Painting the River Adur

The river Adur in West Sussex 

 It's early September and after just a few days of rain I'm amazed at how quickly everything is turning green again . 

The heatwaves already feel like a long time ago  instead of the few short weeks that it actually is .  Autumn is creeping in , the days are rapidly shortening and the air is cooler . 

This time last month I was sweltering in the heat whilst busy studying maps , trying to find interesting places for short walks .  Walks without steep hills and with plenty areas of shade . Searching for new views to paint, new inspiration . 

I spotted a path at Wineham in West Sussex . A mixture of bridleway, fields and river . I don't know the area which made me all the more curious . 

The countryside all around was parched and scorched , I held no expectations of the river actually having much water in it let alone any living plant life .

The extreme heat had left the ground scorched and cracked 

 Imagine how delighted  I was to discover that I was so  wrong  !  It was beautiful 😍

The Summer blue sky reflected on the lazy water whist the riverbank was a mass of wild plants and flowers . It was an oasis among a world of burnt beige . My photos really don't do it justice , it was one of those days where you had to be there and absorb the sights, sounds and aromas .

Wild flowers and plants along the riverbank 

 

                                  Bold patches of Purple Loosestrife buzzing with wildlife 
 

A quintessential English Summer day by the river  and a total joy to paint . 

                                                       "Riverside Summer " 

"Riverside Summer" Painting of the river Adur in West Sussex 

 

                                

 

Painting the river at Fletching, Sussex

Painting the river at Fletching, Sussex

Sadly the Summer is fading away .
I didn't get to the seaside much this year due to the disputes of Southern rail. As a non driver I didn't fancy getting stuck miles away from home!
So instead I have concentrated more on the countryside which I enjoy just as much.
I took a stroll over to the village of Fletching the other day. It's only 2 miles away but I don't often go there. It's a picturesque village with a large church in the center.

Fletching church

It was all very quiet in the village so after a wander around in the sunshine I headed back to Newick . My route took me a short distance along te narrow country road and then a footpath across the fields.
I was almost at the footpath when I heard the sound of  babbling water coming from the other side of the undergrowth. Being curious....OK...being nosey  I couldn't resist crawling through the bushes to take a look.
To my delight the view that greeted me was just beautiful! The sun was shining through the trees and lighting up the leaves and ripples on the river as it flowed downstream.  I sat for a while mesmerized . This ......just had to be painted! ....

                                                   "Summer Ripples"
                                   Acrylic on canvas 182x 24"

"Summer Ripples" Painting the river at the end of Summer