Painting tribulations at Warter... being asked to move!

 

5th October 2020.

Deciding to investigate a new path, I arrived at Loaningdale early afternoon to explore. The path was initially uninspiring, it tracked a hawthorn edge with no particular merit except seeing the occasional elderberry bush. Their leaves are turning yellow and soft pink as the season progresses, also clusters of squid black pearls, ironically, shining like polished lead shot in the weak sun. The trimmed hawthorn hedge, has few berries, most likely due to frequent hedge cutting. The older, inner, berry branches, having escaped being flayed, hang on to, and hide their precious jewels deep inside the hedge. I progress, turning a corner and get a glimpse of a gentle slope, the upper part of Great Dug Dale. The path continues along the ridge, the valley below gets steeper, deeper and though it is fenced off from the path, it is clearly visible. Mature hawthorn trees stand spread out on the Dale side of the fence and are full of berries. The path is broad and grassy, a delight to walk on. The mixed crops of cover plants, to my right, in particular, sweetcorn, provide protection for the many pheasants disturbed by seeing me walking towards them. They explode into the air, flapping frenetically before sailing down the hillsides, and as I look down at them, their pale brown wings are lit by shafts of sunlight. Others prefer not to fly, and running instead into the dense cover. Whatever they decide, it is accompanied by loud calls reminiscent of grating metal. All along the path are numerous feeding stations which include vital fresh water. Ahead, six kite are gliding slowly in a dazzling sky silhouetted, dark air riders, looking down for food. Buzzards also appear on broader wings. The valley twists and turns delightfully making it a definite subject to paint sometime. On the sloping sides, the grass is pale in contrast to the flat valley floor which seems artificially bright green. Across the top end of the Dale I saw an unusual sight, on the pale hillside, a huge rock projected into the air. It reminded me of a preaching stone, perhaps if I listened I might hear a sermon.... George Fox maybe? Having established what I needed to find out, I headed back to the car and drove to Warter, parking on the Roman road just north of the village. On the way, driving down a steep road and passing Bailey Dale on my right, I saw dozens of pheasants on the road. I slowed to a stop and wished them well. I have found them to be particularly vulnerable as they seem to lack any sense that a road is dangerous. Maybe this is part of the answer for the healthy kite population.  I quickly parked on a grass verge and stepped over a low wire fence into a stubble field, strangely empty of game birds. From here I could see the church with its spire and, in the background Great Dug Dale, where I had just walked, was just visible, upper left. Also, the smaller Bailey Dale was visible slightly to the right of the spire. I quickly outlined the view with a long handled brush. I felt a little uncomfortable having stepped into the field, and sure enough, I was soon approached by an Warter Priory Estate employee and asked to move. So, I moved about ten feet to the other side of the hedge and continued. Tractors were very busy hauling wagons full of boxed potatoes. The drivers cheerfully waving as they passed. I suspect quite a few of them have seen me painting previously and in spite of my relocation, I felt welcome. The grass verge was very uneven, also steep, which makes painting rather challenging, but nevertheless I carried on. I did not expect to do a painting as the weather forecast suggested occasional light showers, so it all worked out well. The Warter Priory Estate is one of the pre-eminent shoots in the country attracting people from all over the world. It is not commonly acknowledged or known, that it also raises significant funds for charity, by having clay pigeon shoots. It provides welcome employment for a lot of people, indeed, as I have often witnessed, their pheasant and partridge husbandry is second to none. So, unlike the nearby Halifax estate, I was not surprised to be asked to move...very politely....Continuing to paint I could'nt help wondering how my friend David Hockney would have been accommodated.

24 x 18 inch, oil on canvas, POA, email me here for details.