The National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket is well known and highly regarded both locally, nationally and internationally. Part of the museum is housed in a beautiful building which used to be the Royal Palace of Charles II when he came to the town to enjoy the racing.

The museum held its very first open Art exhibition from 12th February until 24th April 2022. I took this exhibition as an opportunity to try out a submission which wasn’t watercolour, my usual medium, and was very lucky to have two pieces accepted, both of which began their journey through plein air sketches using charcoal, pencil and indian ink, all of which danced on the paper in the rain at Knettishall Heath on a windy,sunny, then blustery and showery day.

 

      At home, the sketches were allowed to dry, flattened out and then recomposed into two pieces …

Suffolk squall

‘Suffolk squall’ sought to capture the weather of the day – the greying skies and the wind and and the movement of the heather and bracken across the heathland in the blustery winds through collaged elements brought together.

Knettishall procera

The second piece, ‘Knettishall procera’ was inspired by the striking procera or parasol mushrooms which were growing in abundance on the heath.

Think I looked pretty proud to have had two pieces accepted and hung in this beautiful museum!

And yes – the red dot means that ‘Suffolk squall’ found a new home!