Arbor Low stone circle (3)

This was my third painting – another scene from the Peak District photo book. Arbor Low is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Derbyshire and is sometimes referred to as the 'Stonehenge of the Peak District'. The henge was constructed about 2500 BC. No one knows why it was constructed or what it was used for, but it must have been an important focal point for the people of the time.

Like many Derbyshire beauty spots, it can be bleak in winter and stunning on a fine spring morning. This photo was obviously taken on a bleak day, but I loved the unusual black, mauve and lemon sky in this photo.

Hand stone, Beeley Moor (2)

This was my second painting after reconnecting with art in 2006. This scene is another one from the Peak District photo book – of a hand stone on Beeley Moor. On this heather clad moor, some 1,200 feet above sea level, there are over thirty pre-historic barrows and cairns.

Beeley Moor can be bleak but I was drawn to this photo by the strong colours, particularly the dramatic purple sky. I also liked the way the hand stone sits in what resembles a nest.