Oil on Board, 10 x 14 inches
I did this as a demo painting last week at Napton-on-the-Hill, and I took a few photos of the local landscape having got there early, so opted to paint this view of the Oxford Canal.
The big Oak tree provided a perfect focal point with its ochrey reflections in the canal. Canals invariably have these tainted, or tinted reflections because the mud at the bottom is constantly stirred up by the narrowboats traversing back and forth.
The little brown dots in the water are not paint slashes - they are the little ducklings which were everywhere, with their tiny outboard motors whizzing about like toys.
I really enjoy your interpretation of the English countryside, particularly the rivers and streams in all seasons. They are wonderful reminders of our visits to Britain in earlier years. As age and health concerns prevent travel, viewing your paintings is a great way to see the landscape again. I have fun using Google maps and "street view" to "visit" the areas and to see if I can find the scene you have painted. This painting appears to represent a view from the bridge on the A25 near the canal-side restaurant. Your paintings are great inspiration for me as an amateur landscape artist. Its very informative to compare the "street view" scene and your interpretation of it.I can apply this information to photos of streams in our area in Ontario, Canada.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your comment Anonymous! I'm flattered that my paintings remind you of your visits to England, and that you use Google Street View to try and find the spots! Actually, this view is to the east side of the bridge at Lower Shuckburgh, but I walked a few hundred yards to get to this point, so it's not visible from the bridge, but the link for the bridge over the canal is: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/The+Folly/@52.2604736,-1.2896121,14.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x48773a467260df91:0x2d0182425fe6fa9f!8m2!3d52.2428504!4d-1.33171
DeleteMost of the places I paint are off the beaten-track, but some might be visible. Good luck with your own work and I wish you happy painting! Best wishes, Peter
Peter your work on the water is so very effective and I love the waterside plants in the foreground.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching you demonstrate how to paint "Sparkling Coastal Light" at Oadby Artists a couple of years back, I wonder if you got to finish this work on the evening, or whether you finished it off at the studio later?
Thank you Frank. This painting I finished off in the studio, same as the Oadby one. Two hours is rarely enough to reach an exhibition finish, and the lighting in most village halls is often not conducive to getting accurate colours on the painting, so I often have to re-paint.
DeleteFantastic works.. You are one of my favourite artists..
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