St. Andrew’s Church Chedworth

At last a sunny day that is warm enough to lure me out into the open air with my paints! I don’t mind a bit of outdoor sketching with a pencil when it’s freezing cold in the winter, but sitting on a painting stool for a couple of hours trying to abstract my mind is almost impossible when hypothermia starts to set in.

I wandered lonely as a cloud, floating on high o’er vales and hills, but then stopped the car at Chedworth as the Church in the morning sunlight caught my eye. The Cotswolds are rather brown and grey at the beginning of March, even when it’s sunny, but the churchyard with its grass, and yew trees looked warm and inviting, so I decided to look no further, and set up camp with my paintbox.

It’s quite a complicated architectural subject, but the advantage of painting on the spot is there is no time to fuss with unnecessary detail. In the studio I would have made far more of it, but I rather like it as it is! ...............Summer is on the way.

Summer's Morning in Northleach

Monday April 19th....

Summer's morning at Northleach - a watercolour painting by Chris Fothergill This is surely the finest view in Northleach, showing the southern aspect of the Church which its magnificent porch and windows. The setting from the top of the ‘Vicar’s Field’ with sheep grazing in the morning light add to the composition.

I have of course painted this view many times over the last 20 years, but this time we have the cool light of a Cotswold early summer’s morning.

The sky is making no promises for the day, so we enjoy the moment. I think I may make some limited edition prints of this painting. Watch this space for more news!