Wrest Park

This is a side view of the Archer Pavilion at Wrest Park (an English Heritage property). Because of its name I wrongly assumed it had something to do with archery, but it is in fact the name of Thomas Archer, the architect that built it.

Out of sight to the right is a long lake that leads up to this pavilion and reflects its image in the water. The whole layout is very reminiscent of Versailles. 

The architecture is quite complex and needed some simplification in order not to get bogged down too much in the detail. The overall effect I wanted to achieve was to show the contrast of the shadowed and light side of the building.

I added some finials on the left roof line that are not actually there in real life, but I thought it improved the design of the building.

Pheasant

 

I was quite surprised to see so many pheasants at Wrest Park and have never had the chance to see them so close before. Their plumage really is astoundingly patterned and colourful, which was a pleasure to paint.

I painted the belly of the bird wet-into-wet (dropping paint into wet paint) and the back wet-against-wet (placing patches of paint next to each other, while still wet).

Cows in a meadow

 

In art, we look for variation and repetition, and the way these cows arranged themselves is a good example of this. 

It's also a nice memory of a visit to Wimpole Hall and it is now easier to visit National Trust properties, as one doesn't have to book any longer. 

Fritillaria meleagris

 

I found these striking flowers in Anglesey Abbey near the lode mill. I just loved their regular geometric pattern, which looks a bit like a chessboard or stone flags so it makes sense that one of their common names is 'chequered daffodil' or 'chequered lily'. 

I painted this flower on a small postcard size watercolour pad that my son gave me for my birthday; it's just the right size for a small study.

Spring Display

These tulips from my garden have brought a bright note into my house, so they deserve being remembered in a painting. I grouped them with other objects of similar colours to create a harmonious composition.

I just love the Chinese vase and have painted it before. My husband brought it home from a business trip a few years back, and he also made the little Easter arrangement of chicks and bunnies in the bowl.

Coot on ice

 

This is from a trip back in February during a cold snap. The local pond had frozen over in parts and there were several coots sitting on the ice, not looking particularly bothered by the cold or the ice. 

The challenge was to paint the reflections and giving an impression of the ice without too much extra information. Wet-in-wet and wet-on-dry painting achieved the different textures.

By the River

Lockdown has given me a deeper appreciation of wildlife close to home. While we could not meet family and friends, there has always been nature to engage with. Over the last year, I had the chance to follow the life cycle of coots and observe the changing bird population on the river and lakes and this has given me a sense of normality that has been missing in everyday life. 

Two weeks ago, I happened to come across a heron by the river and managed to take photos for reference. I hadn't noticed before the striking pattern of its plumage, and it seems both male and female herons look similar.

I first made a little study, before developing it into a painting.

heron study in watercolour

heron and duck on river, watercolour