In the May 2022 issue I wrote about sources of inspiration. It so happens that a recent expedition to Petworth provided an exciting opportunity to experiment with a new subject. I had gone to Petworth mainly to see the Turner’s and the Blake’s but was overwhelmed by the monumental trees existing in the great park. These trees were generally large and, in many cases, quite misshapen. I had the impression that they had suffered all kinds of trauma, both manmade and natural. Some looked as though they might not last much longer, so I felt an urge to paint them in order to provide some lasting memory.
I’m a bit of a magpie when it comes to collecting subject matter. One minute it’s portraits, next it’s boats, then buildings. The perceived wisdom is that, as a professional artist, one should specialise. That way one can be easily identified and therefore categorised by dealers and the public. Well, I am of the Picasso school, and love to experiment on many fronts if only because they are there. One minute I’m all abstract and the
