Watercolours of the Bentleys and Lawford
Artist James Merriott visits one of his favourite areas between the Stour and Colne rivers
Having collected every Essex Life magazine since April 2005, it adds up to a lack of storage space! So, at the start of the year, I decided to take each of my watercolour features from more than 200 complete magazines to be put into folders. I realised how convenient and wonderful it was to be able to look up any feature very easily.
This has been valuable to our many visitors that come for paintings, which we exchange for donations to the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance charity. We now have everything at hand for us to welcome many more Essex Life readers to our gallery at our home address. Also, we are arranging a website, which will be found at jimmerriott.com.
Finally, another exciting development is that we have recently donated six large, framed watercolours to hospital waiting rooms: three to Addenbrookes and three to the Royal London, Whitechapel. Things really do get better and better, and we’re looking forward to seeing many more Essex Life readers at our home studio.
COTTAGE AND ST MARY’S CHURCH
I found this beautiful landscape between two long-distance footpaths: St Edmund Way and Essex Way.
COTTAGE ON CHURCH HILL, LAWFORD
This wayside cottage at Lawford epitomises that small is beautiful.
ST MARY’S, GT. BENTLEY
The light tones of the church against the darker foliage enhance the perfect focal point.
ST. MARYS, LT. BENTLEY
I used touches of light red paint to convey the colourful fabric in parts of the building.
THE PLOUGH INN, GT. BENTLEY
Figures add the necessary life to a country inn painting.
THE BRICKLAYERS ARMS, LT. BENTLEY
Not only figures added to the painting, but also foreground shadow to create depth.
WIN
For your chance to win James’ original painting, The Bricklayers Arms, click here.
You can contact James at Cottage Corner Art, 9 Byron Road, Hutton, Brentwood, CM13 2RU. Call 01277 210 728 or email jamesmerriott_art@btinternet.com to make an appointment.
