Shades of Blue
Manningtree
Essex

This is my second attempt at this picture, when I painted the first one I was really pleased with it, but over time my style has changed, so I enjoyed the challenge to have another go and allow myself to go over old ground with new eyes.

The original photograph was taken in 2023 on one of my first trips to Manningtree, having recently discovered Essex and in particular its unique landscapes.

The water is part oil and part photography where the top of the surface is the paint and the depths become the photo. Part of the technique I've developed is almost to fill the gaps of the painting with the original photo.