Saturday 15 November 2008

'Escape' -Oil on canvas (16'x20')


Well now, how did that happen? I seem to have painted another boat scene, minus moorings again, too. Got a bit more to add , smooth away and tidy up but it's nearly there. Hmm, note to self- better paint the edges! This is of a stretch of the river running through Bradford on Avon further down from the ubiquitous view most people go for, and indeed my next subject matter, in a 'I'm-not-jumping-on-the-local-artist-does-the-main-bridge-band-wagon-but-yes-i-am-if-I'm-being-honest'.....(breathe)..... way. This part shown is just as the river leaves town and heads out to country. Alongside runs a lovely pathway which takes you for miles past narrow boats, wildlife and mature treelines. I have never met an unhappy person on this walk- although some of the runners struggle to smile.
These canoes are always tied up here, quite some way out from people easily getting to them. A few have been "lost" in the past, hence big chains and only water access now. For my husband's 40th we hired a couple, us in one and our then teenagers in the other. The boys spent the whole outing screaming with pain from poor steering and riverside brambles as thick as your arm. By the time they got out they looked like extras for a Sam Peckinpah movie. We thought it best to swap partners over, and in the melee I was left dangling midair from an old rusty railing. No one would help, because they couldn't move for laughter. Did I mention this was in February, too?
I'll stick to painting them from now on

2 comments:

~Babs said...

Love the view from your side of the bandwagon.Which of course will be unique, and far above the work of any other, I'm sure.
I so enjoy getting to see your world in your work,,a beautiful one it is.
Your use of oils is so right on,,,,love how in the trees it's all so soft, no hard edges. Feels like pastel sometimes does.

Serena said...

This town and area is lovely, and luckily for me, inspirational. There's lots of nooks and crannies to explore so you are never stuck for something to paint! And thank you for the lovely comments- being so diverse in many work areas can be quite difficult to show consistency. More and more though I seem to use the wet in wet technique for a softer, more nostalgic feel... fingers crossed, I may be in danger of developing a style! :o)