Looking back to sunnier days. Here we are walking through the heat in Grisedale, the Lake District. Summer seems so long ago now – I think it probably finished in June. Maybe September will add a late burst of warmth.
walking up to Grisedale Tarn
Photo courtesy of Ashley Matthews.
I’ve just returned from a week’s camping and walking in the Lakes, where I made some frenzied marks in my tiny A6 sketchbook using oil pastels … could be a painting in there somewhere, but I really need to go back.
view from my tent - Patterdale campsite
the view from Helvellyn
a view from Crinkle Crags
from the top of Crinkle Crags
It’s happened again and it’s much deeper snow this time than we had in February. For the first time it stopped me from climbing the hill as it was just too difficult wading in knee-deep drifts, and after a while squinting into the whiteness I couldn’t really see. My dog’s long coat turned into a collection of snowballs that became so large and heavy she couldn’t move. Then we saw a dog sled complete with huskies! On Sunday we saw skiers but I’m getting used to them now. The snow is amazingly powdery and sticky. You can build a snowman easily as each added handful clings magically to the main body of snow, in complete contrast to the snow I remember from childhood which was very wet and had to be constantly chivvied as it sagged and blobbed away from its designated position.
Here’s the snow magically clinging to a hedge.
snowy hedge
snowy lane
And the snow made its own sketch of Garsdale.
Garsdale snow
An atmospheric sky.
more snow on the way?
On Sunday it was one of those special days when the top of the hill is above the clouds. Up there it was a separate world of sunny blue skies and sparkling snow, and looking down the town was covered in cold swirling cloud. Last time that happened someone told me about it and I hurried out and tried to paint what I saw but failed miserably. This time no-one seemed to be aware. It was a real surprise when I reached the top of the hill and emerged from the gloom into sunlight and of course I had no paints and no camera. Next time!
I’ve just returned from Skye again – my third visit in six months. I’m visiting a lot more than usual because my sister is very ill and I want to see as much of her as I can while she’s still here. I have some photos to post of Staffin beach, a recently finished larger painting and some drawing exercises that I’ve been doing lately, but I’m too tired to do all that tonight so will finish this tomorrow. I do feel very guilty that my blog is so neglected and admire those who post frequently and interestingly while I just ramble.
Off to Berlin next week so the blog will be even more neglected – oh well! I hope to come back with some sketches though. At the moment I’m keen to practise my drawing and really want to take the painting in a new direction – it’s not quite what I want it to be yet, if that makes sense. I wish I had the skills to paint what I can see in my head.
Here are the pictures:
Staffin beach first …
Staffin beach
a watery view
recently completed oil on canvas, A2
pencil still life, A1
My paintings are refusing to dry. I think it’s the damp weather we’ve been having lately. Something about the atmosphere depresses the oil paint and it refuses to solidify. In hot weather my pictures are ready to go on the scanner in a matter of days, but now the weeks crawl by and the paint sits mournfully on the canvases, looking wet and indecisive.
After showing such sunny promise last month, it seems we are settling into a typical British summer after all – urgh.
The view from the window is beautiful but rather unseasonal.
Summer hiding
The new canvas duly arrived (and the paint) and I’ve found a new favourite painting spot where I’ve been toiling away this week. Some of the resulting pictures are quite interesting so I’ll add them to this post as soon as they’re dry enough to scan. My painting seems to be going through another transition which is always disconcerting but exciting.
This canvas roll is very different from the last one I ordered – it feels slightly thinner and has a rougher texture which I wasn’t sure about to begin with, but now I’m starting to prefer it as it’s easier to ‘draw’ vigorously with the brush when the surface isn’t so slippy – and an initial sketch of the composition tends to sink into the surface a bit better rather than sitting smugly on top to annoyingly mix with subsequent layers of paint. Ahem … all getting a bit technical there!
I wanted to take a photo of my new painting location as it’s almost magically hidden (I can just about get straight to it now after wandering around to find it the first few times) and seems to be a bedroom/lounge for sheep judging by the flattened ground, bits of wool and other ‘evidence’ (some of which I’ll not describe!). There’s a useful rock to sit on and several tremendous views. My husband needed the camera last time I was there but this time hopefully I’ll manage to grab it and record the place for posterity. (I think next week it may be time to move on to another place.)
Hidden in a sea of bracken
Painting place, with rocky seat.
Clouds gathering - time to go?
I’ve been away on the Isle of Skye, so haven’t been able to update the blog for a wee while.
Here’s an incredible sea cliff I sat and painted (rather misty looking) …
Loch Pooltiel
And a relaxing evening view from the rocks.
Glendale beach
We went away to Buckden for the weekend. It’s much deeper inside the Dales than here – felt a bit folded away in something ancient and lonely. The snow was really lingering there as well, although for some reason I felt too hot …
Wharfedale in snow
really quite tropical!
the waterfall experience
The weeks are whizzing by … I just returned from a lovely meal in a 17th century inn where we sat in front of a cosy woodburning stove and talked about life, as you do, and now here I am having my coffee at home, posting pictures in my etsy shop and reviewing my blog.
The comments are now a bit more ‘available’ if anyone is out there! You don’t have to be a member of Wordpress to post something as I’ve changed the settings.
Went out to draw an amazing view in a very high up place but the wind was so cold my fingers were in agony within seconds – hardly time even to sketch in the bare bones of the composition. Sheep all around looking at me as if I’m mad (!) Still, I’ll go back because it’s such a huge view and I have in mind a big canvas for it. This is a picture looking across to the ridge I was standing on – I was just below the highest point (pointy bit on the far right) but looking over the other side where the view is even more incredible. (Sorry you’ll have to imagine it for now … ) Photo joiner courtesy of my talented husband!
looking across Crosedale to Arant Haw
solitary cloud over Settlebeck Gill
view from the top of Winder
Christmas brought amazing weather!
Not much chance to paint over the hectic festive week but I have started a painting on wood for my sister – a very late wedding present. Will post a picture of it tomorrow …
One present was a very inspiring Winifred Nicholson book full of work she created on Scottish islands. Now I want to paint myself a large sea picture to gaze into when I feel homesick for the sea (seasick?) as here we only get a distant glimpse of it from the very top of the hill. Can’t decide whether to wait until I go to Skye or to do one from my many sketches, photos and memories.