Landscape series painting

Series painting (a group of paintings of the same subject) is undoubtedly most closely associated with the work of Claude Monet. From the late 1880's onwards it became the central theme of his artistic output and he produced many groups of works around different motifs. From the haystacks that lay behind his house at Giverny, through to the front facade of Rouen Cathedral and finally back to the lily ponds of his own garden, he closely observed and recorded the effects of the constantly changing light that fell upon his chosen subjects.

But series painting is not the exclusive domain of this one great man. His friend and fellow impressionist, Alfred Sisley, explored similar territory with his views of the Church of Notre Dame at Moret in the mid 1890's and Cezanne's continued interest around Mont Sainte Victoire can also be viewed as an exploration of a single theme. Artists less well known to the public have also found fascination in painting around a narrow subject base. The English artist, Sir George Clausen painted his own series of brilliant observed pictures around haystacks in the late 19th and early 20th century.


Now I have to say that I'd never really contemplated the idea of painting in series. This may be in part because I hadn't until recently found a suitable subject. But in January of this year I moved to Henley-On-Thames - a place with no shortage of interest for a landscape painter - and on my walks along the Thames tow path, I gradually found myself taking a liking to a particular stand of trees. They stand some ten metres from the river, just the other side of a small fence, in an area of traditional meadow. Perhaps because of their relative isolation it is easier to pick out the changes that they undergo as the sun moves around them. I eventually settled on two of the trees which, from the angle that I have painted them, makes it almost appear to be a single specimen. I've done 3 pictures so far and expect to expand this over the next couple of months to six and then perhaps nine. I am finding it interesting to paint the same basic scene over and over; the more that I do so, the more able I am to concentrate on the differences that occur and I suspect that the pictures may become more subtle as I go along. My abilities as an artist are limited and this is a new challenge but if I wish to understand and progress I need to push myself in new ways. I've included the three that I've done so far here; as usual please feel free to ask any questions...