Many people say that a photograph may capture the truth but a painting captures the spirit of the place. So perhaps, today, we are capturing the spirit of The Grove area or perhaps our artist has caught the spirit of the past.
The artist set up his easel somewhere near the church and looked out to the west over what was still, then, the fields of Grove Farm.
The Grove – a 1986 water colour by Norman Miller
Beyond the pastoral scene, with grazing sheep we see a more sylvan backdrop which, perhaps, makes Lavington School look just a bit surprising. The houses on Park Road do seem to lead the eye to the school building – very much in the style of the 1960s.
Beyond the trees there’s a hint of Salisbury Plain and above all, cumulous clouds rise up to mask most of the blue sky.
The artist was Norman Miller (1906-1995) who worked, this time, in water colours. This was painted in 1986.
Norman, a retired church minister, lived in Easterton. We have a couple of his paintings in the museum.
Market Lavington Museum 