The Hay Barn

 The Hay Barn

The Hay Barn, oil on canvas,, 71cm x 91cm

The painting "The Hay Barn" was inspired by these words from Larkin's poem "Here":

"swerving to solitude

Of skies and scarecrows, haystacks, hares and pheasants,"

As I travelled around the low lying landscape east of Goole I came to realise that since the date of the poem (1961) a lot of aspects of working the land still remain unchanged. Ditches are dug, fields are ploughed, the harvest is brought in. Although the machinery used is larger and more refined, their purpose remains the same. The traffic and noise of the M62 and A63 seems far away.

I made a watercolour sketch of the hay barn to capture the light effects of the evening sun on the bales of hay before I painted the final version. The sun was low in the sky and long shadows fell across the scene. It was still, quiet and timeless. 

Watercolour sketch

I continued to make my way around the area, sketched and made studies of places where I felt a sense of "solitude".

Oil study:

Watercolour sketches:

Pencil sketches:

Charcoal sketch:

A Harsh-Named Halt

 A Harsh-Named Halt

A Harsh-Named Halt (Oxmadyke Crossing), oil on canvas, 76cm x 101 cm

Detail

Larkin writes about

"swerving through fields.

Too thin and thistled to be called meadows,

And now and then a harsh-named halt, that shields

Workmen at dawn;"

This description typifies the landscape lying east of Boothferry. The railway line speeds through the flat countryside at this point, and there are a number of crossings which Larkin refers to. Oxmadyke crossing lies to the south of Gilberdyke, an area Larkin knew well - as we know from his photographs. The railway buildings and crossings along the route all follow a similar design. There is an eerie feel about them, especially as a lone train passes through and the barriers descend. 

I made a small watercolour sketch of the scene before I moved onto the oil painting. It was late in the day and the evening sun cast long shadows across the road.

Sketches

Further down the line as the train approaches the station of Brough, passengers would see a glimpse of the Humber as they pass through the fields "too thin and thistled to be called meadows".

 

Photos, Boothferry Bridge: old and new - memories and nostalgia

Photos, Boothferry Bridge: old and new - memories and nostalgia

My painting, Traffic all Night North, depicts  Boothferry Bridge. The old images below show the hazardous river crossing before the bridge was built. 

The bridge crosses the River Ouse, between the East Riding and West Yorkshire,  north-west of Goole. Prior to the building of the bridge all crossings were by ferry.  The next nearest bridge was at Selby. It was easier to cross the Ouse than the the Humber Estuary.

The bridge was opened in 1929. The Act of Parliament for the building of the bridge in 1925, gave priority to river traffic. This situation still exists, though there have been some attempts to change priorities. Over the years there have been many queues waiting to cross the bridge whilst a ship sails through, as seen below in the photo taken in the 1960s/70s.

On opening, the bridge was the furthest crossing downstream of the river, cutting 25 miles (40 km) off the journey south to London from Kingston upon Hull. 

However, as traffic increased, there was need to relieve congestion and the M62 Ouse Bridge opened up to the east of Boothferry Bridge in 1976 (see below).

Over time therefore, this place has been an important and strategic location. My painting aims to capture a sense of time and the character of the place at dusk.

Maggie Taylor, Traffic all Night North,2022,  oil on canvas

http://asselbyparishcouncil.co.uk/boothferry-history-2.aspx

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13082990

http://eastyorkshirehistory.blogspot.com/2019/07/butterflies-and-history.html

Photographic Images of Drax, old and new, memories and nostalgia

Photographic Images of Drax, old and new, memories and nostalgia

Drax Village c. 1910

As I take my journey along the Humber Estuary I think about times gone by and the memories associated with the places I visit.

What was the landscape like before the advent of the Drax Power station? What remains?

Drax Village c. 1910

Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul c. 1910

Drax Village 2011

The building of the power station dramatically changed the landscape near and far. 

Drax Power Station being built, 1967

The towers now dominate the village and the skyline:

But some things just carry on:

Farming near Drax, 2022

Note: Once branded as ‘Europe’s biggest polluter’, the owners of the Drax power plant are planning on becoming the world’s first carbon-negative business by absorbing more emissions than they create by 2030.

My work

My work portrays the landscape speaks of today, but with overtones of memory, loss and nostalgia. I use composition, paint handling, shape and tone to build up a narrative of the landscape - as shown through my paintings within this blog.

http://drakesfamily.org/id64.htm

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Drax,_North_Yorkshire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drax,_North_Yorkshire

https://www.drax.com/about-us/our-history/

https://usave.co.uk/news/drax-owners-plan-to-become-carbon-negative-within-10-years/

Final two images, the author

 

 

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.

Exhibition - "Here: A Journey along the Humber Estuary", Burton Constable Hall

 Exhibition - "Here: A Journey along the Humber Estuary", Burton Constable Hall

My Exhibition "Here: A Journey along the Humber Estuary", at Burton Constable Hall, 23rd May - 2nd July 2023

Advance Announcement

I am pleased to say that I have been awarded a solo exhibition of my paintings at Burton Constable Hall, East Yorkshire, 23rd May - 2nd July 2023. The Stables Gallery is a fantastic venue, well laid out with plenty of natural light and good facilities.

Burton Constable Hall is to the east of Hull and is a great place to visit, including the Hall and extensive grounds which include a lake, the stable block and a cafe. 

Website -

Details can be obtained at: 

Burton Constable :: Exhibitions :: East Yorkshires Finest Historic House & Grounds

https://www.burtonconstable.com

Online Preview and Commentary

You may have a preview of the works on display by following the entries on this Blog.

Diary

I hope that you put the Exhibition dates in your diary and that you will be able to visit the Gallery in person. I hope to see you there.

DRAX: Swerving east, from rich industrial shadows

DRAX: Swerving east, from rich industrial shadows

From Rich Industrial Shadows (2), oil study, monochrome, 40cm x 50cm

For the start of my journey I went to the outer limits of the Humber Estuary and travelled beyond the Ouse to Drax. The landscape has changed since the poem was written in 1961. I reflect those changes in my work, for example the M62 flyover and wind turbines. These modern additions to the scenery reflect my interest in the changing landscape and mankind’s effect on it. I portray the dominance of Drax Power Station on the landscape which are still part coal burning. My first two oil studies (see  above) were inspired by my research on John Virtue. I think that the use of monochrome works well with the subject matter of these studies.

I also did some pencil sketches, small watercolour sketches and experimented with oil on metal, both copper and aluminium.

Drax Power Station, Kremer acrylic water colour

Drax Power Station,  oil on aluminium, 20cm x 25cm

Pencil sketches

My journey to the industrial heartland of Drax gave me a good starting point for my exploration of the Humber Estuary. Next I looked at how the river crossings for traffic along the Ouse and the Humber had changed over time.