"Artist at Work": garden visits

Mar 18
4 min read

Updated: Mar 21

Painting gardens has gradually become central to my art, as I've changed the focus of my art to work locally and on location. I always look forward to the weather being warm enough to paint outside.

I'm planning ahead this year, to let people know where I'll be painting. So I'm looking out for venues to paint, which could be at Open Garden Days or events.

I don't have any set ways of working, and I would be happy to discuss ideas. But here is a summary of what I generally do...

Sketches and Detail

When I first start at a new location, I often start with sketches and experiments, playing with colour, texture and pattern. Initially I often focus on small areas and details of plants.

This helps me to get going with ideas and inspiration, whilst I am looking around me and building a mental map of the venue.

As I get to know a garden, I look for the features of interest that stand out. Sometimes these are seasonal details - and every season has its interest for me.

This coloured ink sketch of the garden at Prospect Hospice shows the allium star-like seedheads hidden amongst flowers emerging later in the spring.

Oils on Location

Oil painting on location takes more planning - especially getting the painting home safely!

I set up with an easel and can work in quite a small space. I work quite fast, beginning with techniques that look like watercolour. Thin layers of colour gradually become more pronounced as I plan out the painting. When there is so much colour in a garden, oils is a beautiful way to capture it.

Celebrating Colour

There is so much colour in a garden. These daffodils in a corner of Avebury Manor National Trust set in front of the stone wall gave early season colour that became a focal point in this painting. Grape Hyacinth and the beginnings of apple blossom are markers that place it in early Spring.

Against neutral colours, painting flowers gives touches of colour that can really pop. For the background I didn't use grey but I kept it muted and vague.

To create a backdrop I always enjoy the challenge of mixing greens. Our eyes can perceive so many subtle variations. Adding tiny touches of other colours gives subtle nuances of colour. Adding orange to achieve an olive green makes it alive and glowing.

Showing the overview

Below is my first painting of Prospect Hospice. The painting shows a wide area of the garden, with a distant bench as a focal point. I tried to capture the essence of what it is like to be there. The gardens are peaceful but full of colour. They are a chance for people to focus on something positive and beautiful.

It doesn't take many touches of pink and purples to make it fresh and vibrant. It is a lovely garden to paint; the colour palette of the garden helps to tie the painting together yet there is still a lot of variety. There are many shades of green and various textures.

Completing a Painting: Overtown Manor

This painting of Overtown Manor was completed in one sitting on a summer evening, when a gardening group was visiting.

Before starting a painting like this I always take time to decide a viewpoint. Painting towards the light in the evening gives a helping hand to the composition of a painting.

When a painting is in progress I work quite fast on the sunlit areas; as the sun drops I don't want to keep changing my mind about colours and shadows.

Visitors from the garden group at Overtown were able to see my painting in progress as they explored the garden.

I always try to get a photo of me with the painting on site. In the days of AI, people only believe what they see. It is useful to have something to share later on social media. I also try to do some filming during the session.

Ongoing Projects

Sometimes I work repeatedly in the same location as an Artist in Residence. Getting to know a place in depth means I can explore different aspects of it through the seasons. Slight changes and seasonal variation makes it feel like an entirely different view. Here are two similar views of Avebury Manor:

Working at Home

Sometimes I work at home if a painting is going to take a long time or is very large, and then finish it off in situ working where visible to the public.

This is a painting I completed for Avebury Manor National Trust. Mostly completed at home, It is now in the potting shed at the manor, where I finished it on site. It is over 3 metres long.

Would an art project work at your venue?

If you'd like to discuss what would work at your venue, please contact me to discuss. It could be an 'Artist at Work' for a day, occasional events, or monthly 'Artist in Residence' visits. I am able to do a few charitable events in the Swindon area for free, as it gives me a chance to develop my work. I am happy to discuss visits further afield and rates for other events and venues.

For non-charitable events you can also book online.