New painting: Bargeman at the Sluice Gate

Bargeman at the Sluice Gate
2026, oil on canvas, 45.5 x 35.5cm

This painting emerged gradually over the last month or so. It is painted over an earlier unresolved work from 2010. I find that having some kind of surface to start on, other than white ground, often means compositions develop more through suggestion than pure intent. This isn’t always a good way to go, but when it works the results feel quite special, like they couldn’t have come any other way. Now I’ve mentioned the importance of ground i should mention that my series of paintings in egg tempera continue, however, since results are much slower than with oil I haven’t posted for a while.

I am finding that having the choice of working in both oil and egg tempera works well for me. There is, of course, the risk of plate-spinning over development, however the advantages are being able to match media and approach to the time available, and perhaps more importantly, work with the same themes in different ways.

The title for this latest oil painting is taken from a poem ‘Constable’s Lock’ by Adrian Blamires. His latest collection of poems ‘Pomona’s Orchard’, published by Two Rivers Press, is out this April. You can order on the Two rivers Press web site here: https://tworiverspress.com/shop/pomonas-orchard/