Chine II
I have just finished the second painting in my current series - another view into a botanical garden in one of Bournemouths many chines. A chine is a steep-sided, narrow valley where a stream meets the sea, formed by water eroding soft cliffs and are common in Southern England. I love the fact that these exotic plants can casually exist in the British climate and call it home. The Victorians did a great job in gathering various species from across the globe and curating them in public and private spaces around the country. I will be visiting many of these botanical gardens in the near future and continue to produce paintings celebrating them. I have included a common British garden bird in both Chine paintings to make the point that although tropical in appearance, these are British spaces, with native British animals living in harmony within them.
