I get so excited when Spring arrives and the Stray comes to life. First the crocuses, and then the beautiful cherry blossom trees come into full bloom.
For two weeks, between the icy cold winds coming from the Arctic, I ventured to the Stray and set up my equipment. As a Yorkshire artist based in Harrogate, I am absolutely drawn to these iconic cherry blossom trees, reminiscent of the trees you see in the Far East. There are two walkways on the Stray and each one is lined with many of these trees which form impressive archways. The pink blossom in all its shades is simply breath-taking and as an artist in love with colour it is a joy to behold.
I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time when Simon Hulme, photographer for the Yorkshire Post passed me as I was painting. I had met him recently as he took the photos for the interior shots of our house for the Yorkshire Post. I was the only artist on the Stray and he loved the painting I was creating and the fact I had Poppy my Sheepdog with me. So I balanced my pictures on the paste table I was using and Simon took a great shot which subsequently appeared in the Yorkshire Post on Wednesday 19 April. Apparently, I was knocked off the front cover as Theresa May called the election that day!
It has been a fabulous two weeks and I have painted 5 canvases with acrylic paint just using a twig.
My background to painting outside stems from early childhood. No matter what the weather - I'll always try and paint outside of my studio to capture the subject matter be it animals, landscapes or as is often the case - a combination!
Beautiful autumn colouring this year inspired me to capture the cherry trees on the stray in Harrogate - slightly windy conditions made the outdoors challenging but well worth the effort - !
Had a fabulous time at the gardens of Monet in the tranquil village of Giverny. Made all the more exciting when a massive storm hit the village the evening we arrived - ended up eating my Sea Bass in a plate full of rainwater..... as the restaurant got deluged!
Anita Bowerman
Author