Capturing the view from St Giles Hilltop

I walked to the viewpoint hoping to see the Probation Service, due to arrive this week, painting the railings but instead came across a painter of quite a different sort.

Local artist Don Lavelle was on day 5 of 15 capturing the view of the city from this iconic viewpoint. You may be familiar with Don as an artist who has a catalogue of acrylic and watercolour paintings of Winchester. Four of his paintings are on display at Greens Bar and Kitchen, if you would need a cultural excuse for a meal and a drink.

Don’s art is captured “en plain air” - that is, solely on the spot - and he has a monocular to enable him to pick out precise detail.

It would be great to own such an artwork but this commission is off to a client in New Zealand. The view from St Giles Hill has an extensive reach it would seem.