![]() ![]() But he also worked across a range of media for different contexts and locations, from tiny artist's books to large site-specific sculptures across Europe and North America.ĭespite Little Sparta's proximity to Edinburgh, the undulating hills around Stonypath separated Finlay like an ocean from the bustle of the Scottish capital. Ian Hamilton Finlay was a Scottish poet, artist and gardener whose most famous work combines elements of written language with elements of visual art, sculpture and environmental installation – all these aspects are present in Gods of the Earth/Gods of the Sea, whose title phrase is lifted from Virgil's Aeneid, an epic classical poem recounting the founding of Rome.įinlay's most outstanding achievement was the creation of his Stonypath garden, which he christened Little Sparta, filled with poems inscribed upon a wide and culturally suggestive range of forms, from classical columns to watering cans. His son, Alec Finlay, who cites this quote in a 2012 introduction to his father's work, suggests that it reflects Rousay's 'Platonic perfection': as if it were the ideal manifestation of a small, rugged Scottish island, bearing all the essential features, including a loch, mill, farms, ancient ruins, and ragged cliffs. Portland stone by Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006) and Nicholas Sloan (b.1951)īut it also indicates the depth of emotional and creative connection he felt to Orkney, and to Rousay in particular, which he once described – with a nod to the unusual genre of art and literature that made him famous – as 'like a concrete poem, very particular, very realised'. She was my best friend and the time spent iat college one of the best in my life.Ian Hamilton Finlay at the installation of 'Gods of the Earth/Gods of the Sea' on Rousay in 2005 I loved our years together, our studing together and the humour we shared. We both loved the clay room and did our finals in clay work. Although different in many ways Sharon and I complimented each other. We had both chosen Art as our main study and it was to be the beginning of a long and wonderful friendship. Anyhow I met Sharon over the words ' between the apiary and topiary.' Not knowing the meaning of either I was very grateful for Sharon's grammar school education and hours doing the cross word with her husband Chris. I was not particularly good at quizzes and my vocabulary far from well developed. We had to do a quiz to familiarise ourselves with the buildings and the grounds of the college. I looked around me at all the new faces and it was on this day that I met Sharon Trigg. Remembering the first day sitting for our year photograph in my cream leather jacket and neat skirt and shoes. Having just received my A level results and O level Mathis at the age of 34 I embarked on a Teacher Training Course at Wall Hall in Radlett. This room of activity was where we shared family gatherings. A square, extendable, table resided by the French doors, often with a vase of flowers from the garden, or the Frister and Rossman sewing machine or papers from the previous night's children's homework bedecking the surface. Here we watchet cricket and football on the small television set which stood in one corner away from the light. Here Dad slept in the evenings after work. Here Richard and I played Cheat and Lexicon and Scrabble, which we did not like as we both read little at that time. Here, Grace would listen to Woman's Hour on the radio with Fluff our large, long haired, cat on her lap. In this south facing room was a pale blue carpet, an open fireplace with white mantlepiece. ![]() Our house in Penwortham Road was a three bedroomed terrace.There were two separate living rooms with the front kept for best.The back room, always sunny, with French doors opening onto the garden. ![]()
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