High Tide at Emsworth (with Sharon the Jack Russel)

I painted this little inland lock at Emsworth entirely en plein air over a couple of sunny days. The atmosphere there was so busy and happy, the day was punctuated with cups of tea and chats and shared sandwiches at lunchtime. Just before I left I added ‘Sharron’, the little resident Jack Russell who was tucking into her supper on the bank. I chose not to rework or touch up anything in the painting because it’s vigorous brushwork and colour exactly captured my memory of the day.