A pastel painting of Clovelly
Seaside village in Devon
It is a long time now since I wandered through Clovelly, a delightful seaside village in Devon.
At the time, its cobblestone streets were awash with tourists. I cannot protest too loudly, since I was one of them, but how I would have loved some space and solitude, to say nothing of the opportunity to soak up the beauty of my surroundings.
When I began this pastel painting many years later, I banished all the tourists and played around for some time with various colours and images.
I wanted to add a character that would not only look like it belonged but also tell its own story, giving some depth and substance to the image.
As I worked through the process, adding layer upon layer of pastel, I eventually settled on the white haired man with his bucket and watering can.
I can almost hear his feet shuffling over the cobblestones as he slowly makes his way down to the shore.
