Field work

Scientists have to do field work from time to time, and so do artists apparently on their lunch breaks. This pleather chair was in the field where I have made paintings many times before, including a chair in a field of yellow buttercups, two chairs in autumn, and many more. The locals bring chairs out here to sit and talk or even eat, there was a whole table here once. There were some people here hanging out before I painted the scene, I waited for them to leave while painting the other scenes. The brown on the chair was done with raw umber (PBr7), a bit of burnt sienna (PR101), carbon black (PBk6), and dilute indo blue (PB60) for the highlights, and some yellow to show the reflecting light from the grass. 

Pleather chair with daisies, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025

 

They just planted several rows of trees on part of the field near the community garden, the white tags were still on them, blowing in the breeze. It was a nice turn of events, that someone had the wherewithal to plant some trees in a field of grass. New subject matter, and a continued chronicling of  this small clearing at the end of Harley street. Its the same place I painted the toilette and dog poo awhile back!

 

New trees field, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025 

Large concrete blocks were strewn about along the sidewalk, so the locals installed gardens around them and planted a wide variety of flowers and ornamental plants. You can see how the concrete blocks are barely visible behind the colourful foliage. I used a variety of brush strokes in the foreground, and a blurry-wash in the background to complement the scene. Whenever I paint ground flowers like this I think of Van Gogh, he painted many scenes of irises, clumps of grass, and other things he saw on the ground. 

Community flowers, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025