Dighton and the Landgirl 1942

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Comments

Well done you for trying hedge laying and this is a great linoprint too

Thank you Heather! I’ll be investing in some decent PPE next time 😜

Very good linoprint John, and well done for trying the hedge cutting, it never looks easy.

Much obliged Andrew! Despite three injuries that could have been out of a Tarantino movie I thoroughly enjoyed the Hedgelaying 😎

A super Lino cut John, crisp with lovely textural marks. I did quite a bit of hedge laying in the 70’s/80’s, I loved it, very sculptural and always turned out different. I still have my billhook, reduced to chopping sticks and splitting wood for the fire now. Hope you try it again, it can be addictive.

Hello Fiona! Glad you like it and great to hear you’re a Hedgelaying addict too!! I hope you weren’t as accident prone as me 😎

This is superb , having spent many happy hours hedgelaying I can understand your passion. It’s not a easy job as you know and I have the scars to prove it, despite it being being my favourite job .

Thank you Dixie! Hedgelaying is blissful and it looks fantastic when done properly! I’ll be doing some more in about a weeks time near Arundel 😎

Never been a hedge layer but really like this linocut, the contours on the dress and the way you have treated the hedge.

Many thanks for those kind words William 🙏🏼

Hedgelaying is a dying artwork , you have captured it very well.

Thanks Stephen- I’m glad to play a small part in keeping the skill alive 🤞🏼🙏🏼

My sincerest thanks Spencer 🙏🏼

A cracking linoprint John

I’m much obliged Martin 🙏🏼

Missed this one, love it !!

Much obliged Valerie 🙏🏼😎

I love this - your print and linoprinting, which I very occasionally have a go at!!

Thank you Bobbie! I know what you mean- linoprinting is an itch I love to scratch once in a while! Although if I was ever lucky enough to have a press I’d do a lot more 😜😎

A wonderful lino print John.

Hang on Studio Wall
01/11/2024
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Something I really enjoy is traditional Hedgelaying, it’s an ancient skill and looks beautiful. This is a linoprint of a still image in the 1942 British film of Dighton- a legendary Northamptonshire Hedgelayer being assisted by an un-named wartime ‘landgirl’. I had a go at Hedgelaying about a month ago and managed to enter into their accident book three times in one day but it hasn’t put me off, in fact I’m very keen to go again. Linoprint isn’t normally my thing but sometimes the urge takes me 😎

About the Artist
John O’Neill

Born in Belfast in 1966 and a lifelong painter. A resident of Stavanger Norway between 2018 and 2021 with a UK base near Reading England and in Aberdeen, Scotland. Most recent work is Scottish landscape, urban scenes and contemporary Norwegian landscape, often working in oils or gouache, line &…

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