Haunts

I've mentioned before about painting the same subject repeatedly, with the same composition in mind, but this is about those places or subjects that draw me back again and again, not as an exercise but striking me as different each time, despite being the same place. I hadn't realised this was the case until the paintings started to pile up 😆 Here are three of my favourite subjects to paint, The trees at New King's College Aberdeen, Fyvie Castle Walled Garden and Fyvie Loch. Mostly 22x15" or 20x16" watercolours and all plein air.

1. New King's College trees, Aberdeen...

There's a row of mature shade trees, sycamore ash and lime growing in front of the facade of New King's. They never fail to catch my eye, and since my 'rule' when I have just a few hours to paint is to paint the first thing that catches my eye, they quite often win.

King's College Trees, from the East

Late Autumn at New King's

King's College Trees in Summer

Cromwell Tower and cloisters from King's College trees.

The West end of New King's, with its trees and Boston ivy.

2. Fyvie Castle Walled Garden

   I live in Fyvie so this one is hardly surprising. But it's a place that changes so dramatically with the seasons and has the friendliest gardeners who do a huge job in all weathers. The walls and trees make this a refuge on windy days, so usually I'm here when I'd intended to paint something else.

Looking through the gate to the Old Home Farm and the 'French Tower' (my name for it) dovecot.

Gates closed (but nicely repainted!)

Chilly December (freezing paint!)

The Sheds

Summer Afternoon in FWG (Traditional Scottish summer clothing)

Blue door, you'll never guess where... (This is the fourth picture it appears in on this page).

Where the tools live

There's a bit of a to and fro between local usage, signage and the Ordnance Survey as to Lake or Loch for this one 😂

This man made "body of water" was constructed over 20+ years from 1777 and sits in Fyvie Estate and has a 1.4 mile walk around its perimeter, plus a picturesque boathouse, and a bird hide. It's one of those places that looks different every day and there's always something to see.

Misty morning on Fyvie Loch

The south end of Fyvie Loch

Summer Afternoon by the Loch

The Lochside Path, Fvyie

That loch again

The leaning mossy tree, Fyvie Loch

Autumn by the bird hide, Fyvie Loch

Behind the Boatshed

In Front of the Boatshed.

Thanks for looking, and Happy Painting! 😃