"With this, the second in my Cobblestone Lane Collection, I feel like I am
getting to know the people who live in this quaint English village. I can
begin to see the patterns in their lives, as they do good, honest work
during the day, enjoy supper in the evening, or stroll to church on Sunday.
Since Castle Combe is a real place, I get a deeper sense of the history
here. Generations of families living here now and ancestors going all the
way back to the original builders of the Medieval bridge. Just looking at
this place where they live brings a peaceful smile to my heart.
I wanted to make sure that my Cobblestone Lane Collection would take us
into a perfect little English village, so I went to my sketchbook and
brought out some memories. There it was - a mossy Medieval footbridge
spanning a babbling brooke with ancient stone buildings hugging a cobbled
lane.
The village is Castle Combe in England's Wiltshire District. Nanette and
I discovered it during our wanderings over the British countryside, and
fell in love. We're by no means the only admirers of Castle Combe; it may
be the most visited and photographed village in all of England. I've added
some romantic touches: the varied textures of stone at dusk and the dance
of reflected lights on the stream has, I pray, created a mood that is
timeless beyond the mere physical features of the village. I suppose that's
why I'm a painter, not a photographer.
By the way, if my Cobblestone Brooke looks familiar, it may be
that you've seen it in the movies - this quaint English village was the
setting of the famous Dr. Doolittle movie of some years back. And what
could be more English than Dr. Doolittle?"
