Following on from my previous art post (Quantock Paintings – Part 1), here are a few more of the paintings that I did during, or shortly after returning home from, our short break in Crowcombe, at the foot of the Quantock Hills in Somerset, last June.
First, here are a couple of pictures depicting views from walks that we did. Both are in my ‘normal’ style, a simple ink pen sketch with the watercolours added on top. I think that I have a tendency to try to put a lot of detail into my drawings (at least until I get bored and start scribbling in trees and foliage), but I am conscious that with painting it is often a case of ‘less is more’. In these two pictures I think that I managed to hold myself in check and kept the drawings fairly simple and ‘loose’. The pictures show Crowcombe Church and a view of the coastline at East Quantoxhead…
Next, I’ve included the results of an attempt to play with a slightly different approach, eschewing entirely the use of an ink pen to create a base sketch, and instead, going straight for the watercolour paints. I think that in many people’s minds, traditional (true?) watercolour paintings use only paints, generally placing these on a much wetter surface than I use, but I’ve not had any artistic training whatsoever so that’s not how my work has evolved. This picture shows a view from another of the walks that we did, looking west towards Minehead across hedge-lined fields with a riot of wildflowers in the foreground…
The vast majority of my paintings are of landscapes in one form or another. This is partly because I like landscapes, but also partly because whilst I might be able to make a decent fist of painting trees, fields, hills and buildings etc., I’m pretty much hopeless at drawing and painting people and animals. So, the picture below is a little unusual because it features me, standing at a gate looking east from the main ridge of the Quantock Hills. I like this picture because it is a bit quirky, with some nice ‘busy’ trees, but I don’t think it does anything to improve my reputation as a painter of people!
Finally, it’s become a tradition now that I paint a picture showing whatever accommodation we have stayed in when we are away, which we then leave behind as a thank you to the owner of the accommodation. In this case, we were staying in a delightful little Shepherd’s Hut, with a sunset view towards Exmoor. Now, for me to describe a Shepherd’s Hut as ‘delightful’ is something of a miracle, but although the picture doesn’t capture the view, I think it does capture something of the charm of the place.
I’ve written this post almost exactly one year on from our stay in Crowcombe, and it’s been nice to look back on these pictures and be reminded of a really pleasant few days in a quiet and beautiful part of the world.
Tim O'Hare 