Oil on board, 9 x 12 inches
This little painting was painted on site in March, on a beautiful early Spring day. I was so warm lugging the painting gear around, looking for a good vantage point, that having found the view I wanted on a rocky outcrop by an old sheepfold, I pulled my wellies off and painted barefoot (risque - get me !)
The light changed quickly and by the time I finished two hours later, the sun had cleared off and it was pointless carrying on. So, with the aid of a couple of reference photos I took after an hour into the painting, and the memory of the original light, I finished it off in the studio. Eagle Crag itself was sunlit on one side, as were the foreground meadows, walls and bare trees, but the mountain in the middle-distance was thrown into dark relief in blues and purples. I hope I've done it justice.
During the painting on site, the herd of Herdwicks were gathered up by the Stonethwaite farmer's sheepdog, running the full length of the meadow, right down to the far walls by the conifers - it was a joy to watch !
Beautiful
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