it became the very fabric of my life. I owe my art teacher so much, he made art such an enjoyable subject and I spent many happy hours in the art room. The freedom, guidance and encouragement received during my formative years set the foundations for my artistic career.

一個成功的藝術老師，造成了一個把藝術視為生命每絲纖維的 Paul Horton，難以忘懷和難以釋懷，就是好壞教育的分隔。

Paul - Life is a mosaic of different memories, we all experience so many emotions from great joy to deep sorrow, from the nostalgic to the magical - these experiences are the source of my paintings, offering universal themes that I hope will appeal to popular imagination. My distinctive paintings are informed by a love of colour and strong composition influenced by artists such as Degas, Chagall and De Lempicka.

一個感動人的藝術家，普遍都是作品貼近人心，從喜悅到痛楚，從苦澀鄉愁到奇異恩典，越是普世共同的情緒，越是動容。

A Better Life (Left) A Love We Share (Right)

A Well Earned Pint (Left) Days to Remember (Right)

Falling for You (Left) Finding My Way (Right)

Follow A Dream (Left) Heart and Soul (Right)

Here Comes Trouble (Left) Home and Hearts - Day (Middle) Home and Hearts - Night (Right)

Home to the One's Love (Left) House of Love (Middle) In My Life I Love You More (Right)

In the Summer Time (Left) Just For You (Right)

Light of Love (Left) Lovers Lane (Right)

On Rainbow Days (Left) Sea of Love (Right)

Shadows In Time (Left) Stepping Out (Right)

Still of the Night (Left) The Last Man (Right)

The Road to Happiness (Left) The Sky's the Limit (Right)

When Magic Calls (Left) When You Need a Special Friend (Right)

Who Knows Where The Road May Lead (Left) Wonderland (Right)

註：Twoday Coffee Roasters - 135 St. Michaels Hill, St. Michael's, Bristol BS2 8BS, UK

自註一：Paul Horton 作品價格：http://www.peachgallery.com/artistWork.asp?artist=10&page=1 越是想收集的，越是 Out of Stock 或 Sold Out，這不是莫非定律，這是表示和大家有著共同的心緒或品嘗，換句話說就是，和大家都一樣是普通人，並無相異。

自註二：私心想，誰人也會很愛 Paul Horton 所震動的情緒吧？尤其是以 Tramp 為主題的 Follow A Dream、A Better Life 和 Who Knows Where the Road May Lead。

自註二的註：Tramp - In British English (or traditional American English) usage, a tramp is a long term homeless person who travels from place to place as an itinerant vagrant, traditionally walking or hiking all year round - 奴家自備翻譯稱之為 ...「浪人」