Held within trees and water, light settles into a place where everything softens and becomes still.

Available Original

Sanctuary is an original gouache painting inspired by a secluded bend of the East Lyn River between Watersmeet and Rockford in Exmoor National Park. The gentle curve of the river slows into a deeper pool, enclosed by ancient woodland and scattered rocks, creating an intimate and sheltered composition.

Filtered sunlight falls through the trees and across the water, where reflections shift gently between light and shadow. Painted from direct observation, the work captures the restorative atmosphere of the East Lyn Valley and the sense of stillness found within this quiet, contained part of the river.

Artwork & Finish

Painted in gouache on textured paper, the work combines layered opaque and semi-opaque colour with softer, more delicate passages. Successive layers create variations in depth, tone and definition while allowing the texture of the paper to remain subtly present within the naturally matt painted surface.

Discover the Artwork

Explore the full artwork page for the story behind Sanctuary, additional images, materials and surface details, related artworks, and available fine art prints.