Scotland continued

Where did the month go?  I've been trying to read more of Kate Tristram's book "The Story of Holy Island". Seems like November and December obligations have interfered.
If you want to learn more about the subjects and places here are two more titles to read.
"In search of Bede" by Simon Webb;
"Around a Thin Place" an Iona pilgrimage guide by Jane Bentley & Neil Paynter.
The topic is interesting, however my type of reading is more escapist.  We just found a program on PBS call "Sacred Places of England" and last night it was about the connection between Iona, Lindisfarne, Durham Cathedral and the Benedictine Priories.  It covers several centuries, Seventh thru to Henry VIII; the scenery is beautiful and story interesting, showing how Christianity arrived in England.

Green and more green, somehow it took gouache and watercolor to
get the right combination for these two sketches.

Facing the sun 

The quiet room window in Iona Abbey.  I sat facing this window on a bench
 and viewed this window and then turned and sketched the window by the altar from a distance.
 It was peaceful and slightly warmer than outside where the wind and rain were blowing off the sea.

This is just a step down from the altar.  The musicians use this space.

From a photograph, so much brighter colors and cleaner shapes because it was outside.
This was taken the day we arrived while we meandered around the Abbey grounds.
 (we hadn't received our entrance ticket yet)

The most disappointing thing about Durham Cathedral was a ban on taking photos
 and the lack of time to sit and record all the wonderful art in this incredible space.
I took a break from standing when I got to the Treasure House. An empty chair and dramatic
 lighting on the cross said break time.

A small replica of Columba's Coracle sits in the window to the left of the Altar.
There was beautiful light coming through this window, even though the day was so cold, windy and rainy.

Note the figures on the beach, Ted and I hiked up thru the fissures on the right and
 came out in a beautiful cove farther away. 

                           

A quick stop in Edinburgh for lunch and a run back up to the bus to do this quick sketch.
The views of the skyline in this country of old buildings made me want to sketch all day.

We loved the Kelvingrove Museum.  It was large and lively, filled with children
 visiting from school and other tourists like us.  We traveled here on a city tourist on, off bus,
visiting another museum of transportation that would make MOHAI look puny.  It had
whole trains,trolleys, boats, bikes, you name it.  This is another skyline view outside of
Kelvingrove Museum.

While listening to the history of St. Pauls church I sketched as fast as I could
to remember these amazing pews from the 1500's.  

United Kingdom

Picture these sketches zipped together and you have a perfect
vision of the Priory ruins just beyond the graves at
St. Marys church

The United Kingdom. A trip from Seattle/Glasgow to Lindisfarne (The Holy Island) UK, acrossScotland to the Argylls ending up at the Island of Iona.  

My husband and I went on a Pilgrimage this past September to explore the roots of Celtic Christianity, time period 700AD.  The Saints we learned about were humble men, monks, who gave up everything to live and teach Christianity.  These Monks cared for their parishioners, traveling miles by foot are still honored in Scotland, Northumberland, and by those who study this period of history prior to the Roman influence. 

My interest, of course, was to record what I saw in my sketches.  Along the way, I learned to admire, Aiden, Cuthbert, Hilde, Bede (early centuries) and in this century incredible story tellers like Kate Tristram, who wrote a book about the story of Holy Island and incredibly went back to the University in her 80's to study Gaelic and brush up on her Latin!  Lillian, also in her eighties, is a docent at Durham Cathedral, and has enlightened people like Sting and Princess Margaret.

Much of this early history would be lost if it weren't for Bede, a great scholar born around 672.  He was a teacher, a chronicler of history; wrote a book called Ecclesiatical History of the English people, the story of what happened before his birth.  He writes about the monk and bishop Cuthbert (he was fifteen when Cuthbert died).  He chronicled the history of Holy Island which includes Aiden, the first monk, and Cuthbert.

I am an artist not a writer.  The sketches that follow will have snippets of who, what, when &
where, not to mention how difficult it is to paint the color green!  Curses!

Beautiful ancient church on Lindisfarne,
the home of Aiden and Cuthbert.
The story will continue next week with travels to
Durham, Oban, and Iona.

2. Huge carved wood sculpture of Cuthbert's funeral.
A super size version of this called The Journey, is in the square in Durham England.
Cuthbert's remains took years to arrive at Durham because
 his casket was taken everywhere he preached so he could
 be honored by his parishioners.
1. Beach by the castle with a view of the Priory in the distance.