no moonlight
oil on board, 183mm x 130mm
private collection
print
available click
here
If there are ancient experiences this
was one. It was winter and the ground was bare. I was sitting
painting. It was late with no moon and in the distance I thought I
heard horses hooves on bare earth. Old... There were hundreds of
yards of open field on all sides and I could see nothing. With no
moonlight the skyline becomes much less detailed and you can’t
make out shapes easily. Everything seems to be on the edge of
vision.
The galloping got louder and for a second or two I froze. I felt
the hairs on the back of my neck stand up for the first time in my
life; I could almost feel my neck get bigger. I sensed the
direction and thought this must be a deer, but the sound was heavy
and loud - a stag. I saw a shape move up from the skyline not far
away.
I switched a little torch on. It must have been strange for him
! He stopped. And went away.