Painting “The reddest red rose”
Plein‑Air Painting – Oil on Canvas Panel
Burton Agnes, East Yorkshire, England, UK
Red roses are always eye-catching in any garden painting, especially when planted in a border. This old English variety glowed in the sunshine.
I had an art exhibition at Burton Agnes Hall & Gardens during the time when they supported artists with residencies and the use of some space inside the garden.
I was fairly new to painting outside with oils and an easel at the time, and it seemed like a great place to build some plein‑air painting confidence while preparing for the exhibition.
The garden itself is overwhelming, speaking as an artist, as there's so much to paint in there. There's a fantastic formal garden and the walled garden is something else! Both are painting worthy.
I avoided the walled garden in the beginning, sticking to painting what I thought might be the simpler formal lawns and yews outside it instead.
Having made several trips to paint in the location, it would have been very wrong to ignore the walled garden entirely given it's such a feature. So I took a deep breath one day, and ventured inside intent on painting.
This red rose positively shone. It was the reddest of red roses I'd seen, and it stopped me in my tracks. With a profusion of Hollyhocks and the gatehouse beyond, it was a perfect composition.
A complex subject though, it presented quite a challenge. Taking my time paid off though, and now I march into any garden seeking new subjects without fear!