"Samuel’s Mill" oil on panel 16"x 12"

I am very proud to present my award winning original oil painting, titled "Samuel's Mill" 
 
The oil painting was completed in April 2021 after approximately 60 hours of work. it's size is 16” x 12” on gesso primed 6mm MDF panel. The painting is varnished and framed in light wood with a white 1.5" mount. 
All original paintings come with a certificate of authenticity.
 
I was delighted to come runner-up in "Art Show International" with this work, so I'm extremely proud of it.
The scene is set in Marple, Cheshire, England. The title of the painting was named after Samuel Oldknow, who was responsible for much of the development of mills and warehouses for the cotton boom.  
Cut from MDF 6mm depth panel board. The board was primed with Gesso, sanded to a smooth finished surface for fine detail work, then blocked-in. Why this scene? I wanted to capture this beautiful spot along the Peak Forest Canal in the north of England, which is quite local to where I live. I have walked and cycled this towpath countless times over the years with my family, and still fully appreciate when here, it’s calming influence and natural beauty, which I hope the owner of the painting will pick up on and feel the peace and tranquillity. The canal and warehouse in the painting are steeped in history. The title “Samuels Mill” refers to Samuel Oldknow who was a cotton entrepreneur in the late 1700s. He was responsible for the building of several cotton mills and warehouses around Stockport, Marple Bridge and Mellor in the north of England, and so I wanted to capture in my realism style the history in the different coloured stonework in the building and the repairs to the gable end. This was certainly a challenge for me, which contributed to over 70 hours of work to complete the painting Samuel Oldknow was also a major sponsor in the construction of the Peak Forest Canal, which served as a way to transport his merchandise. In the painting, a narrowboat has just passed through one of the chain of 16 locks enabling the boats to descend/ascend 63m. The overcast day is typical of mid-summer here, the light is weak and I tried to capture the dark dense foliage along the canal towpath and the varied greens reaching out for light. On the right side of the painting, wall climbing Boston Ivy is in stark contrast to the dark overgrown privet hedge in the background of a slightly neglected garden.
 
I have tried to create depth in the painting, by leading the viewer along the tow path, through the varied greens of the trees passed the mill and beyond. 
 
I hope you enjoy looking at this scene as much as I did painting it, thank you.