Mittenwald

Mittenwald was one of the many inspiring scenes I witnessed on my travels through Bavaria. We drove through this area in my old Morris Traveller which excited much interest every time we stopped to park. I don't think the Germans had ever seen such scruffy paintwork and with its old wooden frame with moss growing out of it in places I guess it was a curious sight! But it was a reliable solid car which carried us thousands of miles throughout Europe. In Mittenwald we stayed with one of our oldest German friends and enjoyed walking through the lovely mountain scenery. I painted this scene mid morning, near a stream and as I focused on ethereal beauty of the mist which always appeared to be hanging over the lower slopes of the mountains, lizards darted about and occasionally across my feet!

Mountain Bathed in Mist 1974 Gouache 11" x 16" - sold

Humpback Bridge Over the Surrey Canal

Every so often I like to comment on a painting and explain something of the background and history. The painting I have chosen today is 'Humpback Bridge Over the Surrey Canal', a sepia ink watercolour, painted in 1955.

The Surrey Canal stretched all the way from the Thames through Peckham and into Camberwell, sadly it has been largely eradicated by development.  My view shows a busy scene with goods coming and going by the canalside. On the left is a conversation between a loophole man and a drayman. My grandfather worked in the 1940's and 50's on wharves similar to this, though this particular scene is part memory and part imagination. In this period horse and carts were more used than vans. The generous amounts of horse dung were collected by keen gardeners in a post war era where very little went to waste. In the background 2 cranes are ready to move cargo from the small craft to and from the wharves.

Giclée prints are available at £15, A4 size plus postage and £25, A3 size plus postage.