In 2009, Luke discovered a book in his local library, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao. The book explores the 81 verses of ancient Chinese text, the Tao Te Ching. The author, Wayne Dyer, interprets each of the 81 verses from a contemporary viewpoint. After reading this book, Luke was inspired to create a landscape painting to accompany each verse. As the project of paintings unfolded, he was also moved to write in his own words (a reflection) to complement each of the paintings. The permanent exhibition of 81 paintings and reflections is his response to the Tao.

Each individual painting is uniquely framed with silky oak timber. They have been arranged in the Gallery to create a continuous flow of interlocking images. Since it can take a while to read and enjoy all 81 paintings, visitors are encouraged to return to continue reading, to spend time at different sections, to absorb more of the art. However, for those wishing to read at their own pace, the paintings and reflections have been captured in the gallery’s self-titled book. We hope you’ll enjoy the gallery within our walls and within your own house — either with our book, or with an original oil painting bought from our other exhibitions.