Spring 2026 Studio Update: Dartmoor Landscapes and Seasonal Inspiration

The Spring Equinox has passed, and we’re moving into a welcome stretch of bright, calm, and warmer days.

After the weight of winter storms, the return of sunlight brings a shift in mood — everything begins to feel a little more open, a little more possible.

Work in the studio has continued at a steady pace, and it’s been great to see paintings continuing to find new homes.

Recently, I’ve taken the opportunity to revisit a few earlier ideas and locations, reworking them into something new. One of those is Bibury — a place I came to know well while living near Malmesbury, on the edge of the Cotswolds.

Bibury in the Snow

I am fortunate to have some of my own reference photographs of Bibury under snow as well as during spring and summer. I wanted to recapture the quiet, softened atmosphere you get when the snow falls — particularly along the much-loved Arlington Row. Drawing on my photo's and sketches I made while in Bibury, I set out to create a scene that felt unmistakably wintry, yet still warm and inviting.

In approaching the painting, I found myself inspired by Monet's The Magpie — aiming for that balance between crisp winter light and a sense of stillness. The real challenge was keeping the brushwork loose while allowing just enough structure and detail to hold the scene together. A delicate balance, but one I’m very pleased with in the final piece.

As March unfolded, I received a wonderful invitation to showcase my work locally from Alice and Luke East, owners of Coulscott House and Holiday Cottages — a beautiful 17-acre estate. It’s a real privilege to have my paintings displayed in such a setting.

Alongside this, they have also chosen to feature my work at their second property, The Lost Manor, on the edge of Dartmoor. This opportunity has led to the creation of seven new paintings, including three larger pieces developed specifically with that location in mind.

Seeing the work displayed in situ is something I always value, and I’ll be sharing images of the paintings within these spaces in due course.

The three Dartmoor pieces mark a clear step into the direction I’ve been wanting to explore this year — expansive skies, shifting light, and a stronger sense of atmosphere.

The Showcase Paintings, laid out and ready for final labelling and packing.

Yours truly holding the finished painting of Wallabrook Clapper Bridge, Scorhill Down.

The first is Wallabrook Clapper Bridge, with its well-known lone tree, set against an intense sunset. The foreground is subdued, allowing just a few highlights to define the bridge and tree — creating a sense of quiet drama.

Dartmoor’s long association with literature — including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle — naturally lends itself to a mood of mystery, something I wanted to echo in these works.

Another piece focuses on Bellever Tor, emerging through mist, with just enough ambiguity to invite the question… did you see The Hound?

The final painting is a darker, more atmospheric interpretation of Scorhill Stone Circle, with a dramatic sky cutting across the scene — leaning further into the myths and quiet intrigue that seem to linger across the moor.

Dartmoor is rich with stories, legends, and shifting moods, and in these pieces I hope to have captured something of that spirit.

If you happen to be staying at Coulscott House and Holiday Cottages or The Lost Manor this year, I hope you have a wonderful visit — and perhaps come across the paintings along the way.

For now, it's back to swinging the brushes.

Speak soon,

Chris