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Catte Street towards Radcliffe Square, Oxford is an original oil painting by Nick Grove.
Painted en plein air by Nick Grove.
Nestled between two grand university buildings, I worked through a damp painting session in the heart of Oxford. Persistent drizzle crept steadily up my sleeves, yet the conditions offered unexpected rewards: wet pavements catching the light, rainwater spilling from gutters, and figures hurrying past in quiet negotiation with the weather.
I chose this spot for its view towards the Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian Library beyond. Even with the rain limiting my options, the surrounding streets revealed an abundance of potential compositions. The area around the Radcliffe Camera alone could occupy a painter for days; in fact, most of my time in Oxford was spent within a few hundred yards of this site.
Although it was my first time painting here, the place felt oddly familiar. The honeyed stone—ranging from raw sienna to muted yellow ochre—echoed the architecture of Stamford and nearby Cambridge. Blocking in the scene came naturally, using raw sienna as a foundation and gradually muting the colour as the buildings receded into the mist, creating a soft aerial perspective. Despite the rain, it was a deeply satisfying day’s work.
When the painting returned unsold in 2024, it was immediately clear to me that it was not quite resolved. Time away had allowed my eye to sharpen, and rather than repaint the work entirely, I made a series of restrained adjustments—just enough to strengthen the whole without disturbing its integrity. The painting now reflects that growth and will be exhibited at the Royal Society of Marine Artists at Mall Galleries.
