“A poppies field towards Roman Villa”
At the beginning of the week, I went, as per usual to the life drawing class at Sarum studio in Salisbury. I always come back home on the scenic route, from Salisbury to Coombe Bissett and then towards Roman Villa, through Rockbourne and then Cranborne. Nothing unusual, but I have noticed some large patches and stripes of poppies on some fields. I even saw a nice place which was only visible from one single spot on the road – couldn’t stop the car though. So, on Saturday afternoon we went again to Salisbury, on the scenic route and were planning to stop on the way back to take some photos with the poppies fields. On the way back, I was seeing through the hedge some nice red patches, but didn’t know what it was; thought that it was like a stripe of poppies at the edge of a field. We were able to stop the car at a corner, about two miles or so before Rockbourne and we saw the field. It was breath taking. I have never seen a field covered entirely in poppies. So, we walked on the field and took lots of photos. The field was mostly a mixture of grasses, rape and camomile with thousands and thousands of red poppies. I was feeling frustrated that I didn’t have the easel and any paints with me and never thought I would be back to paint it, as I was going to work on Sunday. And, because of that I was already working on a weekly painting, nearly finished – a floral still life with roses from the garden.
But, on Sunday, after work I got home and because the weather was dry, although windy, we decided to go back to that field and paint it.
It was a great and intense experience. Me, painting alla prima, without medium – just turps, thick paint and three small brushes, energetic brushstrokes and a reduced palette. I was trying to catch the movement of the sky, air and field, rather than just the landscape, getting inspiration from my favourite painter, Vincent van Gogh. Great fun.
So, here it is:
“A poppies field towards Roman Villa.”
Oil on linen.
30 X 40cm (12” X 16”)
