Powter How, a special place.
Powter How at Bassenthwaite Lake near Keswick is a very special place. A 15th century farm on the site of an old Viking settlement, it became a place of sanctuary and renewal with a very busy life and a growing family.
Mum & Dad bought Chestnut Tree Barn at Powter How in November 1990, a lovely slate built barn that was the perfect spot for walking holidays in the Lakes. Every half term we packed up the car, the kids and a bike and headed over the A66 to Keswick with fish & chips from kingfishers en route.
Holidays were walks on the fells, boat trips on the lake, bike rides up Newlands, tea & cake in the town. Walks through the woods, binoculars in the bird hide and skimming stones.
The kids grew and graduated from back packs to walking boots and the holidays were much loved.
When Dad got ill the Barn became too much for Mum and it was sold in Sept 2011 just to simplify life for Mum. It made sense but we missed those trips to the Lakes.
When Dad died in 2013 we scattered his ashes on Bassenthwaite Lake, a tranquil, beautifull spot. Time went by and in 2017 we returned to the Lake. With memory of both my parents on the breeze at Bassenthwaite it felt like an appropriate place to complete a body of work for my final degree exhibition.
On the shores of Bassenthwaite.
I think I made 4 trips, all very different in terms of weather and feeling. The result is a body of work with 5 large oil on board paintings as the center piece that track the panorama of the Lake from looking North through to the view East, almost a full 360 degree perspective described across 15 individual pieces.
After a full day painting down by the lake on a lovely spring day I decided to make the ascent of ‘Barf’ - this is a very very hard climb out the back of Powter How. Relentlessly steep I ascended through the trees to the open fell side and found a spot to draw. The heavens opened, the rain & hail came down and huddled under an umbrella I managed a sketch! A proper Lakeland experience. The decent was a nightmare, slippy and steep my legs were in pieces by the bottom.
From Barf. Oil on Board. 20 x 25 cms.
I like the little extracts from the Barn journal that document our growing family in cartoon!
University Campus Doncaster Degree Show June 2023
I started to make painting trips to the Lake staying in small Hotels, great days taking on the elements to produce my work. Lots of sketches and oil paintings to capture the scale, beauty and emotion of the place, trying to communicate my connection to Powter How.
Looking North from Whinlatter Terrace.
Oil on board. 60 x 50 cms
Perched on a ledge up Barf drawing in the rain!
I finshed the series of paintings by the end of May 2023 and spent a week learning how to make frames. This was a struggle, I made loads of mistakes but learnt a lot and feel as though it was time well spent.
I hung the final degree show on 14th June 2023. Standing back in the space, a three sided ‘room’ that served to recreate the feel of the Lake basin, I had a moment! A feeling of satisfaction on seeing the work done, seeing the representation of this special place to share with people, proud of what I had achieved - the end of 3 years work on my degree, but most of all I felt that emotional connection to my family.
Catbells & Borrowdale Fells Shrouded in Cloud.
Oil on Board. 60 x 50 cms
This has been cathartic, emotional and satisfying. I have tested my plein air painting skills, learnt a bit about framing and hopefully passed my degree.
20th June 2023.
