Dartmoor

The landscape in Forster’s Dartmoor, is punctuated with the striking beauty of Tors.  The Tors are given an animated posture, slightly anthropomorphic; the strong light source casts an eerie druid-like shadow across the scene.  The intent is to draw attention to the contrast in light and shade; the exposed and the sheltered.  The distinctive palette of the work enhances the contrasting feelings of solitary and beauty.  The palette appears warm, perhaps providing the viewer with a false sense of security in what are otherwise harsh and unfriendly conditions.  The wonderfully evocative poet Ted Hughes recites in The Snipe:  ‘the moor’s swollen waterbelly, Swags and quivers, ready to burst at a step’.

Forster remarks that: ‘my work has always been influenced by painting moorlands; particularly The North Pennines so tackling Dartmoor was a pleasure and a challenge. As with other subjects in UberBritain, the Dartmoor work discusses the passage of time.  The Tors of Dartmoor are many and varied; alike giant waymarkers across an otherwise disorientating landscape.  Here the foreground Tor is used almost like an arrow or a sign post pointing us into the composition. I find the Tors very attractive, reminiscent of miniature mountains, their sheer oddness and defiance is what makes them such a great subject.

Dartmoor is a national park famously depicted by the Victorian artist and illustrator CE Brittan.  The spirit of Dartmoor is captured through his work; typically composed of a trackway or stream in the foreground that lead the eye to the drama of distant hills and tempest-like skies.  Lodged within the national park is Bovey Castle, a wonderful location for hotel, spa and golfing facilities.  Nestled in the North Devonshire countryside, are the wonderful sculpture gardens at Broomhill; blending art, music, hotel and restaurants.  The site boasts over 300 sculptures spread over 10 acres of land.