Stephen Ben Cox

Stephen Ben Cox (born 1950) is an English artist (painter and sculptor), and author/historian. He was born and brought up in a village in Gloucestershire England, and rural themes and landscape came to dominate all aspects of his life. From 1968-1972 he studied art at the University of Reading (under Terry Frost, Claude Rogers, Rita Donagh, amongst others)to obtain his B.A. degree. In 1973-74 he was one of three British Council post-graduate scholars to Romania 1973-74 living and researching in Bucharest (during the Cold War) but travelling all over the country, especially Transylvania. This was during the Ceauşescu period of Communist rule. On returning to England he studied at Reading University again to obtain his teaching qualification PGCE (Post-Graduate Certificate in Education), then became an art teacher and practising artist.

Artist

He had exhibited his art as early as 1972, but from 1974 this increased. He exhibited in some group shows between 1976 and 79, but from 1979 he exhibited his art exclusively one-man exhibitions throughout Great Britain, mainly across England but also in Wales (Swansea) and Scotland (Dundee). These were in art galleries, art centres, and theatres. Some of them were sponsored/grant aided by the regional arts associations Arts Council England). In his younger years his subjects were Gloucestershire landscape. As his career progressed specific and recurring themes emerged: order & disorder; the seasons; the cycle of the farming year; landscape and prehistoric sites (especially Avebury). He was working mainly in paintings, relief, sculpture, and water-colour landscape miniatures. His work included multi-segment large canvases, mixed media pieces, and large temporary installation art using materials from farms and landscape direct (his art studio was based on a farm deep in the Berkshire countryside).

Together with fellow artists Christopher Hall and John Danvers he formed The Wessex Artists Union in 1977, arranging group exhibitions of members art and promoting artists rights and negotiating facilities across southern England. He also instituted the visual arts for The Hexagon entertainments complex in Reading shortly after it was built. And pioneered the concept of persuading professional artists to go into schools to give lectures and workshops.

As part of increased reclusivity he stopped all exhibiting in 1992. Then in 2005 he withdrew from all public contact/activities. In 2012 with health issues he moved to Wiltshire and went into seclusion.

Writing

He has written over 40 small non-fiction books on history, heritage, mythology and folklore.These included the following titles: The English Long Bow ; Freyr's Oceanic Western Kingdom; The Fly Agaric; The Four Great Celtic Festivals; The Four Solar Festivals; Wayland Wonder Smith of the Gods; The Berserkers; The Norse Gods Dictionary.
He has also written over 500 articles (not all of which were published) on all of these subjects as well as on ancient and prehistoric sites; architecture; traditions and folk customs; legends; ancient religions. He also composed a series of poems about the landscape, character and spirit of Dartmoor (national park) under the general title of Goddess Poems.
He is now writing a book on the English Civil War siege of Reading town 1642 ('Cannons on the Sabbath'), and a series of recollections of 1950's West Country rural life He now confines himself to research and writing about Wiltshire history, heritage and folklore. He is also a keen writer on wildlife and environmental issues.

Copyright Involvement

He is a member of DACS (the Design & Artist’s Copyright Society), and ALCS (the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society). His art work and writing is registered with and protected by the two societies.
He was a member of the board of management of the former. The Board of Management members at their monthly meetings assisted overview of the policies and activities of the Society. Whilst he was there the new Copyright Act was in preparation and DACS submitted evidence to the UK Government on changes to be made to copyright law. He undertook some publicity/promotion work includuing writing some articles in arts, and law magazines about copyright law and about the work of DACS.

Garden

His art activities have now been directed into the landscaping and design and management of his large garden (1/3 acre) in the county of Wiltshire, England, where he now lives. He said: "My garden might be said to be my studio now and each part therein being a canvas on which I paint. As for the landscape and wildlife: they were always my first friend and teacher. If Heaven or the Elysium Fields mean anything then it is as a garden where our highest ideals and hopes live in perpetual harmony and fecundity.".

This mammoth undertaking commenced in 2012 - the garden being gradually converted from a small unused field attached to the house. It now includes fishpond, waterfall, wetland, orchard, beach, vegetable garden, herbarium, butterfly garden, woodland, cottage garden; and various collections (grasses, conifers, dianthus, heathers, fuchsias, roses) separated by sections of lawns and paths. Another feature are life size statues of ancient Greek deities and mythological creatures.

In 2015 the garden was accepted by the RHS onto the National Gardens Scheme all proceeds of which go to charitable causes selected by the NGS. Special open days for local villages are also arranged to raise funds for local charitable causes (church, village hall etc.). He also provides free educational facilities on gardening, art, wildlife environmental studies to the local community.

Environment,Conservation & Wildlife

He is a keen advocate of wildlife habitat protection and green management and enhancement of the rural landscape and environment. He is a life member of: The Council for the Protection of Rural England; The Woodland Trust; The Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and The Ramblers Association.

He runs a local wildlife group which records species, photographs animals and landscape, and monitors habitat. He also writes a monthly article on wildlife matters (alternating with local history) for the Parish Magazine 'InSpire'.

Neighbourhood Plan

He created the parameters and draft environment policies foe the Council's steering group. Then put together a working group to devise detailed policy as part of the local government steering group responsible for the creation of the Neighbourhood Plan for Calne Area Communities (as determined under the U.K Government's Localism Act 2011, this Act requires every district in England and Wales to devise a local plan which governs and controls future development/building according to local objectives, values, needs,priorities decided by the local residents and voted in public referendum) and devised the environmental policies for this ( these being: Built Environment; Heritage & Conservation; Biodiversity; Greening; Landscape). The CCNP (Calne Communities Neighbourhood Plan (Housing; Environment; Education; Transport; Health & Well-being) is going out to public consultation February 2016. Public referendum is due to be held shortly after August 2016.

Bibliography

Books (non fiction)

The English Long Bow (1-872543-46-4)

Freyr's Oceanic Western Kingdom (1-872543-56-1)

Englefield - A Pastoral Itinerary Through History (1-872543-11-1)

The Fly Agaric (1-872543-01-4)

The Four Great Celtic Festivals (1-872543-12-X)

The Four Solar Festivals (1-872543-07-3)

Wayland Wonder Smith of th Gods (1-872543-25-1)

The Berserkers (1-872543-41-3)

Swastika Lost Sign of Freemasonry (1-873543-85-5

Norse Gods Dictionary (1-872543-40-5)

References

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