The story behind the art - Summer in Winterbourne

Summer in Winterbourne Original Painting by Nicola Lester

This is the first in a series I wanted to create to tell a bit more of a story behind each piece of artwork that I have created. I love creating things with meaning, and if I don't start with a story, I can always find meaning in there somewhere!

This particular piece is really special to me as it's the first landscape I've ever painted on canvas that I really and truly love. I had originally called it 'Beginning' as it felt like it was the starting point of what I hope willl be a long and successful career as an artist.

I've kept this original up on my wall for a couple of years now and as I spent time looking at it, I realised there was something familiar about it somehow, some sort of nostalgia even though the reference was not somewhere that has any profound meaning to me at all. Then the memories started to fall in to place and I realised it reminded me of childhood, of the freedom to run around fields and hills with my brother and our dog Barney. I have one particularly fond memory of Barney running through some tall grass and seeing him pop up every now and then when he jumped!

This painting feels so warm and inviting and the colour palette offers that dreamy nostalgic feel. I think that is the pure magic of art right there and how even if the painting has a different meaning to begin with or perhaps no meaning at all, over the course of it's life it will eventually have layer upon layer of memory and significance depending on it's owners.

Close up of Summer in Winterbourne original artwork by Nicola Lester with a ladybird crawling across

Another story about this piece is, when I was out in my garden taking photos to upload, a lovely little ladybird crawled across the top of the painting. I am so pleased I had my camera and managed to catch a quick shot! Ladybirds are meant to be bringers of good luck and with this painting already feeling quite special it felt even more special to be brought a little good luck!

This painting along with a few others will be going live on my website on Tuesday 4th November. If you subscribe to my newsletter you will be first to know when they are live and also receive 15% off your first order of any of my prints in my store and on Etsy.

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