JANUARY 2023 (3)

Yesterday I found an email from Larry in my in box, he says, "Hi Jean my latest offering for the blog. This is a painting of the Old Pack Horse Bridge at Carrbridge in the Cairngorms National Park. I have included a photograph of the information plaque which is nearby. This painting does not really do justice to the scale of the bridge, that is best appreciated from the figures seen crossing the bridge on the information plaque. The painting went very well although the foreground water is a bit muddy."

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Here is the plaque

Thank you for this Larry, and for the information concerning your subject which is very interesting.  I think your river is fine.  The right hand side of the painting is excellent and really captures the effect of stones under the water.  Maybe the left hand side is not quite as good but it is not the focal point so does not matter.  

I wonder if the foliage in the background could be lighter to push it further back from the bridge? On the left it may give a greater sense of distance between the bridge and the trees.  I note the plaque shows a little of the far bridge wall, and although it may not have been visible to you, it might help inform the viewer?  On the right the bridge has the lovely underside of light and shadow against the far bank and perhaps some of that light could be continued a little in the background trees beyond the bridge to the right?  The trees themselves are beautifully painted against the sky and capture the British countryside perfectly.