Three's Company


One day I had a visit to the gallery from a lovely couple, who I recognised as soon as they  entered. But it took me a few moments to place them in my mind and to realise that the reason I knew them was because they'd bought a triptych from me a couple of years ago. 

 

It's one of my own favourite views- a wide sweeping vista from Flotterton, which takes in the pattern of fields sloping down the hillside towards Rothbury on the left; the glittering lakes of Caistron, ploughed fields and distinctive peak of Simonside in the centre section; then the exuberant heather hills of the Simonside hills on the right. Regardless of the weather, season or time of day, I always stop to look at this grand view. 
 
I composed the three canvases so that together they made up the full scene- but also so that each individual canvas was a well balanced image in its own right- capable of being hung separately. 
My customers enthusiastically told me how much they love the painting, which hangs in their dining room, where they can look at it every day and be transported back to Northumberland. We had a long chat of this and that, and eventually said our farewells.
 
I was just contemplating how lovely my customers are, and how it's a real privilege to be part of people's daily lives like this, when the gallery bell rang and to my surprise they came back in.  They just had to take a pair of my small oak framed paintings that had been hanging in the gallery window (including the one pictured) of daffodils to compliment the triptych. 
 
I hope these give them just as much pleasure!