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An Artist's view on the Kennet and Avon Canal
 An
Artist's view on the
Kennet and Avon Canal
by Pauline Marshall
A solitary heron poised on the canal side with sunlight filtering thought
the early morning mist, two swans silently gliding behind the narrow boat in
the moonlight, the colourful narrow boats and the ever changing landscape.
These are just some
of the wealth of inspiration that the canal system has to offer me as an artist.
2007 provided me with my first venture at painting, displaying and trying
to sell my pictures canal side on the Kennet and Avon. I overcame the obvious
problems such as getting a trading license, finding someone to provide public
liability (although I am not sure what damage a painting could do to anyone unless
it is psychological! I soon found out the other problems.
 Firstly and probably most importantly…the weather. Last year was so
wet that if we did venture anywhere as soon as I brought out the paintings, it
rained! We had intended to take our boat, Equinox down to Oxford from its mooring
at Bradford on Avon.
 The furthest we had taken it the previous year was Great
Bedwyn and guess where we ended up again…Great Bedwyn. After spending
one rather alarming afternoon trying to go through a lock with me doing the winding
and my husband, Brian trying to negotiate the boat, in the middle of a horrendous
storm. I was stranded at the top during the lightening with no shelter at all!
We decided to return home to our mooring in Bradford on Avon.
 Less obvious problems
included the fact the Brian did not want to stop at my chosen location for displaying
my paintings for very long. He soon developed the wander lust that is his main
reason for buying our narrow boat. Storage space was another factor; there just
isn’t enough room on board for lots of easels,
paintings and of course painting materials alongside all the tools, bits of wires,
various ongoing projects that Brian seems to think essential to carry around.
 Then there is the attraction that the boat has for visitors from the family
and friends who do not really want to spend a perfectly good boating day sitting
in one place trying to sell pictures. Of course visiting grandchildren usually
coincide with prime holiday day!
 Finding your spot can also be quite a challenge.
The day is perfect and course everyone else has noticed and have taken up all
the prime parking spaces. One of the conditions of the trading license is that
it must be on the hard standing areas of the tow path, just where everyone else
wants to be.
 Problems aside, the canals and their abundance of wildlife, colourful boats
and characters provide me with many ideas for my paintings. It is also very easy
to focus on your painting with none of the distractions that you would find at
home.
So once again this year we will be cruising along the canal system, maybe
you will see me if so stop and look and have a chat. You never know you might
appear in one of my pictures!
Pauline Marshall
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