Beech House

Lovely painted mirror image of the building etc, the only thing if you don't mind me pointing it out , (I'm no expert so please feel free to ignore me) the pathway seeems to dip quite steeply out of the painting if you see what I mean. Wouldn't like Lady to injure herself !! Is she a blue merle collie by any chance?

I think I can see what you mean Val - However the bridge access rampway retaining wall on the extreme bottom right of the painting is actually a steeply sloping one going UP from the canal path to the cross canal bridge from which I took my viewpoint - ie the viewpoint is actually about 10 feet off the ground looking straight down above a curved steeply sloping retaining wall for the access ramp to the canal bridge - the canal path itself , as with all canal paths is absolutely flat. I can't quite interpret the scene as your eye does - probably because my minds eye obviously sees the original scene in its wider context. I wonder if others interpret there as being a strange downward slope in the canal path (If there is my poor dog will drown !) (I don't know precisely what type of collie Lady is - she's a dog rescue centre waif of uncertain origins in her third week with us). An interesting example of the consequence for an artist of putting in exactly what is actually to be seen at a particular viewpoint - when this can sometimes mislead the eye of the viewer with no background knowledge of the scene. In hindsight I could have edited that bit of wall out entirely - it has no real compositional reason - it's just there in the actual scene as viewed from the overhead canal bridge.

Thanks John for your explanation, I think it is that wall on the right that has deceived my eyes a little. A blue merle collie has a lot of bluey-grey in the coat as opposed to the normal black and white or black white and tan, beautiful dogs, my favourite. We have a short coated one at the moment, she is a rescued dog as well. The way you have painted Lady made me think she was one.

Sorry meant to say I've just had a wander around your gallery and can't believe I've not commented before. Lovely paintings.

Wood is a lovely surface to paint on in oils - I sometimes paint on my old cigar boxes (and just ignore those who hiss "filthy habit"! Believe me, I've had filthier...). This is a painting of historical and sociological interest, as well as being an extremely attractive work of art. Congratulations.

What a beautiful scene John, love those tree's and the detail that you get into the leaves on them, lovely rendition of the water and reflections, the people and occasional pets you get into your paintings really add interest and life to them, as Robert said great sociological and historical interest with the depiction of the Beech House, your brightness of colour and tone mean your paintings are unmistakably by you, the amount of detail in the paintings must take you quite a long time to do as well.

Glad you like it Ros. I walk my dog past that spot every day. It is indeed me, my wife, and my dog in the painting ! . It's not often the canal is such a mirror at that spot - it's usually a sludgy browny/greeny colour - the sun must have been at a perfect angle the day I took the photo on which the painting is based. The painting is currently on long term loan/display in a local restaurant, along with a few others.The restauranteur actually lives in part of Beech House - so hopefully eventually if a diner doesn't buy the painting, she will ! It's unusual for me in that its painted on a (German-made) wooden panel, which is a wonderful painting surface, but far too expensive for me to use every time.