A very recent piece which was done from start to finish, admittedly in several sessions. Some work stops and starts for various reasons – interruptions, difficulties, lack of inspiration or materials, it needs to dry…anything and everything. It’s a pleasure to have an uninterrupted run.

This is a long-promised piece for a very good friend. I’ve long been entranced by the patterns in the landscape, and in my days of researching medieval maps used to wonder how generals planned battles before the aeroplane. Alexander the Great climbed a mountain to be able to survey the land under his sway, or so the story goes.

Now we have Google Earth which brings the bird’s eye view to life and helps you to get the facts (roughly) right. But it’s impersonal in its way, even though you can sweep in and see homely details. This particular farmhouse sits in an interesting pattern of fields which change their appearance according to the seasons. Early spring is a good time to see the bare bones.

The lovely Knapeney is a home and a delight to its owner and I decided on impulse to apply gold leaf to the central section where the house and outbuildings sit. Here are some details.

Knapeney, detail

Pure gold

Knapeney, detail