Mobile artists who paint among wild flower meadows
Roaming country lanes in their camper van, two artist friends search out places to inspire them to paint outside on June days
On a summer’s morning in June, deep in the Cambridgeshire countryside, two women with paper and board are standing on a grassy path. To one side, a hedge bows, heavy with fragrant elder blossom, and to the other, a small wildflower meadow is loud with the buzz of bees. A red kite soars overhead, and the bubbling birdsong of a blackcap and a whitethroat can be heard. Each woman is focused intently on a mass of pink and white campion, tangled and twined with sainfoin, vetch, clover and sorrel. With a flourish of strokes, artists Jane Hindmarch and Maxine Greer begin to create a representation of the scene in front of them. Using dark graphite sticks and colourful pastels and pens, soon fine lines and delicate shapes begin to form into a profusion of flowers and leaves. For the last two years, the women have been getting out and about in the country lanes near their homes in Stamford, just over the border in Lincolnshire. They capture the natural highlights of each season, such as woodland carpeted with bluebells, undulating blue acres of flax flowers, a sea of red poppies bobbing in the breeze or a patch of vibrant dandelions. “We never usually travel further than a 20-mile radius because we have to get there and back in a day, with plenty of time to work in between,” explains Jane. They use a
repurposed sky blue and white camper van as a mobile studio. “Our van is a 1974 model, and it doesn’t go much faster than 50mph. But we don’t need to drive for miles because we are surrounded by lanes, woods and softly rolling fields, which are full of inspiration.”
Touring to draw
The two met 27 years ago when Maxine held an exhibition at the arts centre where Jane was renting a studio. “We clicked instantly,” recalls Maxine. She had recently graduated from Loughborough College of Art, where she specialised in textiles. Jane had studied painting and print making at Edinburgh College of Art. “Our art training is different, but we’ve both always been passionate about landscapes and drawing from observation,” explains Jane. Over the years, they remained firm friends. Jane received the old VW van in 2009 as a Christmas gift from her husband. She had it fully restored, with the intention of using it as a studio on wheels, but caught up in a busy life with three young children, she had never managed to carry out her plan. “One day, on impulse, Maxine and I decided we would go out in it. We quickly realised how it could enable us to explore the local countryside and engage with nature more closely. We found that even if we only drove four miles, we
escaped the distractions of daily life and could focus solely on drawing and painting. From there, we developed our idea of touring and drawing, or Kombisketchtour, as we named it.” The two artists go out at least once a week, all year round. A typical day begins with a joint decision on a destination. “We keep our eyes open all the time, and local people and friends do tip us off if they’ve seen something special, such as foxgloves in a wood while walking their dog,” says Maxine. “A farmer told us about his meadow of cowslips in the spring, and we’ve also learned where are the best field margins for wild flowers. It’s not just about the detail; we are always looking for a location with fizz, froth and movement. Sometimes, we set off without knowing where we’re going and wait until we spot something that stops us in our tracks. Recently, for example, we tracked down some rare pasqueflowers in an ancient disused limestone quarry.”
Prepared for the day
Once the van is parked, Maxine and Jane pour cups of coffee from their flask. “There are no tea-making facilities in the van, so we always come prepared,” says Jane. “We have a picnic basket packed with sandwiches and cake. Food and drink are very important to the process.” Seated at the small white van table, the pair discuss the day’s objectives. “We decide exactly what we are planning to do. For example, we might be looking for a card design or a folded book idea, or maybe a sketch on which to base a painting, but we always make firm plans and aims for the day. We find an organised approach makes us more productive.” Jane and Maxine walk to their chosen spot carrying a bag of art supplies and two light fold-up chairs each. “We can’t go too far from the van because we have too much equipment,” says Maxine. They set up both chairs, each placing them back to back, approximately 1½ft (0.5m) apart. An artist’s board,
measuring 4ft 9in by 1ft 5in (145 x 45cm), is then positioned on the top of each pair of chairs, to create a makeshift desktop. “We use a heavy 300-350g cartridge paper, and sometimes we might pre-prepare it, so it’s not plain white,” explains Maxine. “In advance, I might stain my paper with weak tea or saffron in water, just to disrupt the surface and make it look less stark.” Sketches vary in size from 6in by 8in (15 x 20cm) to 16in by 43in (40 x 110cm). The women are currently working on sketches for a project on the landscapes written about by Northamptonshire poet John Clare. Their work will involve folded books with concertina-like pages and small 4in by 6in (10 x 15cm) lino prints.
Individual interpretations
They begin with a 10-minute ‘limbering up’ session. A selection of media is used, including coloured marker pens, graphite sticks, oil pastels, watercolours, or even a twig snapped from a hedge and dipped in coloured Indian ink. Standing at their boards, they make fast, loose marks on the paper. “With a detailed subject such as the campion meadow, it’s important not to feel overwhelmed by the size, so this is a way of getting started,” says Maxine. Though they draw the same view, the artists each give it different treatment. Jane sometimes favours acrylic paints and produces work with a semi abstract feel in bold colours. She uses a large, rounded-end, natural hair brush to make firm strokes on her board. Maxine’s work might feature delicate patterns in watercolour created by the plants etched against the landscape. She carries with her a small collection of treasured brushes, which she found in a charity shop. “We have different backgrounds and training, so the end result is not the same. However, we get invaluable support from each other,” says Jane. “We also enjoy crossing boundaries between disciplines and never limit ourselves to one medium. Working with someone else means you never fall back into the same old patterns. It keeps things moving.” Both aim to complete their work in the field, rather than taking it back to their studios and adding to it. “It’s just
not the same when you work inside,” explains Maxine. “There’s a freshness that comes to the product from working from the field. Of course, there are days when things don’t go to plan, and although we like to come away with something that we’re pleased with, it’s never a lost experience if it doesn’t work.” After the initial quick sketch, the pair progress to a longer drawing session, which they call a Kombi classic. “We find that two hours of drawing and painting is usually enough in one place. Sometimes, during that period, we are quiet. Other times, we chat, or if it’s not working out, we mutter to each other. If things are going really well, we tend to sing a lot,” laughs Maxine. “It’s good to have a friend’s support. Apart from the fact that it means you’re not a lone woman in a remote spot, it helps to build momentum.”
Welcome refuge
Working outside so regularly puts them at the mercy of the elements. “I suffer with sunstroke, so I always come prepared with a hat,” says Maxine. “We also wear insect spray. I’ve been attacked by horseflies in a wood, and we do get the occasional bite or sting, but we’ve also had some magical encounters with wildlife. Recently, we met a herd of fallow deer crossing a field in front of us. We had a hare come hurtling towards us in a field margin last week, which was joyous.” If there is a downpour, the artists adjourn to the van. They either keep working with the sliding door open to the elements or simply wait for the storm to pass. “The van is our sanctuary. It’s our shelter from the wind and the rain. We carry a stack of wild flower reference books and Ordnance Survey maps with us, so if we have to retreat, we can research what we’re looking at and work out exactly where we have ended up.” “Getting outside and drawing is always worth it,” enthuses Jane. “We find that people like to hear the stories behind our work, and we write a blog to share our experiences.” Maxine agrees. “We take something extra away with us by working in the field. Setting off in the van is a chance to leave the routine behind and connect with the environment. Being among nature and drawing is such a healing process. I don’t think we’ll ever tire of it.”