Artist Code: 2103. Gingerly Crossing the River Nar (near Castle Acre Priory, Norfolk – Fox & Muntjacs). Completed 14th June 2021 – Water colour 12″ x 16″ Aquarelle Arches 140lb paper
Painted specially for an exhibition at Castle Acre Church, Norfolk, end of July 2021. There is a lovely walk around this area comprising the beautiful Chalk stream, the River Nar, the substantial ruins of Castle Priory, and undulating farmland and quiet countryside tracks. This scene is looking towards the old wall which once totally surrounded the Priory, with a footbridge and ford. I added a “tentative” “ginger[ly]” fox and two courting muntjacs, just for fun (animal photographs courtesy of Simon Stirrup).
My husband and I went on a trip in our caravan, parking up at Lavender Lodge, Weasenham, a few miles from Castle Acre, for the duration of the exhibition. We had a wonderful few days away exploring the area, and even played golf at Swaffham Golf Club.
The painterliness of this work is unusual. The water colour palette in the painting is slightly subdued, and I am not sure how this happened! I now need to explore if water colour paints “go off”! I always use professional artists water colours by established companies, but this time something was definitely awry. But I still like the subject of the painting itself—it being a real situated scene, but of course with artistic license (and strange colours).
