For generations, artists have stepped outside the studio to work directly from the landscape. Painting en plein air offers something that cannot be recreated from photographs alone: the changing light, shifting weather, movement of plants, sound, atmosphere and sense of place all become part of the creative process.
Gardens are particularly rich places for artists. Carefully designed yet constantly changing, they offer an extraordinary combination of colour, structure, texture and seasonality. A familiar view can look completely different from one hour to the next, encouraging artists to respond instinctively and to notice details that might otherwise be overlooked.
Here in Northamptonshire, Rutland and the surrounding area, we are fortunate to have an exceptional variety of gardens and historic landscapes on our doorstep. Over the last year, our Artists in the Garden project has given local artists opportunities to work within some remarkable settings: Boughton House, Deene Park, Prebendal Manor, Nevill Holt, Delapré Abbey and, of course, Lamport Hall.
Each visit has offered a different source of inspiration; formal gardens, historic architecture, mature trees, sweeping views, intimate corners and the countless small details that make each place unique. The resulting work is not simply a record of a garden, but an artist’s individual response to being there at a particular moment in time.
Projects such as this are also about supporting artists. Providing opportunities to meet, make work, exchange ideas and explore new places helps sustain a thriving local creative community. In turn, artists help us see the landscapes around us differently, capturing their character and celebrating the beauty that can sometimes be easy to take for granted.
We are enormously grateful to the owners, gardeners, staff and carers of every garden that has welcomed us. Their generosity has allowed artists to spend time in these special places and has helped create a lasting artistic celebration of the extraordinary landscapes that surround us.