Sadly I seemed to have missed most of the Autumn colour this year. Day after day was shrouded in thick mist and fog ! Not the best weather for landscape painting . 

A lot of my time was spent watching the Magpies . They really stood out among the  glorious colours of the leaves on an old Beech tree that stands at the bottom of our garden . In this tree the Squirrels have built several dreys . There are three Squirrels and they spend  all their time running around everywhere gathering nuts etc . They just don't seem to stop !   Whilst they are out and about the cunning Magpies go and forage through the dreys , masses of leaves get thrown out in their quest to find all  the hidden food .  It amused me to see just how smart the Magpies are they became the subject of my latest painting .

                                                             "Magpie Morning " 

                           

Autumn woodland painting "Magpie Morning" 

    This is now available from my Artfinder shop https://www.artfinder.com/artist/paula-oakley/   

I also have a good selection of artworks for sale as prints, cards, bags etc Here

 AUTUMN PAINTING 

It appears that my desire to walk and paint is still stronger than to write about it ! Ha ha! Keeping up with my Blog has not been as often as I intended ! I think the problem is that the internet can be all too time consuming and before you know it you've lost half the day. 

Anyway, life is good and I've enjoyed many walks this year discovering new places and paths. 

I was sad to see the Summer end but waited eagerly for the Autumn colours to arrive. But it was a long wait and the trees were reluctant this year to change and drop their leaves. It resulted in just small patches of colour over a long period of time.  I searched various paths looking for areas where the low sunlight broke through the trees. It was not as easy to find such places as I had hoped. I discovered some wonderful woods and  found the perfect bridleway not far from my home ....

Along the Woodland Path

The Woodland Pond

The Autumn Bridleway

December arrived and still many of the leaves hung onto the trees . This turned out to be to my advantage . 

Over the past few years here in mid Sussex the Winters have been bleak and dreary . Barely any frost and only a wish for snow. Imagine my delight this year when snow arrived and turned my surroundings into a Winter Wonderland ! Just wonderful ! 

Snow in Sussex !!!!

The colours of the trees almost glowed and looked stunning . I've only ever painted 4 snowy landscapes so I've been delighted this year to have the chance to take on the challenge and I've loved every moment of it :) 

                                              "Woodland Winter " 

                           Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18"  

Painting of the snow covered woods at Danehill, Sussex