About this artwork

What with one thing & another, yesterday evening I managed to make my first open air oil sketch this year. I had visited the farmer whose field it is a few weeks ago, & he kindly gave me permission to go in and find a good view seated just inside the roadside hedge. I was happy to allow the sun to dip behind me for this one, getting to my spot at about 6.00pm. I was done about 9.30pm.
I've long admired this panorama as we've passed it in the car going to & from Cockermouth. I was sitting quite close to Paddle School, & looking east towards the fells lining the Lorton valley, leading up to Grasmore, the big, most distant fell towards the right. There's a lot of topography to get right in such a broad view, but I think I've done ok. I'm pleased with the aerial perspective of the fells. As many will know, in painting, green can be a tricky colour to handle, & there was a lot of it! I may develop some of the trees & hedges, easier when not working wet on wet. I remembered a line from "Tintern Abbey" by Wordsworth - "These hedge-rows, hardly hedge-rows, little lines /Of sportive wood run wild." He was born about a mile from where I was painting.
It was pretty dark once I'd packed up & began my plod up to Eaglesfield. Just as I passed St. Philip's church, a van driver stopped & offered me a lift - gratefully received.