studio

Edging tape being removed on completion of the painting.

Herne?

This happened while I was working on the study.

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 less detailed and it's not easy to make out shapes against it. Everything seems to be on the edge of vision. The galloping got louder and for a second I froze. That’s when 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. At this point I switched on a small torch. It must have been strange for him ! He stopped. And went away.