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The
Growlersworld Interviews |
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INDEX
The
Growlersworld Interviews is an ongoing quest, bringing you closer to successful
and creative people in all walks of life.
Rawle
Austin presents...
A
conversation with Bob Harris - Appreciating the Wonder of Creativity
Bob
Harris is a man passionate about life, family and his interests. I had
the great pleasure to talk to him to find out what makes him tick.
This
interview will take a slightly different format so please sit back and
enjoy.
I
now give you, Bob Harris!
Dear
Growlersworld Readers, Rawle has asked me lots of questions concerning
me and my interests. OK, so let me introduce myself.
I’m
Bob, short for Robert. I was a war baby, born during the height of the
blitz in Croydon, not that I remember much about it, mercifully.
My
parents were South East Londoners, though my maternal grandfather was
Scottish, surname Kincaid. My father was a Petty Officer in the Royal
Navy, then a fitter and boiler operator in a power station.
He
died in 1992. We moved to Dartford shortly before the end of the war,
when I was 2. Apart from a short time in Chatham, I have lived in Dartford
ever since.
I
have two younger sisters. I would have had a brother, but he died shortly
after childbirth.
At
school, I was nicknamed ‘Titch’ no doubt because of
my physical stature, not that that bothered me too much.
Schooldays
weren’t exactly my happiest days, but neither were they
unduly unhappy.
I
joined the Boy Scouts, and that gave me a taste for adventure
and the open air that was to find a new outlet in Youth Hostelling.
I joined our local YHA group and made many lasting friends.
We
walked, cycled and travelled in many places, both in the UK and
abroad. I still see my YHA friends at annual reunions and at other
times.
I’ve
visited several countries: Norway, Ireland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg,
Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco,
Greece, Turkey and the USA.
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In
America, whilst staying with some friends, I met a young lady and we lived
together back in England for a brief though exceedingly turbulent period.
Shortly beforehand, I began studying with the OU for a BA Degree.
I
joined our local students’ association where I met my future wife,
Anne. We both now hold OU degrees.
We
have a daughter, Katrina. Her ambition is to be a vet and she is studying
hard for her university entrance qualifications.
When
I retired from the CFO I began studying at Heythrop College, University
of London, for an MA in Christian Spirituality.
I’ve
now gained that qualification. I did it because I love the subject;
it was really a most interesting course.
Well,
enough about my history. Now to Rawle’s questions.
How
did my love of painting and artwork come about?
Here’s an honest answer.
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In
my final year at primary school I was one of the unconfident ones who
took refuge in painting and drawing to compensate for an apparent lack
of progress in other subjects.
It
was a way of saying to my erstwhile teachers, OK, I may be a dunce, but
look, I can at least draw and paint.
I
suppose most of us have some feeling for art and beauty; it’s innate
in human nature, though perhaps not universally.
Anyhow,
my uncle, a professional artist and illustrator, encouraged me
and was a role model for me.
Unfortunately,
perhaps, I’ve never really developed this skill very much.
Who
are my three favourite artists/ painters and why?
Three
artists? No, all artists are interesting in their different ways.
I
don’t have favourites.
Nor should it be thought that all art must be ‘liked’
or ‘enjoyed’ to make a powerful impact.
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Having
said this, there are some artists whose works I really do admire.
One
is [Johannes] Vermeer for his wonderful portrayals of Dutch interior scenes,
the utterly satisfying colour harmony and balance of his compositions
and the feelings of serenity and calm his paintings evoke.
Another
is Rembrandt [Van Rijn], also a Dutch painter, for his glowing, intense
portraits, profoundly human, profoundly spiritual.
A
third is Titian [Tiziano Vecellio], the Venetian, whose later
works convey the sense of a spirituality born of much suffering.
As
for landscape artists I could perhaps single out Samuel Palmer
since I have a particular affection for his works.
For
a time, he lived in Shoreham, a Kentish village in the Darent
Valley not far from where I live.
