View from the Downs at South Harting

This is a painting of the view from the South Downs overlooking South Harting in Sussex. It was painted entirely en plein air. The view is so sweeping and complex that it is difficult not to get bogged down in the detail – knowing this I tried to focus on trying to be completely accurate with the abstract elements of rhythm, colour and tone and shape. Having achieved a wholeness to the landscape I could add sharpness, light and texture wherever I wanted to. The balloon arrived as I was dismantling my easel, so I put it back up and painted another half hour until the light had gone . It was then I discovered that I had dropped my car keys somewhere along the way…..!