Catte Street towards Radcliffe Square, Oxford

Catte Street towards Radcliffe Square, Oxford.

Sheltered between two university buildings, I persevered with a rather damp painting trip to Oxford. Apart from the rain, which eventually makes it way up your sleeves, I was having a good day. The opportunity to paint wet pavements and overspill guttering, for example, I find a joy. Also, the body language of the figures trying to limit their exposure to the elements is interesting to observe and capture.

I’d set up here because I liked the view through to Oxford’s Radcliffe Camera and Bodelian Library in the far distance. I could have literally set up anywhere if it weren’t for the rain, as there are a plethora of street scenes revolving around the Radcliffe Camera itself as well as the surrounding streets and alleyways. I actually spent the best part of the trip painting within a 200-yard radius of this place.

I felt I was in familiar territory even though I’d not painted here because the buildings were typical of my home town of Stamford and my nearby neighbour Cambridge. The stone in places is pure raw sienne and occasionally yellow ochre. This scene in particular was a doddle to block in due to the abundance of Raw Sienna, which I carefully muted down as the buildings receded into the distance to create an arial perspective.

12x16in
Oil on canvas
Framed

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