What gets me excited, what I love and what I do
A selection of my interests and my favourite music, books, films etc.
I live and work on a 200 acre property in Wales. There is a nature reserve on the farm with waterfalls, woods and rare plants. I find the beauty of this area a constant source of inspiration for my work.
For the last few years I have been trying to make our lifestyle as close to carbon neutral as I can. We have installed a wood burning stove and I spend much of my spare time harvesting fire-wood from our small forest and then splitting and stacking this for our fuel storage.
This has allowed us to not order any heating oil for this winter. I estimate that we have saved 7 tons of carbon dioxide emissions this past year.
I coach swimming at the local swim club and also teach swimming for a few hours a week to young children at the Brecon swim school. I love doing this and working with children is a great counter-point to my quiet, solo work in the studio.
I am a huge fan of the Vancouver Canucks ice hockey team. I went to many games when I lived in Vancouver. Now I listen to podcasts of every game and watch games on the North Amercian Sports Network on TV.Â
I love to ski, with Whistler/Blackcomb and Lake Louise in Canada being my favourite resorts. I also swim and have competed at masters swim meets in Canada and Britain.
Classical Music
I play this music when I want to be really creative.
Mozart, Bach, Faure, Vivaldi. This music gets my brain working and always seems to both relax and inspire me to get creative.
I do my best portrait carving work when I listen to these masterpieces.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)
Just go all out and buy the lot :)1 point
Mozart: Requiem / Tomowa-Sintow, Müller Molinari, Cole, Burchuladze; von Karajan
This has been my soundtrack for the last few weeks more...1 point
Bach: The Cello Suites Inspired By Bach, From The Six-Part Film Series / Yo-Yo Ma
Sublime playing of a very difficult set of works.1 point
![Mozart: Clarinet Concert; Clarinet Quintet [Hybrid SACD]](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0002XMEOA.01._SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg)
Mozart: Clarinet Concert; Clarinet Quintet [Hybrid SACD]
Wonderful recording.0 points
Faure: Requiem and other choral music
Faure Requiem is a sublime piece of music. this is more...0 points
Mozart: The Violin Sonatas
Pianist Daniel Barenboim, and the virtuoso violins more...0 points
My favorite books
Printed books and audiobooks
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
I have just started listening to this as an audiob more...1 point
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
An astonishing book which really places you in Afg more...1 point
The Odyssey by Homer
This story needs to be heard as an audiobook. I pl more...0 points
The Iliad by Homer
This story needs to be heard as an audiobook. I pl more...0 points
The Call of the Wild (Unabridged Classics) by Jack London
I have loved this book since childhood. I am now r more...0 points
Great Canadian Music
When I was in college in England I used to listen to Neil Young, Rush and Joni Mitchell a lot of the time.
Seven years later I had emigrated to Vancouver, Canada and my appreciation of Canadian music continued to grow.
Now that I am back in the UK I tell people to check out the wealth of talented Canadian artists.
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
One of the best albums ever made. I must have play more...1 point
Rarities, B-Sides & Other Stuff
Great version of "Hold On&quo more...1 point
After The Gold Rush
There are lots of Neil Young albums. This is one o more...0 points
Jagged Little Pill (Acoustic) by Alanis Morissette
Marking the 10th anniversary of Alanis Morissettes more...0 points
The Ghosts That Haunt Me
This album has the Superman song, which I love.0 points
My favorite films
The Year My Voice Broke
The prequel to Flirting. This film stars Noah Tayl more...1 point
Raise the Red Lantern
I love all of the films by the Chinese director-Zh more...0 points
House of Flying Daggers
Another film directed by Zhang Yimou and this is a more...0 points
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is simply a masterp more...0 points
Pavel Bure greatest goals
Vancouver Canucks greatest player
When you saw him live there was an adrenaline rush whenever he got the puck. Imagine what he could have done in todays NHL where the interference of the 1990's has been eliminated.
Kickstart helps subsistence farmers out of poverty
Small water pumps help families make more from their land
Kickstart.org is my chosen charity. Kickstart manufacture and supply small, low cost water pumps that draw water out from under the ground to irrigate farmers fields.This is targeted aid that makes a real difference to people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. KickStart's micro-irrigation pumps are available for distribution throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America
Please visit my Lens on Kickstart.org. to discover more.
Green living links and resources
- Rocky Mountain institute
- Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, entrepreneurial, nonprofit organization. They foster the efficient and restorative use of resources to make the world secure, just, prosperous, and life-sustaining.
- Home Energy Blog
- To read the latest news on energy-efficient, durable, comfortable, green homes, sign up for a full membership to Home Energy Magazine online.
- Carbon Clear Blog
- Updated regularly with news and tips for reducing our carbon footprint.
- Navitron renewables
- Great site wil all kinds of renewable energy equipment. Solar, wind and hydro turbines at very cheap prices. Located in the UK.
- It's not easy being green
- They have a great forum whith some very knowledgable people giving advice on heating with wood, insulation and renewables.
- Centre for Alternative technology
- CAT also runs a free information service, answering enquiries on a massive range of topics by phone, letter or email, five days a week. For bigger projects, there is also a consultancy service.
- EarthFuture.com
- A very good Canadian site. This page helps you to find out how much co2 your family produces each year. Also great tips on how to reduce the amount of co2 you produce.
Reader Feedback
|
Forgiven
5 Star lens! Great Job!!! Please visit my faithography lens when you get time and rate it also if you would. Posted August 28, 2007 |
|
Stuarts
Hi Gareth, Here is one I thought might appeal to you. A guide to Classic Car Insurance Canada. I figure that if you are going to drive around Canada, you may as well do it in style! Posted May 28, 2007 |
I thoroughly enjoyed catching up on all your interests.
It's wonderful to see and hear about the full life you lead. You're artistic gifts shine through.
We certainly do miss you here in Canada.
YVR/YYZ 2007
Posted May 05, 2007
|
Margaret_Schaut
Terrific and informative people page, Gareth! Its wonderful to have you at Squidoo! Posted March 06, 2007 |
New Flickr Pictures
New RSS: articles from my Portraits in Stone Blog
The artist journal from my website for my portrait cameos
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by
