Walking and painting the Bluebells in Sussex

Bluebell wood 

 Spring has sprung and the Bluebell season has arrived . I've been caught out this year as the Bluebells are about 2-3 weeks earlier than other years and I hadn't any walks planned.  

Luckily I'm surrounded by many ancient woods where the Bluebells flourish and look amazing !  I live just 2 miles from the Bluebell railway and many of my walks are also part of theirs . 

Bluebell Railway walks  

What I really want for a painting is when the trees are covered in their fresh green leaves whilst the flowers are still out. It's a very short period and depends on the weather  but I don't think I'm going to be lucky this year .

Path through the Bluebells 

 I also visited Gravetye estate where a circular walk takes you past a lake and through woodland , it's a lovely area to walk which can lead to a variety of other paths .   More information and map can be found here Gravetye estate it could also be combined with a visit to the Bluebell railway at Kingscote .

The lake on the Gravetye estate 

 

Bluebells at Gravetye 

 

                     For now I just have the one  Bluebell painting 

                                                     "Forest Ways and Bluebell Days"

                                                      

 Painting of Bluebells in forest 

Painting Bluebells and streams

My oh my! Where did April go? Spring has suddenly arrived in all it's glory!
My painting World has so busy with artworks selling before I've finished them! This means I've got a bit behind with my blog and have little to add to my online galleries. I'm not complaining, life is very good, it just seems that I can't paint fast enough and feels a bit overwhelming at times  !
Anyway, April arrived and I waited enthusiastically for the trees and hedgerows to burst into leaf and colour.
My first walk was along the footpaths between Scaynes Hill and Danehill. A pretty walk of woodland and open fields. It also took me over the Bluebell Railway line , I arrived just as a train passed by.

The Bluebell Railway

 A little further on I came upon a stream at the edge of the woods. It was such a pretty place that I decided to stop and have my lunch there ....it also became the subject of a painting...of course...
                                           "Woodland Spring" (sold) 

"Woodland Spring" Acrylic painting

 
                           

 Then  the Easter Bank Holiday arrived and in just a few days the trees and hedgerows burst into leaf
 and the Bluebells were a mass of scented blue...heaven !

Bluebells at Wivelsfield

The weathar was wonderful so we headed off to Horsted Keynes to explore a few more paths . Our walk took us by the wonderful old Mill house

The old Mill house at Horsted Keynes

If you wish to see more photos from my walks then please take a look at my Facebook page Footpaths and photos
To my delight I found another stream. Usually the trees tend to block out the light but here the blazed through .....  just perfect to paint !
                                         "The Bluebell Stream" 
                                 

"The Bluebell Stream" Acrylic painting on canvas

"Southern Steam"

Steam engines at the Bluebell Railway

 We live just a couple of miles away from the Bluebell Railway and can often hear the "toot toot" of the steam trains from our garden.
It's an interesting place to visit and a delight to see a part our heritage in all it's glory!
My subject is the Class B473 locomotive. It was built in 1898 for the London, Brighton and South Coast railway so it seemed fitting to add it to my "Sussex by the Sea" collection...
                                                   "Southern Steam"
                                Acrylic on box canvas 20"x 16"x 1.5"

Painting the steam train B473 from the Bluebell Railway

Wall view of "Southern Steam"

This is the second engine I have painted from the Bluebell Railway, my previous one was titled "Full Steam" and is available as a ceramic picture tile .

"Full Steam" ceramic picture tile by Fiesta Studios 

http://www.prezents.com/Full-Steam-Decorative-Ceramic-Tile-By-Paula-Oakley-p2099.html

If you are interested in steam engines and the people that worked on them then you will love this blog
http://locksands.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/my-grandfathers-clock/