Up North

I've spent a few days this week in north Dorset, painting landscapes around Hamoon and Hambledon Hill.

The two photographs above show my makeshift easel (a Volvo V70) and setup, with a partially completed painting.

The photograph below is another painting which I finished on Wednesday. This was painted at one side of the river Stour, looking across to the other bank and towards Hambledown Hill - an area that I know very well.

Goodbye

My father, Richard Barber, died earlier this month after a long battle with mesothelioma.

He loved art (and artists!) and his encouragement and honest critiques of my work have been very important to me over the years. My painting trips to Tresco always ended with my seeking his opinion on the work I had produced.

The painting of Blockhouse Point above was from my most recent trip to the island - in October last year. He was buried on Friday in the graveyard of St Nicolas's Church, half a mile or so from where I sat to paint this view.

I will miss him very much.