Foreword by Stephen Fuller
For our next “My 5 and me” blog, we are very lucky to have convinced our Associate Artist Cathy Pearce to give us an insight into her work. Cathy is a graduate of Central St Martins College of Arts and Design. She now practices her art in the leafy Wiltshire countryside alongside her potter husband, Nick. Her colour filled landscapes draw on her local influences, including the nearby flower filled chalk uplands and the quietly bubbling chalk streams that meander through the Wiltshire lowlands. Her work is characterised by beautiful mark making that sometimes verges on the semi abstract. She was recognised at the 2025 Pastel Society show, in the Mall Galleries, London where her piece, “Bright and Early” deservedly won the 2025 Artist Magazine Award. She also regularly runs workshops and has been featured on the Sky Arts Landscape Painter of the Year. Over to Cathy…
I was delighted to be asked by Stephen Fuller and Unison Colour to share with you 5 of my favourite paintings and tell you a little bit about what makes them so special to me and their relevance to my painting practice.
Some of my favourite paintings I have already shared with you in my previous blogs here on the Unison Colour website and so here are five new ones, three of which are very current from this year. All my paintings I share with you now and indeed my whole pastel painting practice has evolved using purely Unison Colour pastels. I have tried most brands and have quite a collection of assorted odds and ends for experimental purposes and always come back to my Unison sticks. My previous blogs describe exactly why I love Unison Colour pastels so much and include all the varied techniques they are perfect for.
1. The Cloud, Erlstoke Woods, Wiltshire. 40x40cm. November 2023
I have chosen my first painting as it truly represents my passion for being a landscape painter. In the autumn of 2023, I was asked if I would take on a commission for a painting of a favourite view as a special birthday present. Much preferring to see an actual view rather than work from a photograph, I suggested meeting up with the recipient in order to see the views she was contemplating.
It was wonderful being able to walk the views with her whilst discussing colour, composition, scale, favourite season and her feelings about the countryside she showed me. I wanted to be able to give her a choice of compositions as I was totally inspired by her chosen views on the edge of Salisbury Plain. I spent the next two weeks sketching and photographing the areas we had walked and set to work on 4 paintings. This is not the actual view chosen but it happens to be my favourite of the 4, illustrating the drama both in composition and colour that gives me such a thrill to paint. A friend of mine bought this piece for her new home, which happens to be a few doors along from the commission recipient. Visiting this area also triggered a series of six smaller works, one of which was purchased by the commission recipient, another was chosen for The Pastel Society annual show 2024 and the final four were bought by new collectors from my open studio event last year, one each for their 4 daughters as it was their favourite family place to walk.
2. Early Morning, Martinsell Hill, Wiltshire. 68x48cm. September 2024
What makes my second choice of paintings so special is, like the first one, it is a new painting venue for me and also the timing which was just so perfect being able to see the low morning sun so stunningly shine through the various layers of trees across a vast view over the Pewsey Vale, witnessing the most extraordinary blue shadows. This large piece was painted from my original pastel sketch worked in situ en plein air. This piece gave me back the wonderful feeling I get when I work on this large scale, not having done so for good few months. Loving this colour scheme and also being a favourite view, this piece was bought immediately by one of my regular collectors.
3. Reflections, Caen Hill Locks, Wiltshire. 48x33cm. June 2025.
The first of the three paintings painted this year that I share with you is one which celebrates the position of my new studio which I moved into in April this year along with a new set of stunning views to paint. At Caen Hill there is a flight of 29 locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal between Rowde and Devizes, Wiltshire. On the morning of painting this painting, I discovered that it takes just 30 minutes to walk with all my painting equipment to this spot through a beautiful large orchard and up to one of the locks. This particular view is painted standing beside one of the lock pounds observing the reflections in the still water. Painting water has become quite a favourite subject and brings with it such tranquility in the process. I was delighted to sell this piece to one of my regular collectors.
4. Buck Moon, Caen Hill Locks, Wiltshire. 47x23cm. July 2025.
Earlier this year, I had the idea that I would really love to paint the sunrise as often as possible, not so easy during the summer months to fit into my busy routine. Dawn is such a special time, particularly for a painter who loves colour and also happens to be a morning person like myself. I wish I could paint the sunrise every single morning. It fills me with excitement just to think about it… the unpredictable combinations of colour which are inconceivable until you witness them.
On this particular morning, I had decided to go up to the top of Caen Hill to watch the sun rising over another favourite view, Roundway Hill as I knew the orientation of the sun would be perfect. I left the house at 4:15 and driving out onto the main road I saw the full moon so gold and beautiful and big ahead of me, teasing me! For the 10 minute drive, I was in a quandary, follow the moon or stick to my original plan! So of course, I decided to follow the moon. How often are you in the right place at the right time and with your painting equipment?
I parked on the top of Caen Hill as planned and leapt out of the car with all my gear, in search of the full moon on the lock side of the hill and sure enough I found it in between some trees and peeping through the huge dried grass on the bank of one of the lock pounds. By 4:30 I was set up and painting furiously to capture the moment in pastel. It didn’t take very long as actually it is quite a simple composition, but it filled me with such a thrill. The serendipity of the moment was just incredible and an experience I shall never forget.
This feeling is the very reason I like to paint en plein air, it’s an amazing experience but also witnessing such an extraordinary event fills me with love for our precious planet. This piece is still available to purchase and I know it’s waiting for a very special collector who will love and know the splendour of totally living in the moment!
5. Apples on the Path, Woodborough, Wiltshire. 68x48cm. September 2025
Yet another newly discovered painting venue, standing on a bridge over the Kennet and Avon Canal as it travels through the Pewsey Vale, with a view of Woodborough Hill in one direction and this beautiful sunken lane hidden in an abundant thicket of berries in the other. This August, I have fallen in love with the abundance that our countryside is currently offering us in terms of native berries and fruit. Overgrown undergrowth, thickets, hedgerows and generally chaotic vegetation has always been a favourite subject but throw in the amazing colours of the berries of various species of hedgerow plant and huge numbers of apples, I am in my element!
This painting is the complete opposite of what I recommend to students in that it is absolutely filled with pastel marks and details with very little space for the eye to rest but I love it for it’s chaotic portrayal of such beautiful subject matter that I am witnessing in the local countryside right now. For me landscape painting is totally of the moment, it is what is happening out there right now… such a mindful occupation.
Again this large piece was actually worked up in the studio from my plein air pastel sketch. As I write this, I am excited to see it again soon I hope, as it is currently with my framer.
Well here we are at the end of my chosen five, thank you so much for reading my meanderings about my paintings and I hope I have inspired you to take your Unison Colour pastels outdoors to paint the beautiful countryside near where you live. I am writing this with my studio door open as it is a Thursday and Thursdays are the day of the week when I welcome visitors to my studio so if you find yourself in Wiltshire, in Rowde near Devizes, on a Thursday between 9.30am and 4pm then I would be delighted if you pop in and say hello. There is also a café on site for delicious coffee time, lunchtime and tea time treats!
2 comments
Bridget Derc
Lovely set of pictures. Very inspiring.
Sue Owen
Cathy’s paintings always excite and inspire me – I love her abundant use of colour and interesting mark making. Most importantly she imbues them with soul – the shared excitement at her beautiful surroundings.
Of course I am very lucky to live in the same area and will never tire of the wonderful Wiltshire landscapes! It’s been great to meet Cathy, to have some lessons from her, and to have two of her paintings in our home.
I absolutely love those blue shadows but the apples on the ground painting is absolutely my cup of tea – so abundant and a celebration of colour and hedgerows!