Robert Dutton Artist

Sharing the warmth at Higham Hall this Winter

Camp coffee time at St. Bega's church near Higham hall! Now...who has the matches?

Dispelling the myth that the Winter is not a good time to paint outdoors, we all enjoyed a superb drawing and painting week at Higham Hall recently sharing true friendship and creating some really expressive art together - even the sun shone for us!

It was Perfect timing really with dry weather for our Ashness Bridge drawing trip 2 days into art break with dramatic mist over distant Skiddaw beyond Derwentwater seen from our vantage point, creating some atmospheric distant soft light for us all to draw.

Choosing to draw the Winter view from Ashness Bridge (one of the most celebrated and iconic views in The Lake District) in comparison to Summer or Spring, the  view was very different with space between all the trees void of foliage showing a much more distinctive view. 

Working with pure line and tone with charcoal and mixed black and white media was perfect to interpret all the subtleties in the landscape. 

Following a short but in depth initial demonstration to get everyone started and see the different media in action, it was great to see how quickly everyone got into their stride to draw and paint the view in their own special way. 

A surprise trip around the head of Newlands Valley on our return was well worth the detour to see the majestic fells, snow line and high mists in this beautiful dramatic Lakeland valley on such a great day.

With regular stops for photo opportunities not to be missed many formed the basis of students work over the next couple of studio days - fabulous!

Our second outdoor sketching and drawing trip to St. Bega's church along the far shore of Bassenthwaite Lake couldn't have been better planned. The weather was perfect - warm and Sunny, more like an early Spring day really with some great work and fun painting outdoors had by all! 

On our way back from lakeshore at Bassenthwaite Lake there was another trip in store for everyone - a short skip and a hop up the old Carlile Road with some great views over looking Skiddaw from a very different viewpoint - fabulous light!

With several evening demonstrations showing lots of different techniques for different subjects (not just Lakeland Landscapes) on Canson professional papers it was really great to share lots of techniques for black and white media for many different subjects.

Another fabulous art break at Higham Hall with lots of happy memories for all of us creating great works of art learning lots of new and exciting art techniques. 

Our happy evenings exchanging stories in the bar and emails and contact addresses by all at the end of the course and fun had by all throughout was the perfect conclusion to another successful art break at Higham Hall. 

I'm back again in March '15 for another great art week. I'm looking forward to meeting a new art group for another thrilling art break!