My motivation for this little 7″ x 5″ painting was twofold. I have recently sought to produce work with more of a connection to the passing of the seasons. The garden, though now well past its’ summer best, provided the perfect subject. On a chilly day, it had the added benefit of being paintable from the comfort of my studio conservatory. The painting depicts a wooden bird table and, to the left, a display of cosmos which, though consistently beaten and tested by high winds, resolutely survives.

The second motive for the production of this painting was to test out an idea for an art workshop. I am considering running a workshop in which students attempt to produce perhaps four small paintings in one day. In this respect today’s work was relatively successful, taking a little over an hour and a half to complete, although it was deliberately left a little unresolved here and there in order to keep it fresh. The painting was made in Daler-Rowney Georgian oil paints on 7″ x 5″ Crawford & Black canvas board.