Vivienne Pooley loves high places and she captures their drama on canvas. Barbara Waite reports

From her early days Vivienne Pooley has always been drawn to the high places. Growing up in the Lake District, she became a keen hill walker combining it with her other love – watercolour painting.

Gable from Lingmell shown here is typical of her work. Detailed and atmospheric, it depicts the central mountains near the Scafell Pikes. Measuring 76cm x 102 cm it makes a powerful statement.

‘I chose this particular oil painting because it epitomises the wild grandeur of the Lake District in the winter snow,’ says Vivienne. ‘As a keen walker, I love these wild places and wish to depict the austere awesomeness of our mountains here in the north west, especially in the winter.’

From her home near Kirkby Lonsdale, there is plenty of inspiration on the doorstep, but Vivienne now travels further afield painting in Scotland and the Swiss and French Alps.

For someone who loves the drama and poetry of these isolated places, it is no surprise that she held a lifelong ambition to go to Everest, and achieved it by trekking to the base camp in Nepal.

She paints in oils and watercolours and, as a member of the Lakes Artists’ Society, Lonsdaletakes part each year in the summer exhibition in Grasmere and the current winter show running until mid-January at Rheged, near Penrith.

In addition, during the past few years she has held four solo exhibitions at John Ruskin’s home, Brantwood, near Coniston, and two at Rheged.

Prices for small, framed oils start at �600, rising to �2,500 for larger works.

To get in touch or make an appointment to visit her studio/gallery at Low Biggins e-mail vivienne@viviennepooley.plus.com or call 01524 27366.