Coming Together for The Children's Trust

As the official artist-in-residence for The Children's Trust annual Art Exhibition, I invited budding young artists to complete an artwork by painting in the black outline images of my child characters.

It was great to see the drawing come to life with vibrant colours and some really interesting creativity from all the children, from chequered trousers to green shoes, and pink hair!

There was some serious concentration going on!

It was such an enjoyable experience for me to be able to work with all the children who took part in this little collaboration, from ages 2 to 15.

‘Come Together’ was finished on the last day of the exhibition by two-year-old Emma Hevesy. The painting has been donated to The Children’s Trust, a national charity that provides specialist care for some of the UK’s most severely disabled children, and rehabilitation to children with an acquired brain injury.

 

And this is the finished masterpiece

 "Come Together"

I hope patients and visitors at the trust will gain as much joy looking at the painting as we did creating it.

New Originals Available

3 brand new Originals are now available at Chelmer Fine Art Gallery:

"The Friendly Stranger" SOLD

"What's The Story?" SOLD

"Kid For Today" SOLD

Please visit the Chelmer Fine Art Gallery website to view the works. The stories behind these pieces can also be read here on my blog.

Signed limited edition Giclee prints are also available and I have listed on the right hand side a few selected galleries to help in any searches.

Many thanks and I hope you enjoy

Scott Carruthers

What's The Story?

SOLD (90cm x 70cm)

Where have all the newspaper boys and girls gone? It’s not a familiar sight these days, either in the mornings or around tea time.

I remember in the early 80’s my older brother had four rounds on the go, one in the morning, two in the evening and one at the weekend…..all for about £5 a week!!....come to think of it, is it no wonder the Paperboys have called it a day. And what with getting up early morning in the more often that not freezing cold and/or wet weather!

Nothing can teach you more about the value of money than earning it for yourself, but sometimes maybe the effort being put in was worth more than the wage packet. Not that a little hard work never did anyone any harm. Perhaps the rise in pocket money has also seen less need to earn a little extra.

The thing is, becoming a paperboy or girl was a rite of passage for many children. Perhaps more than any other part-time job, it educated the young future worker about the importance of getting up in the morning, of punctuality and of steadfastness.

Personally, I was never one for any of that!

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One Very Important Thought

SOLD (70cm x 60cm)

I used to get accused of daydreaming a lot when I was young, sitting in class gazing out the window at nothing at all, or dawdling along the road with no concept of time. But who is to say I wasn’t thinking about or doing something of the up most importance? I could have been contemplating exactly what was being said or taking my time as to not have an accident whilst walking along a busy road! OK, this wasn’t the case, but it could have been! The point is whatever was going on at the time in the background, in my mind and for many daydreamers alike, I was in the middle of one very important thought. For example, carefully walking along the drain in the playground, one foot in front of the other, didn’t matter if the bell had gone, this is important and the end must be reached! Or those different coloured paving slabs that I had to step on were indeed stepping stones to my goal, and should the wrong slab be stepped on, then I would surely become victim to whatever lurks deep in the chasm below!

Magic Window

(33cm x 43cm inc black frame)

So much of our British society is 'Americanised' these days and it has been getting ever the more so over the last couple of decades. Since the early 90's music, fashion, food and even language has been shaping our kids lives and one of the most noticeable instigators of this is from Children's television. Programmes made in the US flood the countless channels available in the form of dramas, teen sitcoms and cartoons. And the problem is what little British programmes that ARE made, are completely based around their US counterparts. What happened to all those British classics we loved and grew up with, Trumpton, Camberwick Green, Chorlton and the Wheelies, Rent A Ghost and even, dare I say it, Jackanory!? Why do we not have the friendly face and voice of a Brian Cant greeting us on our screens anymore? The magic window to our British childhood culture has gone and I would welcome back the days of the 'off air' transmission screen as a replacement anyday!

Slow This Bird Down (Commission)

SOLD (90cm x 70cm)

Our children seem to be growing up quicker all the time. Just think back to what you were doing and what you had at different stages of your childhood. I imagine it differs greatly.

Kids seem to get to a point where they just want to be older. Yet it will happen all too quickly and before they know it they will be forever chasing their youth.

I don’t want my kids to turn around in 30 years and say to me “I was so concerned about growing up faster; I wish there was a way I could of slowed it down.”

I’m sure there are ways of helping that. I think we should understand the need for an orderly progression through childhood. In the past there were important cultural “markers” that determined the ages at which certain behaviours and belongings were appropriate. Those markers seem to have disappeared, or they’ve certainly been moved downward.

At best, you’re only a kid for about 12 years, with another 70 taken up by adulthood. Surely someone in the beginning didn’t think that ratio through properly!

Details from 'Do You Wanna Be A Spaceman'

People who achieve their dream always say the same thing, that anyone can do it. I have always doubted this. Luck, whether it's in the form of a chance meeting or a happening, falls at your lap from nowhere, that's why it is called luck, I don't believe you can make your own luck, you either get it or you don't. You can work hard at something but whether you ever achieve your goal will more than likely depend on who you meet on your way.

Your upbringing also has a huge bearing on whether you can follow that dream or not. Encouraging parents is quite possibly the most important factor for any young kid. In the last couple of weeks, my step son has been saying he wants to be a super hero, why should I turn round and say he can't? why should I take that dream away? He gets my full support and encouragement. As he gets older, his dreams and aspirations will obviously become more serious.

I try to get him involved in anything he is interested in.....thankfully that hasn't been anything too expensive yet :) This will hopefully help him find out what he is good at and where he wants to go in the future. I always felt encouragement and direction was lacking during my childhood, so I aim to give my 2 step kids as much as I am capable of.

What would the likes of Tiger Woods or Lewis Hamilton be doing if they didn't have that encouragement and direction? Yet they must of had that dream themselves or they would of just lost interest.

Kid For Today (Commission)

SOLD (70cm x 60cm)

Do You Wanna Be A Spaceman

SOLD (70cm x 50cm)

What do you hear kids say they want to be when they grow up? The answers are always interesting to hear....and somewhat quite unachievable you might think. A Cowboy, a Spaceman, a Power Ranger or Superhero of some kind!

Clearly though, a handful of these dreams are fulfilled, as there are these Astronauts, Racing Drivers and Cowboys out there.

This is to those 6 year olds that will one day live their childhood dream day in day out. Though I’m not suggesting there is a real life Batman!!