Western Shore

This acrylic painting measures 80 x 80 cm and is created on canvas. It is inspired by the landscape of the Great Fen, which is believed to have once been covered by Whittlesea Mere. I have been experimenting with various acrylic mediums and application techniques to create illusions of depth with just a hint of topographical details. The apparent speed of execution is misleading; there are likely three or four paintings beneath the decayed vegetation and peat bogs of earlier compositions.

If you’re looking for the location of Whittlesea Mere today, you should focus on slightly elevated areas rather than low-lying ones, as you might expect. This unusual phenomenon is linked to what happened to the land during drainage processes.

The Great Level of the Fens is the largest fen region in eastern England, encompassing the lower drainage basins of the River Nene and the Great Ouse, covering approximately 500 square miles. It is also known as the Bedford Level, named after Francis Russell, the 4th Earl of Bedford, who led the 17th-century drainage efforts in this area; his son became the first governor of the Bedford Level Corporation. In the 17th century, the Great Level was subdivided into the North, Middle, and South Levels for administrative and maintenance purposes.

Please note that this painting employs iridescent paint, which causes it to change significantly depending on the viewing angle. Therefore, it is challenging to capture the subtle shifts in tone, colour, and luminance through photography.