Traffic All Night North

 Traffic All Night North

      Traffic All Night North, (Boothferry Bridge) oil on canvas, 60cm x 80cm

Detail

“T  Traffic All Night North” was inspired by wording in Larkin’s poem Here. Before the M62 and the building of the Humber Bridge the only way across the river was via Boothferry Bridge. Standing on the bridge as the noise is very loud with cars and lorries rattling over the bridge. The location, memories created and the eerie light at dusk play into  uncanny themes. 

Boothferry Bridge, water colour sketch

 I    I made a quick watercolour sketch of the bridge (above) which helped me later with my oil painting. 

Watercolour (Kremer)

Looking south from Boothferry Bridge I could see the new bridge over the Ouse leading to the M62. 

When I came home I made some small pencil drawings and painted a watercolour of the view in my sketchbook. .

Pencil drawing (1)

Pencil drawing (2)

This  bridge now takes most of the traffic travelling east/west to and from Hull and the east coast.

I took a sound and video recording of my visit to help me remember the noise and the atmosphere.