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By Ashley, 03/11/2011 8:57 am

Fen Roots is a sculpture commissioned by Wetherspoons pub chain for a new pub opening in the fen town March. The new pub ‘The Hippodrome’ used to be a cinema and is a lovely building with loads of character.

The sculpture is really a continuation of my Fenland Series. In fact, I lived in the Fenland town March for five years and enjoyed many walks through Gault Wood and Norwood Road nature reserve. And this sculpture is inspired by the overgrown areas, the gnarled trees and old roots. Most of all I enjoyed the new growth of spring.

The sculpture is Created from recycled steel tubing and metal pétanque balls. The bare metal finish is lacquered and waxed.

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By Ashley, 03/25/2009 8:59 am

I spent a chilly but peaceful Sunday at the Woolpack Fishery in Godmanchester attempting, unsuccessfully, to catch one last tench from lake 8. Unfortunately, many of the lakes have changed hands and from April are unavailable to anyone except syndicate members. No doubt it will we be restocked with carp and already, much to the annoyance of many non anglers, the foot path through to fields beyond is blocked.

What upsets me is, most of the other lakes there already offer carp fishing but lake 8 was more of a mixed fishery with tench, bream and roach. It was a tranquil place to be, watching the grebes, coots, warblers and deer go about their life. Even if I did not catch anything I still had a good day. It was also a good place to sketch and plan new paintings.

Oh well, all good things come to an end!!

Night fishing in the fens - Woolpack Fishery, Godmanchester

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By Ashley, 03/17/2009 11:49 am

I have just completed a new oil painting for my fenland series – literally the paint is still wet.  

It is 24 x 18 inches and on a deep canvas so does not need a frame.

Oil painting depicting the fenland landscape

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By Ashley, 03/12/2009 9:59 am

Part of the fenland series - Oil on canvas

Fenland Rise is another work in my fenland series of landscape paintings. I wanted to capture the overcast morning light that spread across the rapeseed and ploughed fields near the fen town of Whittlesey .

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By Ashley, 02/21/2009 5:47 pm

 I plan to update this blog with my new work and work in progress.

Part of Ashley Baldwin-Smith's series of fenland scenes

Recently, I have been working on a series of paintings depicting the fens. I spend a lot of time out in the fens sketching; fishing and walking my dog and it seemed natural to paint it. I have worked in a variety of styles – whatever felt right for the scene, mood, time of day and most of all how it made me feel. 

Oil paint and mixed media

I have also been working on a very different series titled ‘recycled art’. For some I have purchased art from charity shops and then reworked them. For others, I have collected found objects and created a number of different sculptures and assemblages.