Introduction
In commemoration of the renowned artist Stanley Greaves’ 90 birthday, the Sunday Stabroek will be featuring images of some of his artwork accompanied by poems written by him. This week’s painting THE GARDEN, 1960, is accompanied by a note from Mr Greaves and the poem.
THE GARDEN, 1960, Oils, 36” x 48”
As a child and later I walked the streets of Georgetown which at the time 1930’s was known as the Garden City. The name does not apply today. From cottages to three storied Great Houses there was always a garden usually with a red hibiscus flower hedge. During the Second World War 1939—45 the Governor Sir Gordon Lethem initiated the “Grow More Food” campaign to encourage everyone wherever possible to cultivate a kitchen garden. I witnessed land on the railway embankment being cultivated in plots allocated to farmers for this purpose. Each plot usually had a little hut for storage, a few families even lived there. Rich homes had painted palings. Lots had homemade fences of different materials. Plots had bottles painted with white dots placed on poles to scare away birds. In the painting are the words “The moon shines on the gardens of rich and poor alike.’
