Herring Gull © Tracy Hall 20092.25" x 3.25" watercolour on board
This is my latest miniature painting, a Herring Gull perched on the casings used to build the Churchill Barriers. I find rusty metal and weathered wood irresistible, but must admit this one was a lot more work than I had anticipated!
Scapa Flow was an important natural harbour for the Royal Navy during the wars. Early in WW2 a German u-boat managed to get past the blockships (which had been sunk as a defensive measure in WW1) and torpedo the HMS Royal Oak, prompting Churchill to visit the islands and initiate the building of the four barriers to protect the fleet. They were built from massive concrete blocks which were made using these enormous shuttered mould thingies (a technical term), some of which have been left at the Burray end of the third barrier, and provided the starting point for this painting. Both the remains of the blockships and the barriers are very popular with birds throughout the year.
The third barrier on a good day
They have been used ever since by the locals as causeways linking the islands with mainland Orkney. It is not recommended to try and cross in high winds at high tide though (imagine a very long, powerful car wash with stones in it) although the addition of safety rails was a big improvement some years back. The more recent wave wall wasn't :) It can certainly make a trip to the supermarket quite exciting in the winter.
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10 comments:
Hi Tracy. This is absolutely the most complicated painting I can remember seeing from you. That weathered wood is unbelieveable when I think about the size of the finished piece. I love everything about it.
Love this one Tracy as I find wood and rust irrestible too. Great detail. Well done you!
Fabulous composition Tracy! The "starburst" pattern in the wood adds so much visual excitement to the work. I do believe I could paint rust all day long...it's so much fun!
We don't envy at all your trips to the grocery in the winter!
Thanks Mollie, I'm so pleased you like it.
April, Wes and Rachelle I'm so pleased I'm not the only one with the rust thing...do get some weird loOks when I'm taking photos sometimes!!
Tracy, you so put me to shame. I think you must go to sleep with your paint brush in your hand. Beautiful, just beautiful!
Love this Tracy, fabulous detail... maybe you could include the name of the barriers in the title as I learned a lot reading about this? I think this painting will be very successful for you :) Lesley
Super painting! There's seems to be so much motion in push and pull between the wood grain and chain/framework and right in the middle is this solid, still regal looking gull-great peice Tracy, you did it again!
:-D
Tracy...you are sneaky with your postings. I have to check in on you frequently for if I don't I may miss one of your exquisite materpieces! This one is FABULOUS!!! I am so in love with your style! And this one has such a fascinating history too!
Thanks Judy, but perish the thought!
Lesley, if you can come up with a title that includes all that I will use it!!! I got as far as the bird and gave up.
Thanks so much Kim, I think that might have been what I was aiming at but you put it so much better!
Hi Mary, don't mean to be sneaky :))
Stunning miniature. All your tiny paintings are wonderful - and your technique is amazing.
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