Painting “To the Walled Garden”
Plein‑Air Painting – Oil on Canvas Panel
Burton Agnes, East Yorkshire, England, UK
This painting of a gate to a walled garden, was completed in two sittings.
I was a little over ambitious, and began it a bit too close to closing time at Burton Agnes Hall & Gardens.
I had to pack the wet canvas board away carefully when it was only in its early stages of blocking-in. Fortunately I was able to return when the weather and lighting was almost the same.
It's not often we have consistent weather here in the UK, so I was very lucky!
The mystery of what lies beyond the wrought iron gate in the walled garden boundary makes for a romantically intriguing artwork.
Hints of a profusion can be seen through the gateway, inviting exploration of a secret haven. A haven hidden from the formal correctness of the clipped Yews and lawns, where wildness and abandon lie.
I happen to love the highly landscaped part of Burton Agnes Hall's gardens as much as the walled garden's mayhem.
I've a number of sketches made during the early and late part of the year just after opening time and before closing. The atmospheric effects around the sculptural forms of the carefully cultivated Yews is beguiling.
There's a lot more garden art potential in this location.