The Sussex Weald

This is a view from the high ground to the south side of the Adur Valley in Sussex. Its unbelievable sense of distance first drew my attention as the fields seemed to stretch away to infinity as they finally blended with the sky.

An incident occurred which I will always associate with this painting. My little son was with me at the time and was only about five or six years old. While I studied the view, he amused himself further down the slope by throwing pebbles towards the lower ground. There was no-one else about in what was essentially a rural area, so I had no reason to stop to interfere with his play. But, as I concentrated on my painting, I was interrupted by a man’s loud angry voice having a go at my boy. I wasted no time in putting him straight.

Approx 1989

Gouache