I am so proud to now finally reveal to you the finished Naseby painting. This painting has been a long time in the making, but as we all know good things take time. It is a commission for the best clients an artist could hope for.
But first, the story behind the painting.
Like every good project, it started with a conversation. I asked “When is your favourite time of year to visit this spot?” The answer was autumn, when the leaves had turned into dreamy, warm tones. So we waited a few months, and in May of 2018 Mark and I drove to Naseby - a little over 5 hours from Christchurch.
Up at sunrise the next morning I remember the crisp autumn air, the stillness of the water, the dew on the grass, and the stunning golden morning light on the trees. We wandered around some of the clients’ favourite spots in Naseby and I could quickly see why this was their favourite time of year. Naseby was popping with yellows and oranges, and I was so incredibly inspired!
It was apparently a difficult choice to make as the colours gave such a wide array of amazing shots. However, their favourite fishing spot, Coalpit Dam, was chosen from the several hundred photos I had taken that morning.
It wasn’t until August when the easel became free for the Naseby project after finishing a portrait commission. Or should I say easels; the canvas is so large I had to buy a second easel to hold it up. This was the largest canvas I have tackled to date.
The scale of the canvas took some time to get use to. At 1620mm wide by 760mm high, it was a lot larger than my usual landscapes. My inner critic was rather tough on me, and I questioned myself consistently. I was really surprised at how mentally challenging this project was, and it wasn’t until the final stages that I had convinced my brain that it was all going to work out just how I planned. I’m thrilled with the final result, and the challenge of getting through the self-critique has made it all the more rewarding.
I love that my clients challenge me, and this project has been one of the most challenging landscapes I have ever worked on. I have learnt so much and feel so proud that this is now complete. I also have the bonus of enjoying it while it dries before the trip south to deliver it to its lucky new owners..
In time I will release a ‘behind the scenes’ video. For now, check out the photos below.
Thanks for joining me.
Looking proud next to the final painting.
‘Morning Light on Coalpit Dam’ 1620x760mm, Oil on canvas, 2019.
Behind the scenes progress photos:
