This painting was begun in harsh wind and cold when I was still limited to the boat. I lashed the painting to the stern and weighted the easel down to combat the wind. The painting transformed completely when I finally get to revisit it over a week later. No wind and glorious sunshine made the process easier and more enjoyable. I couldn't get the boat to the same spot though; so I had to readjust the painting to a new vantage point. I really enjoyed this adjustment and the movement within the piece's history.
A view from the back of the boat chosen because it was a stunning view of the famous mixed arches and bridges of Castlefield and also because the wispy snow and bitterly cold and strong wind meant I was not straying too far from the warmth of the wood burner. The wind meant the water was not as still as previous reflection studies I have attempted in this project, and it is this distortion of the reflection by the undulating water surface that is the main subject of the piece.
This photograph was taken by the superb Page Seven Photography. Image use can be arranged by emailing contact@pagesevenphotography.co.uk
The breach on the Trent and Mersey by Middlewich meant our return to Manchester was via the Macclesfield, Peak Forest and Ashton canals.
After a winter of animations and harsh weather I was eager to get the paints flying again in Manchester, and on the home stretch into Castlefield, I was already spying possible subject matter and left the boat dropping in a lock to run up these stairs to check the view from this metro station.
The shear drop down to the bar terraces and the canal even further below, in contrast to straining your neck to catch the full height of the Beetham Tower was an interesting spacial challenge. I also wanted to depict the dog-legging staircase up to where I was standing as a device to describe the different levels and the banister railings to help reiterate the vertical. It got to the interesting stage where I was having to look through myself to describe the platform.
I am delighted to have had the support of the Canal and River Trust throughout this project. A percentage of all proceeds from the Year of the Boat exhibitions (see exhibitions page) and the supporting merchandise shall be donated to the trust.
When I was asked to paint the portrait of former IWA Chairman Clive Henderson as a thank you from the Trust for playing an instrumental role in its establishment, I jumped at the opportunity.
I have spent a few days with Clive sat on the lock gate outside his house producing the oil-painted portrait. The painting shall be presented to him by Canal and River Trust at the launch of the Birmingham Year of the Boat Exhibition, and as I don't want to spoil the surprise you only get to see the pencil sketch at this stage!
The unusual tan colour of the Trent and Mersey at this point is heightened by the pure white of the fresh snow which is enough to make even the regal resident swans look dirty against this backdrop. The 'tan' of the canal is caused by it passing through a geological area of iron ore which I am guessing occurs somewhere in the Harecastle tunnel as it flows in a murky green and comes out almost a golden brown. There is a strange point with the Macclesfield Canal aqueduct over the Trent and Mersey just after the tunnel where you have a green canal flowing over a tan brown.
I have had a few snow painting experiences in the past, some have been white outs where the snow landing thickly on the palette has meant I've given up, but although it was snowing whilst producing this piece it was thin enough not to obstruct the process.
Snow and canal boats! Not too many outdoor paintings over the winter you may have noticed, we have been producing animations to help fund the Year of the Boat, but I assure you we didn't shy away from fully experiencing the freeze from the boat.
The Birthplace of Charles Darwin - 'The Mount', Shrewsbury 2013
I was asked to return to Shrewsbury to produce a body of work retracing the steps of Charles Darwin and his connection with the town in time for the Darwin Day celebrations and exhibition at Millard and Lancaster, starting 12th February 2013.
Darwin's Birthplace is in Shrewsbury in a Georgian property called 'The Mount' which you can reach heading out of town over the Welsh bridge.
Now the building houses the District Valuer and Valuation Office for Shrewsbury. This meant, as can be expected for a functioning office, there was plenty of cars in front of building throughout the midweek whilst I was there painting somewhat killing the nostalgia and appeal of the image. Fortunately I was able to return to finish at the weekend and the low winter sun was casting harsh long shadows across the drive and providing some necessary foreground interest.
I guess I couldn't have expected anything other for late January, but the weather was proving challenging, mainly wind and rain, and so an indoor option was required, which led to the discovery of the spectacular interior of St Mary's. 'Spectacular' mainly for its collection of stained glass, it is said that "no other church in the country has a collection to equal it". The main treasure being the Jesse Window, the main subject of my painting.
The Jesse Window, St Mary's, Shrewsbury 2013
A church interior is not an obvious choice to link to Charles Darwin - whose seems to be the figurehead of scientific discovery ahead of religion, but the building does hold some interesting connections. As part of his education at the nearby Shrewsbury School, Charles Darwin would have been taught in the Trinity School section of this church seen just through the arches on the right of my painting. Also when the top of the spire of St Mary's collapsed in 1894 (the third highest spire in England) a local vicar suggested that the collapse was divine retribution for the
decision to erect a statue to Charles Darwin in the town!
Mountford's Charles Darwin Sculpture sat in front of the former Shrewsbury School (painting incomplete when photographed)
The statue the vicar was describing was my next and probably the most obvious subject for the trip, the image of Charles Darwin sat in front of the Shrewsbury boarding school where he was taught, now the Library for the town.
Drizzle and wind made this piece difficult but I am pleased with the image, the drama of looking past his head to the clock tower and the two balancing passages to the left and up the stairs to the castle on the right.
My last painting of the week was a quick study of the church where Darwin was christened - St Chad's in Shrewsbury, again strong winds were playing there part and there was a point where it left the easel and I was chasing it around The Quarry.
Despite this I am pleased with the direction of this piece. Extremely loose and iconic with some bold colour use. The composition is quite interesting, a photographic approach with harsh cropping and a dramatic vantage of the balustrade.
All of the paintings are now on display at Millard and Lancaster, they were complete in time for The Darwin Day celebrations and were featured in a wonderful piece by the Shropshire Star that took comparative photographs of each of the locations ...
Before this body of work I have encountered Charles Darwin once before in my painting career when painting a triptych for The Upper House Hotel in Barlaston, the connection to Darwin is explained in my rather lengthy explanation video ...
A private commission produced this winter as a surprise 50th birthday present for the owner of this wonderful property near Newport, Shropshire. He had previously seen and expressed interest in the Weston Park interior paintings, so his wife knew it would be something of interest.
I wanted a composition that would combine a view out to the garden, in particular capturing the height of the tall tree, with an unusual depiction of the lounge. The enormous windows flood this room with natural light and give an enjoyable comparison to the artificial wall lights and chandelier which is sending out shafts of colour across the white ceiling.
I enjoyed depicting the mass of the material of the large curtains in the foreground, trying to really reflect their weight. This reminded me of one of Lucian Freud's earlier paintings which is primarily a study of gravity with a dense coat hanging alongside a gravity defying plant delicately meandering upwards.
The painting was presented on the birthday with the room still empty on the understanding I could return to paint in family figures if required.
After some deliberation this was agreed and I painted in three of the family's children. We were all keen to keep the depiction of the family informal and almost incidental. I am pleased with the results.
Altogether this piece was 6 days work spread over a few weeks.