His
paintings of this period are intensely personal and visionary;
they portray the local landscapes as though they were depictions
of Beulah, a land of abundance and plenty.
He
particularly excelled in mysterious, moonlit nocturnal scenes.
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Then
there are the English watercolorists, the American Sublime landscape painters,
Turner, Constable, Whistler, the French Impressionists and Post- impressionists…..
the list is endless.
My
Church activities?
Well,
I sing, assist in the Eucharist, read from the Bible, lead morning prayers,
preside over our monthly Celtic Evening Liturgies, write lead articles
for our Parish Magazine, serve on the PCC and give the occasional address
(‘sermon’) during our Sunday Morning Communion Services.
As
you have probably guessed, I’m an Anglican. I began choir - singing
5 years ago on Advent Sunday. What is the appeal of choral singing?
Most
of us enjoy music, I’m sure, whatever kind it is, classical, pop,
folk, jazz or whatever.
Making
music is great fun. I just love making music, especially music
dedicated in praise and worship to the glory of God.
What
do I enjoy most about reading literature and poetry?
If
you enjoy the same, then the question is already answered for
you. Reading opens up vast new horizons; good literature expands
us, and can lead to a deepening of our humanity, our sense of
communion with authors, living or dead, and their worlds (which
may be very different from ours).
It
liberates us from the prison of our narrow, personal concerns.
Our language is an extraordinarily beautiful one (so are others),
yet it is nowadays becoming more and more abused.
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The
standard of English in the popular press, such as the tabloids, is abominable
and deserves outright condemnation.
Who
are my three favourite authors?
Three
again? As with the visual artists, I cannot answer this. Good literature
stands on its own ground. Personal preferences are fluid affairs, subject
to change through time and one’s experience of life.
I
can say that I have a particular liking for Charles Dickens and
the Emily and Charlotte Bronte of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.
All
three wrote powerful novels of great depth, insight and maturity.
Through
his humour, visual imagination and larger- than- life characters,
Dickens exposed the cruelties and injustices of Victorian industrialised
society.
The
Brontes, on the other hand, explored with great subtlety, the
feminine human psyche and Victorian religious sensibilities.
Other
‘favourite’ authors of mine are Jane Austen, Thomas
Hardy, R. L. Stevenson, Tolstoy and countless more modern writers,
English or otherwise.
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Oh,
mustn’t forget William Shakespeare!
Who
are my three favourite poets?
If
you’ve read this far you may guess what I’m inclined to say.
Who shall those three favoured poets be? How about TS Eliot, GM Hopkins
and George Herbert?
Yes,
but I should also include S.T. Coleridge and William Wordsworth.
Not forgetting Wilfred Owen, John Donne, RS Thomas….Ah,
well!
My
favourite book of all time?
As
a Christian, I suppose it would have to be the Bible. A wonderful
book indeed, as relevant today as it ever was.
But
it is not the only source of spiritual wisdom.
What
about the Upanishads or the Vedas? Or the Koran?
Indeed,
yet I confess I do have a favourite book, or rather, novel, and
that is Dickens’ David Copperfield.
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A
delightful novel, full of extraordinary characters, one you could never
put down.
My
desert island choice! I suppose, though, if I read it too many times I’d
get fed up with it and want something different.
Incidentally,
I love the writings of Thomas Traherne for his perception of God in all
things and all things in God, and his simple, though profound insight
into our human condition.
My
favourite poem of all time?
Sorry
again, I don’t have one. Let me, however, quote one I really
do like. It’s by Gerard Manley Hopkins and it is called
‘Spring’. It was composed while he was studying to
become a Jesuit priest in the Conwy Valley, Wales.
Here’s
the first verse:-
Nothing
is so beautiful as Spring-
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.
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Newness,
innocence, the descent of Grace, a mystical vision of Heaven and Earth
united in one lightning glimpse of the New Eden.
What
is my advice to those who want to experience the joys of literature and
poetry?
