Painting Potteric Carr

Since February I have been able to visit Potteric Carr Nature Reserve two or three time a week on 'good weather' days. The reserve covers 500 acres, has 14 viewing hides and one viewing screen and 8km of footpaths, and I have not yet seen all of it.
The YWT website has a very good map of the reserve pathways and hides at:-http://www.ywt.org.uk/discover-learn/potteric-carr-flagship-reserve-doncaster


It will be fascinating to learn about the wildlife on this reserve and how different it is from my own environment Sprotbrough Flash.
The website edited by the Potteric Carr volunteers is very interesting and informative and has stunning photographs  at:-    http://www.potteric-carr.org.uk/


As the weather improves (hopefully) I plan to take my paints with me, I have not painted en plein air before so it will be a new experience and quite a challenge. I have already sussed out some of the views/subjects I want to paint and look forward to the variety of the seasons.


My paintings of Potteric are on display and for sale in Low Ellers Cafe in the Field Centre and are listed here:-  http://sprotbropainter.blogspot.co.uk/p/paintings-for-sale-at-potteric-carr.html


Thank you for 'looking in' on my post, I intend keeping this blog up to date with my progress in learning about, and painting on this most interesting nature reserve.  

My Paintings of Barges on Yorkshire Waterways.

"Comrade and Audrey on the Humber" oil 

I recently sold a small oil painting 'Freight for Rotherham" and memories of a time in the 1990s came flooding back. At that time in my narrowboat 'Sprotbro' Painter'  I had a wonderful time cruising around the canal system painting all sorts of waterway craft, these are just a few.

"Afternoon Sailing, Comrade and Audrey off Spurn Point" oil on board 24"x18"

I am a member of the Guild of Waterway Artists and we used to meet up every year and hold an exhibition of our work at Stoke Bruerne, the trip down in our narrow-boat took a considerable time and there were many interesting things I wanted to paint. This next painting, a small oil, was the result of a view I recorded on the River Trent as we passed a barge loading gravel.

"Loading gravel on the River Trent" small oil on board.

To get to the River Trent from Sprotbrough we had to go through Bramwith Lock which lies east of Doncaster. Thorpe Marsh power station which is shown in the background of the next painting is now partly demolished and I am not sure if all the cooling towers remain.

"Littlebeck at Bramwith Lock" oil on board.

An example of the results of heavy rain and floods, seen every so often  on our local waterways, these two barges, moored above the

weir, had come adrift, and had a 'coming together' by the bridge at Aldwarke near Rotherham. (sometime in the 1990s) 

"Floods at Aldwarke" oil on board.

I must say I do miss seeing the old barges carrying freight on our local waterway, the only freight on the river at present is Humber Princess on a twice weekly trip from Hull to Rotherham with fuel. 

She is a very impressive 60 meters long by 6 meters wide and bright red, I think a winter painting of her passing Levitt Hagg could be 'on the cards' !!

"Sprotbro' Painter" 1989-2003 

Paintings for Rock Cottage B and B.

Rock Cottage is 300 years old and a  perfect bed and breakfast with log fires and superb home cooked food with wonderful views of the Black Mountains. These paintings represent part of the work I have been commissioned to do for the owners Sue and Chris.

'View of the Black Mountains'

acrylic on canvas 48"x36"

(The cottage roof can just be seen at the bottom on the right of the painting.)

'Wrens Nest" acrylic on wood 7"x5"

door plate for one of the rooms

"Owls Roost" acrylic on wood 7"x5"

door plate for a second room.

'View from the gardens" large watercolour/gouache.

All the views from the cottage the  garden and the large field at the side are are of the Black Mountains and simply stunning.

Watercolour/gouache 7"x5"

Christmas card for 2010.

Rock Cottage Bed and Breakfast is well worth a visit and their website is

www.rockcottagebandb.co.uk