two walks

On two consecutive Sundays we drove up to Perthshire, where the weather was rather better than the all consuming grey near the east coast of Scotland. On the first trip we went to Murthly, to the estate of Murthly castle, very near Perth, and on the river Tay. This turned out to be a wonderful choice, about 35 miles away from here. I might go again soon.

we parked under big conifers

walked between the very fancy castle gate posts

and down the long long drive

an avenue of huge giant sequoia and hemlock

this was a feast and a treat for a tree lover like me.

Then we turned off the drive into woods, where there were big beech trees as well, but the overwhelming impression was of a grandeur of exotic conifers. I took a lot of photos and have been following up in a new sketchbook, an A4 size Daler Rowney Ivory. I like the paper. it’s not meant for watercolour, but I like the way it holds the puddles and granulation.

and if I wanted to I could take paintings out of it, it has perforations down the centre margin.

keeping it simple always works best.

The walk was shaded by all these trees, which for the dogs is very important.

The diversity of conifers – branches sticking out, branches hanging down, needles like yew, or more like leylandii. The differences between western hemlock (Tsuga Pinophyta) and Sequoiadendron giganteum, the giant sequoia, (which is from the Cupressaceae family, so its leaves/needles resembling leylandii or the Leyland cypress, is not surprising).

All these trees have inspired 22 pages of sketchbook so far –

and I am keeping going. The sketchbook has 78 pages …..

then we turned back along the Tay –

a high track,

still between trees.

On the OS route that Lucy had downloaded there was an alternative that cut across to the back of the castle – but when we got there it turned out that you either had to go where you were specifically asked not to (very politely) or through a field full of frisky heifers, which one prefers not to, especially with dogs, and an electrified fence anyway blocking escape or emergence. The heifers followed us as we retreated the way we had come, at a canter en masse, so a wise choice to keep out. But we got a view of this handsome 14th century private home. And I think I heard a cuckoo, the first time since I moved to Scotland.

Turning back and following the river, almost immediately a great spot for a picnic presented itself, with paddling for dogs willing to be manhandled down a few rocks. Not for B, she sat on the grass and kept her eyes on the ducks further upstream.

Here the bend in the river and an island produce a very wide stream bed running over pebbles and rocks and it looks as though one could have paddled across. On the other side the main current runs deeper, though all rivers are low at the moment.

we walked past several posh fishing huts, and some nice little wooden outboard boats. Then this guy mid-stream caught a big fish as we passed.

our walk ended with a steep climb into rhododendrons past a now dry spring/water fountain with a fancy carved stone lion’s face – looks as if it saw a lot of use once.

and back to the driveway where we started.

some pages from my sketchbook

By repeating myself I hope to find new ways of imaging these walks and Scottish trees.

Watercolour is very special, I love to exploit its inherent fragility

the effects of the pigment granulating

and the overlapping of colour application with the drawing underneath

and the feeling of movement that adds, especially when colours bleed into each other.

I can do that to some extent with acrylics, using glazing medium and water

but so far the figures are stiffer and more carefully painted.

these are details from a big painting that’s not quite done yet –

but it’s coming on quite nicely. I think

it may only need some slight detail of how the figures blend in now.

the second walk, on a warmer day, but thankfully also very shaded, was from Crieff, along the Earn, and we have done it before, starting at the Turret distillery, this time we parked at the far end of the loop. So many birds singing! Especially blackcap as we started the walk.

The paths here are quite busy, and well looked after with good signage.

we stopped for some paddles and lunch along the river

including B

but we humans did not want to get our feet wet.

Further along there was a lido-esque atmosphere with kids and grownups bathing.

lots of great trees

some oaks as well as beech

Then the other part of the loop went up a hill (Laggan Hill) into denser woodland

with shady paths around the edge

good for little dogs that puff and pant with excitement and whose legs have to twinkle with extra effort. Eventually we found a muddy trickle in which she plopped full length to cool her belly.

Great views opened up every so often to the north west and the Grampians, but mostly the views were closer –

 

of trees on the steep ridge, and the invisible iron age fort. Nice to know it was there though.

I have not caught up with the first walk in terms of painting, I have enough material and things going on in my head for a series, I think.

here is a small gessoed panel directly from one of the sketchbook paintings, 30 x 30 cm.

a sketchbook page …

a bit of photo-shopping putting things together  –

and so, more –

loosely, loosely,

the little tiny sketchbook –

and yesterday in the garden, with the studio assistant wondering whether she can sleep on it. or whether a paw print or two would help –

words, (in paradiso up the side (Dante reference) and printed poem torn up and stuck on too) layerings and attempts to keep part of it as thinly painted as the sketchbook work –

a pair of figures to go in that empty quarter somehow.

And here is a wonderful painting by one of my heroes, Idris Murphy, that Australian landscape painter, just posted on Instagram, today, on show in Sydney gallery, King street on William. Should you be anywhere near, do go!