Stonehenge has captured my imagination ever since I first learned about its existence as a child. The stones that stand on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England are shrouded in thousands of years of history. Throughout the mists of time, they have been witnessing the full evolution of British history over the eons. They are a place of majesty and mystery.
The stone circle is believed to have been used as a burial ground and a site of ritualistic celebration of seasonal transitions. Stonehenge was an integral part of ancient British religion and culture for centuries. A giant solar calendar that marks the longest and shortest days of the year. On these days, the sun rises perfectly between the stones. Was it used to predict the harvest in a developing and growing agricultural society? Or could it have been more spiritualy significant than that. These are questions that intrigue the inquisitive mind.
The immense age of the structure is staggering, Stonehenge was constructed in stages over a period of 1500 years. That spanned the end of the Neolithic period and the start of the Bronze age. One of the biggest mysteries are the huge 20 Tonne Sarsen stones that are blocks of carved Cenozoic silcrete. How were they erected and arranged. How was it possible in the Neolithic/ Bronze age period? Another mystery is the smaller Bluestones that are not from the local area. Their origin can be found one hundred–150 miles (160–240 km) away, in South Wales. They weigh more than three tonnes. How were they transported across the country to the site on the Salisbury Plain?
It is the immense age and majesty of Stonehenge which has been the inspiration for this collection of paintings. The mysterious nature of the stone circle rendered in acrylic on stretched canvas across five paintings has been so much to create. I hope that you get as much enjoyment from these paintings as I had creating them. If you are interested in any of them thaey are available by clicking the links on the images. Alternativley you can find them in my Landmarks Collection.
