Painting my way through England

The Old Bridge House in Ambleside
Today was a rather ambling around day in more ways than one.  First, I found the laundrette in Windermere to do my laundry.  Then the post office where I mailed some packages home.  Then I drove up to the charming little town of Ambleside, where I did a watercolor sketch of the Old Bridge House.  Just two tiny rooms, one on top of the other, perched on a bridge over the creek, I'm not sure anyone ever actually lived in it, but it sure is charming!

Tarn Hows
Yesterday, I painted Tarn Hows on my afternoon walk around the lake.

things from Hilltop
I also did a lot of quick sketches while visiting Hilltop.  Just a collection of things that caught my eye, things I wanted to remember.

Things from Hilltop 2
There was a tiny watercolor, maybe 8 x 10 inches at the largest, probably smaller on one of the walls in an upstairs room.  How I'd love to have a print of it.  The brushwork in that little watercolor was just amazing!  And the light it captured was wonderful!  I was a good girl and didn't dig out my camera per the request for no photos in the house, but Oh!  How desperately I wanted one of that painting!  I also loved the quilt on her bed.  Thankfully there was a postcard of that!

Things from Hilltop 3
Some of the sketches are just rough pencil impressions of things I saw.  Not precise by any means, just a way for me to remember, like the metal horse-shoe type pieces on the bottom of the clogs!

Impression of Hilltop
A very quick study of the front room's fireplace wall.  It's a bit out of proportion, but again, it's just an impression more than anything.  There is a terrific book, still in print about her house:At Home with Beatrix Potter: The Creator of Peter Rabbit   It has wonderful photos and commentary of the house.

The Langdales, Lake District
When I went to Wray Castle a few days ago, I sat and painted the view from the cafe window at the castle.  Then a day or two later, I got to drive right up near these peaks on the way to Wrynose and Hardknott passes.

Beeley
While waiting to go into dinner, I sketched this lovely scene in Beeley and then finished it later on.

Hidcote
I posted some of this before, but I went back and added to the page.

Tintagel
While I'd love to paint everywhere I visit, there often simply isn't time.  Or it's raining.  Or too many people, or sometimes, there is no place to sit.  Occasionally, I'll do a pencil sketch and then take a photo, and finish the painting later, as I did of the Beeley scene.  Once in a great while, I'll go back and do a sketch from a photo, like I did with these of Tintagel ~ but that doesn't happen very often. I find I really like to get my own impression down, and photos, much as I like them, always result in a different perspective.

But enough of painting ~ here are a few photos from my day!

The Old Bridge House in Ambleside
Here is a photo of the old bridge house in Ambleside.  I like the way they built the stairs outside of the room to save interior space!

Pretty Ambleside
There are gorgeous views all over Ambleside!  This scene is just across the street from the Old Bridge House.

Boletus Watercolor by Beatrix Potter
The main reason I went to Ambleside was to visit the Armitt Library and see their collection Beatrix Potter's naturalist watercolors, especially her fungi paintings!  These for the most part were much larger than the little book illustration, but the brushwork in them was ever so find and detailed.  If you look at the large size of this on Flickr (just click on the photo)  you can see the super teensy brush strokes on the stems of these mushrooms.  Amazing!

If you are wondering why I'm such a big Beatrix Potter fan, it is in part because I taught myself to paint in watercolors by copying her illustrations as a girl!  But looking at these intricate watercolors in person, I realize what a very long way I have to go and how much more there is to learn still!  She was a true master of the medium.

Beatrix Potter's Painting Book
And I love her whimsy too ~ like these illustrations from her painting book for children and the wonderful instructions to go with!

Comments

Nancy said…
Sigh....I am so loving your sketches!! You are truly blessed with a wonderful talent! I'm so glad you are sharing your adventure with us!!
Cathy said…
Lovely sketches! I so look forward to your posts every day! Hugs, Cathy
MadameRenard said…
You drawings are amazing! :)
They bring me in a place far from me and make me dream about future travels!
Thank you for sharing!
Kath said…
Delightful. Your own sketches and little painting are charming.
Marty52 said…
I love your paintings, Lisa. You have such a great way of putting it all together, the sketch, the wording, the banners and all the little bits really come together into a fabulous whole... thanks for the travelogue!
Anonymous said…
What lovely sketches & photos! You are living my dream! :-)
I was searching for images of Beatrix Potter's mushrooms to inspire my children as we study & sketch fungi this week & stumbled on your post. We long to visit the Lake District to see Beatrix's farm & the "stomping grounds" of her neighbor, Charlotte Mason, whose work in the field of education inspires our homeschooling & encouraged us to pursue nature study. Looking forward to reading more about your trip. Wishing you much joy in our Lord Jesus as you travel and paint!
Many Thanks,
Beth

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