Sunday 20 January 2013

I've Been Asked To Leave Better Woods Than These..

It's always a pleasure to meet the landed gentry. Not so much cantankerous old wannabes. I went for a walk yesterday in Huby Woods. After a while I strayed off the public footpath onto a non-public footpath (it had no signs, gates or fences), where I was approached by a COC(K) (Cantankerous Old Curmudgeon), who informed me that I shouldn't be there, and that he wouldn't come on my garden. I apologised and told him that I would leave, adding that I wasn't aware that it was private. "Well it is. We're trying to hunt. I don't go on your garden". "I have apologised and I'm leaving, so you don't need to labour the point" I told him. "Well you shouldn't be here, it's private". "Again, sorry" I said, "but there are no signs".  "Well, you should use some common sense. I bet there are no private signs on your garden are there?". "It's not quite the same is it? And I'm not Psychic". "You should be!" He said. "Are you?" I asked. "Yes" he said. " I thought you would be. You're also rude" I said, and left.
I think I was very restrained.
Anyway, it was worth the hassle. The walk gave me an idea for a painting, which I have spent the rest of the weekend working on.






Sunday 13 January 2013

First Painting of the New Year

...first since early December actually. What with a chest infection, manflu and a busy Christmas, I haven't been able to paint.
This painting is set on Parliament street in York. 
I used this opportunity to try out my new brushes, which Father Christmas brought for me. They are Egberts, which is like a filbert, but with longer bristles. They are going to take a little getting used to, and I suspect they will be better for portrait work, so I might try some of that in the next few months.
Parliament Street was built in 1834 and it leads from St Sampson's Square to Piccadilly.
Hmmm. One of York's newer streets then.






'B4 It Rains Again. Parliament Street, York'
Oil on Canvas.