Above: August I. Oil on 12×9″ wood panel. Rose Strang September 2025

The start of a new series aways begins with a certain amount of fretting! I think I’ve now found a way to explore what inspired me though – namely, August light and shadow on stone.

Not just any stone – this was inspired by a brief visit to Bath during the height of August to visit a friend of my partner Adam (hello Martin!) – a fellow architect. They met while studying architecture back in the 90’s and have remained great friends ever since.

So of course we were treated to a tour of Bath to admire its architecture and Jane Austen vibe in late August sunshine. You couldn’t get more touristy really, but sunlight on stone has always amazed me. I’ve never been trained in the art of architectural drawing, so I’m keeping it simple.

My last series (viewable on this link Forest of Luffness) was so challenging, with such complex ideas that I wanted to keep it simple for the rest of the year.

This series titled August is the first of two series I’ll be painting until the end of the year. The second will be titled November and will focus on the subtleties of light within interior settings.

Both series will be framed in hand-made and wood-stained en plein air frames (think large, dark wood Vermeer-esque frames) which will add much to the architectural theme.

It feels good to get started. More tomorrow …