Abstract landscape painting of purple heather fields in the New Forest with dramatic clouds and textured brushstrokes.

Purple Reverie: A September Painting Inspired by the New Forest

As summer was slipping into autumn, I found myself driving through the New Forest National Park. Suddenly, the landscape opened up — an endless stretch of purple heather rolling across the moorland.

I stopped. Got out of the car, wandered into it, and just stood there, completely taken in by the colours and the stillness. I snapped a few photos, but they could never really hold the wild beauty or the feeling of freedom in that moment.

When I got back to the studio, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So I painted — not just what I saw, but how it felt. I built it up in layers, with texture and depth, and I love how the pops of orange and yellow break through the purples, rather like the fading ferns.

For me, this painting isn’t only a landscape. It’s a piece of peace — a memory of wandering the New Forest as a child, of walking with friends, that sense of adventure and wild unexpected moments one experiences when out in nature. 

Why this painting means something special

When someone adds a piece of art to their home or collection, I think it’s about more than colours. It’s about the story and the feeling it carries. This painting holds:

  • The calm of wide open skies and shifting September light.

  • The energy of layered paint, giving it texture and movement.

  • A sense of connection to the New Forest, a place filled with history and wild beauty.

It’s the kind of artwork that can bring a breath of nature and stillness into a space, while also carrying its own story for years to come.

I’d love for it to go to someone who feels that same pull towards the landscape — someone who wants to bring that peace and colour and sense of adventure into their home.

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