Below Ashness Bridge

Peter Woolley

This painting began life as a demonstration piece for the Walton Group of Artists (near Wetherby in North Yorkshire), in November 2021. While I always aim to progress a painting as far as possible within the time allowed (most art groups only meet for a couple of hours, of which at least 30 minutes is commonly taken up with notices and a tea break), such paintings often remain unfinished.

This one felt worthy of extra work, though, and was shortlisted for further labour. Unfortunately, it was no less than eight months before I was able to sit down and apply the finishing touches. This was done while exhibiting at the second Northern Art Fair in St. John's Chapel, Weardale at the back end of July 2022.

Ashness Bridge needs little introduction, it being one of the most painted and photographed locations in the Lake District. When I was putting the preliminary sketches together, however, I was trying very hard to approach the bridge from a slightly different, and not quite so common, v

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