Norfolk Farm Buildings and Church, England

Farm near Wormegay, Norfolk, England  22" x 15"

The wide ploughed field, farm buildings and church make a pleasant composition. . Steps in this painting were, 1) wash of sky and foreground, then left to dry.  2) Churche shadows and background buildings, adding the dark pine trees behind the main building.  Lastly telegraph pole and shadows.  Notice the counter-change and focal point of the white church roof and the white farm building. Roughly indicated tracks lead the eye to the focal point. Can you spot the figure? Shadows for me would be the last stage. Painted late March.

Farm at Burnt Fen, Suffolk

Farm at Burnt Fen, Suffolk

I wanted to capture the atmosphere of the fens. Darks and lights! Space and earth! Fresh application, sharp and fuzzy edges. Strong focal point reduced to silhouettes. This remote fenland farm was a very tempting subject. It's close to the Norfolk/Suffolk/Cambs borders.The earth is so lush and peat-rich here and in the summer when the soil is dry, dust clouds pretend to be fog! This subject is one I love to paint. It has classic Rowland Hilder elements - ploughed field, vast range of darks and lights, and smells of the toil and labour of the land. 

Issigeac Market, Dordogne, France

Issigeac Market, Dordogne, France - 22" x 15"

I wanted to capture the hustle and bustle of this glorious street market, as well paint those sturdy French buildings. I was aiming for lots of texture and maximum impact in terms of dramatic big and small shapes, warms and cools, and repitition. And of course, as always, I wanted to capture the light.

Farmhouse on the Norfolk Broads

Farmhouse on the Norfolk Broads

I painted this one last year in March. The Norfolk Broads is a very inspiring location for painters. This picture has all the classic elements - farm and out buildings, trees welded to main focal point, cattle, meandering river to lead the eye into the picture, big sky, and fields. I focused on strong counter-change throughout the painting.