Wassail Collection

The Wassail collection of paintings draws inspiration from my trip to Devon in early 2023. I was invited to accompany the Cornwall based choir Friends in Harmony, on their musical pilgrimage to Devon, where I witnessed their enchanting concert at Farway church and joined them for a traditional wassailing celebration in a nearby orchard. I found myself enchanted by the richness of the Devonshire countryside. These paintings are a testament to the experiences that unfolded during my weekend away. As I walked along the winding lanes, I translated the scenery into marks in my sketchbook. 

A particular highlight was the wassailing celebration – a nocturnal gathering where voices blended and, in the darkness, I sketched by touch, capturing the communal energy (an energy that is infused in this collection) as those gathered wished for a bountiful apple harvest in the coming autumn.