You'd think that the landscape would stay the way it was, wouldn't you? Peaceful, rural settings enchant us precisely because they don't change. Or do they?
Constantly and alarmingly, in my experience. I've put trees in paintings and come back the next day to find that whole limbs have fallen off. On occasion, I've taken a walk the day after a windy night and found whole trees sprawling across the landscape, rather than standing proudly in it. But then, a fallen tree can be a good subject to paint.
This June I drew a scene in my favourite landscape spot and took some reference photos. Luckily, as it turned out, because when I came back two days later the farmer had been and cut a swathe through the big patch of cow parsley and nettles that was going to be a big part of the painting I had planned.
Which is why I stress two points to anyone who wishes to paint English landscapes:
1) Get a camera and use it.
2) Yes, you can and should come back tomorrow to continue working on your subject. But there might be snow. Or fog. Or torrential rain. This is England. Banking on a week of fine weather and samey days can lead to frustration and disappointment. Refer to point 1) above.
