Painting “The Castle in the Dunes II”
Plein‑Air Painting – Acrylic on Paper
The dunes on the Northumbrian coast are a huge part of the Bamburgh Castle experience.
Whichever direction you approach the Bamburgh coast, you're presented with a walk through the undulating dunes – as you will know if you've visited this wonderful place.
Dunes are specific to the coast (I don't know of any inland ones in the UK!). Formed as the wind shifts and shapes sand, and plants amazingly establish a foothold. I understand it's virtuous cycle, that builds dunes to a formidable height – like those at Bamburgh beach.
This is an acrylic painting I painted after returning from a landscape art seeking trip there. It was made from sketches, memory, and a few photos (I do not copy photographs by the way).
I've spent many hours since sketching and painting in the dunes, and it's a lovely experience, especially when the sun is shining. All that movement of waving grasses, sprinkled with flowers and the gentle buzz of insects us idyllic.
Despite the animation all around, it's somehow a serene and calm environment. No doubt in winter, there's a different story. I love to experience a really wild day there, just so I can see the majesty of it.
All the movement and texture makes dunes a challenging prospect for an artist. I'll admit to having been too daunted to progress in the beginning, and I'm still studying them.
I develop more confidence with each trip so far, as I begin to tune‑in to their nature, in both senses of the word. Developing as an artist is a slow process, because each new landscape feature requires a new skill developing.
I think it's why quite a lot of artists stick to one type of painting, and paint it over and over in endless variation. I'm a glutton for punishment, and want more challenge than that – so coastal dunes will get painted at some–point.