Etton Church.

Plein air oil on canvas 12 x 10 inch

Well, after doing some sketches of local churches using pen and ink and pencil, I was anxious to do some plein air painting. The days are starting to get longer. Spring flowers are coming alive. Just by chance I spotted this delightful view of Etton Church, sitting below me. The church is a little awkward to draw or paint  as its situation is quite enclosed. I have done a pen and ink sketch which I will upload later. The access to this sight is just off a minor road from Leconfield to Cherry Burton. On the road, at a  high point, there is a copse, gnarled, old weathered trees which stand tall looking over the landscape.

Behind me, to the south, Cherry Burton can be seen over a field of dark brown, deep freshly ploughed furrows, the Cherry Burton church of St. Michael's featuring prominently in the distance. The heavy, wavy, wetted furrows reflected rows of sunlight making one squint.

To the north we have Etton.  Alongside the copse, a track led to a kissing gate and footpath sign. An adjoining field was full of sheep which came very close to the path, feeding from a clamp of fodder. I set up the pochade box and began to paint. After outlining the scene in soft pencil, I started adding the interesting sky. Then I added the grass, the copse threw shadows over the foreground grass which conveniently gave me some foreground interest. The sun was out, however I was in the shade of the copse and it was very cold. When I stopped, I walked through the copse and back to my car. A delightful little trail took me past snowdrops, fully in flower, embryonic daffodils and the dark waxy green spears of leaves indicating that bluebells were to follow shortly.
Happy painting.