English Winter

There are two very dainty villages in Surrey named Compton. This is the one next to Farnecombe; the other is adjacent to Farneham.

In these paintings: the outbuildings and pollarded plane trees of the village's Tudor manor, and a distant view of the Withies, the 17th c. pub. The staff of the latter were kind enough to bring me hot cider while I was painting.

I painted these around Christmas, and therefore, although winter in Surrey is not like winter in Canada, both were done as swiftly as possible. It was not so cold that the watercolours froze, but my fingers became very stiff very quickly nonetheless.