Dartmoor 2009

The Dartmoor landscape painting is punctuated with the striking beauty of the tors. These tors are given an animated posture, slightly anthropomorphic; the strong light source casts an eerie druid-like shadow across the Dartmoor landscape painting. The intent is to draw attention to the contrast in light and shade; the exposed and the sheltered. The palette appears warm, perhaps providing the viewer with a false sense of security in what are otherwise harsh and solitary 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’.

My work has always been influenced by painting moorlands; particularly The North Pennines so tackling this Dartmoor landscape painting was a pleasure and a challenge. As with other subjects in UberBritain, the Dartmoor landscape painting discusses the passage of time. The tors of Dartmoor National Park are many and varied like giant way markers across an otherwise disorientating landscape. In the Dartmoor landscape painting 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 National Park is 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.

Original Watercolour Prints