Winfrith Heath

On Sunday I finished the painting of Winfrith Heath. The photograph above was taken indoors on an overcast day, and doesn't really do it justice. I will have it photographed properly soon, and get it up on my website.

The light on the heath is particularly spectacular, with some beautiful contrasting golden hues against the shimmery blues of the distance. One great thing about painting on the heath in winter is that the lack of foliage on the trees, and the fact that the long grass has died back, gives you longer, more panoramic views. Vistas that are obscured by heavy growth during the summer and autumn become visible. This is particularly noticeable when you sit on the ground, as I do.

Today, instead of having the whole of the day to paint, I found that I had blown that opportunity by leaving the boot of the car open overnight on my return from yesterday's painting trip. This morning the battery was flat. Then I had to wait for the AA.

Interestingly, having only an hour or so to spend on the heath today focussed me with a feeling of urgent determination. The lower picture shows the start I made on the painting during this short time. I'm pretty pleased with it - although it obviously has a long way to go. I'm very inspired by the view, and can't wait to get out there again. I love the feeling of being 'brought alive' by a view.