It’s very simple. Just read the stuff. Look first at the acknowledged
classics and develop a feel for what is worthwhile and valuable.
Then
extend your reading to embrace other works- perhaps by authors who have
won literary awards. You’ll soon know what is good and what is only
mediocre.
How
would I describe my family life?
Well,
I hope it is happy and will remain so.
We
have our stresses and strains like everyone else but we get over
them.
What
is the key to having a fulfilled family life?
Well,
I’m not sure if I should be answering this. However, I would
say that accepting one another for what they truly are rather
than expecting them to conform to an ideal image and then being
upset, angry or disappointed if they can’t live up to it
is an important precondition.
Be
tolerant of each other’s human shortcomings and know when
and how to forgive.
This
is the basis of truly loving relationships.
Mutual
equality and respect between the sexes and between parents and
children should be the standard.
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Be
old- fashioned. Devote plenty of time to your children; enter their world,
tell them stories, play with them, limit TV watching and computer and
video games, read them books and poems, develop their imagination and
share that imaginary world with them.
Make
them feel loved and wanted; there’s nothing as sad as a child who
feels neglected and unloved, even if their parents sincerely believe they
are not being neglectful.
Don’t
be afraid to express your love freely.
Final
words of wisdom?
From
me? Well, I hope I don’t sound pretentious or platitudinous.
Right now our world seems to be moving into a darker, more sinister,
phase.
There
is great uncertainty about the future. Some human groups are becoming
increasingly polarised.
Hatred
and violence are on the increase, and religion often used as a
pretext. It is being exploited and perverted to create barriers
and foment deep hostilities.
This
is an abuse of religion, which should be to promote universal
peace and the common good.
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Anyone
filled with hateful intentions who believes ‘God’ is on his
side and who thinks that it is right to commit mass murder in His name,
is sadly, woefully deceived.
On
the other hand, the leaders of Western ‘secular’ democracies
seem reluctant to examine their attitudes in an effort to understand why
some people resort to such desperate acts.
Oppressed,
angry, embittered or traumatised people cannot reason coolly and with
detachment. There is a fundamental lack of understanding on all sides.
Each
blames and demonises the other. We see the mote in our brothers’
eyes and fail to see the beam in our own. This is madness.
The
way out of this madness must be an awakening of consciousness.
Bravely to examine our consciences and uncover our shared insanity,
admit its presence, is to begin the healing process.
This
is not easy, because the insanity is collective and deeply disguised
as normality.
But
it must be done. We must learn not only to tolerate but to understand
and respect one another.
We all share that responsibility.
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Regardless
of our beliefs, nationality, ethnicity or ideological allegiance, we all
share a common humanity. We are all one in Creation.
As
a Christian, I believe we are created in the image of God, that is, we
each have a share in the Divinity that is God’s.
We
are infinitely more than we think we are, since we are all grounded in
the One Reality.
Anger,
hatred and the like are negative emotions that muddy this truth
and lead only to violence, warfare and destruction.
No
one wins wars.
In
war there are no winners, only losers. Acts of vengeance spiral
out of hand as the conflict between Israel and her neighbours
testifies.
But
when Jesus was crucified He never cried out for vengeance.
His
message was ever one of forgiveness and peace: ‘Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do’.
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An
important part of the awakening process, vital to all school curricula,
is multi-faith education and multi-faith dialogue.
Great
wisdom underlies all the world’s major faiths.
There
should be no competition between them.
Respecting
the faiths of others and learning from them as well as about them
need not imply compromise of our own.
On
the contrary, speaking again from a Christian perspective, I believe
my religion demands we do just this.
Finally,
we can look to the testimony of the great saints, mystics and
contemplatives of all traditions who see only the Divine in everything.
They are the awakened ones.
‘To
see Infinity in a grain of sand, Eternity in an hour’, as
William Blake put it, is to be wise.
Well,
on this serious note, I’ll say goodbye.
Wishing
you all peace and happiness,
Bob.
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