Water is an important subject in my paintings for many reasons. I had been drawing the chalk streams close to my home and wanted to take these in to painting. The Wash Ponds in Broadmayne became my focus and I started a series of works on paper. Using ink and watercolour I worked very fast and loose on two to three pieces a day. The wooden footbridge, I admit was a direct influence from Monet. It added a solid structure to the drawings that contrasted to the quality of water. I wanted also to get a feel of the movement of the stream and made a small set of paintings that studied the fluid shapes light. The work was pinned up in my studio and led me to make a large painting, which hasn’t been successful. I plan to revisit the Wash Ponds in the Autumn.
