WIN a wonderful watercolour of White Roding
PUBLISHED: 16:17 15 March 2019

ST. MARTINS CHURCH Seen with all the church visible without any trees obstructing the view.
Archant
James Merriott continues his watercolour tour of Essex and this time stops at White Roding
Another year has passed since I started these features for Essex Life, which was back in April 2005. I might be 14 years older, but my enthusiasm remains as strong as ever at 78 years of age.

Completing six or seven watercolours every month for 14 years adds up to more than 1,000 paintings published, yet I’m still enjoying new aspects of these paintings and creating alternatives with colour and technique, attempting to find the magic touch that is so exciting. There is also still excitement in visiting new places and discovering more and more picturesque scenes around the county.

This was very much in evidence when I visited White Roding, where the excitement was not just to find the historic mill, but to paint it with the beautiful accompanying buildings. Finding two, white thatched cottages added something very special to the composition.

Add to this the tranquillity of the churchyard and the ‘lovely clutter’ at the garden centre gave me places to paint that were not only exciting to find, but also an absolute delight to portray. My needs, I do believe, are very simple. A paint brush, and the beauty all around me.

You can contact James at Cottage Corner Art, 9 Byron Road, Hutton, Brentwood CM13 2RU. Call 01277 210728 or visit www.cottagecornerart.co.uk

For your chance to win James’ original painting St Martin’s Church answer the following question and fill out the form:
Terms & Conditions
The competition closes at 6pm on
April 30, 2019. Usual promotion rules apply. For full terms and conditions, visit www.essexlifemag.co.uk