Travelling Light

Artists bring their own vision to a place and every landscape has its own unique qualities, but it is always the light that governs its character. At heart, Ray Balkwill is a Romantic Painter in the English Tradition and his artistic path has led him inexorably to search out and capture this elusive light. Ray is best known for his portrayal of his native West Country landscape, but travelling has also played an important part in his work. In Travelling Light he journeys to more distant painting grounds through a number of contrasting landscapes in pursuit of new and inspiring subjects. It takes the reader from the rugged and romantic landscapes of Scotland and Ireland, to the sun-drenched vistas of Italy and the splendour that is Venice. Ray has always been a strong advocate of working en plein air and his inspiration comes from being immersed in the landscape.The sketches and paintings not only evoke a memory of time and place special to the painter, but also give a sense of his working methods. It presents a fascinating insight into the painter