8 Mar '24: Organically grown outdoor reared art!

“St Mary's In September, Whitby”

Style: Observed Realism

Plein‑Air Painting

Oil on Canvas Panel

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The church of St Mary's stands high above Whitby Harbour in full sun
The day was bright and warm, if blustery – the seagulls were taking it easy, cruising on the wind up there.

Artwork Size

(Unframed)
Model is 5'4" (1.62m)

Dimensions

  • Artwork:28 x 45.8 cm( 11 x 18 ins )

All dimensions and illustrations are approximate.

40cm50cm40cm50cm

Painting “St Mary's in September, Whitby”

Plein‑Air Painting – Oil on Canvas Panel

Whitby, North Yorkshire, England, UK

This was the largest outdoor oil painting I'd attempted at the time. It was painted on a glorious sunny day in September.

One of those clear bright days we often enjoy as the year winds into Autumn, here in the UK. Windy with a slight chill in the air, it was nevertheless a beautiful feel‑good day at St Mary's in Whitby, UK.

Bit of a painting battle, but a pleasant one

The wind was enough to force me into positioning my easel in the shelter of a gravestone. Once hunkered down, I was able to spend several hours on this landscape oil painting.

After a while, the chill in the wind did mean I needed to keep breaking-off to move around. In the end, I'm very satisfied this painting captures something of the sparkle to the day, character of the place, and the lofty aspect.

St Mary's in Whitby, Yorkshire

This really is an iconic place – the graveyard features in the Dracula story by Bram Stoker. It's easy to imagine a bleak and wild night here would inspire a scary story.

The day I painted this, though, could not have been more lovely despite the chill in the wind. The sun had a warmth and the church stonework reflected it. Seabirds gliding up the cliffs on thermals could not have been more chilled‑out – it was infectious.

Despite lots of visitors, it felt peaceful and tranquil. People's voices added to a contented background murmer, instead of distraction. While couples sat on seats along the cliff enjoying the view and fresh air, I was able to lose myself in concentration on the task.

I've more outdoor and studio landscape art featuring Whitby and the North York Moors nearby. Whitby is a regular haunt for me, because there's so much inspiration there.