Sluice on the Kennet and Avon

Time for another old painting?

I seem to recall that this was one of my first paintings en plein air with a knife; I definitely recall taking an extended lunch hour from work to paint it. The sluice is on a stream that comes off the Kennet and Avon canal; my pitch was looking back at the canal (not visible) and the tow path (see that pale brown streak... ?). When I painted this, the section of tow path that the sluice is on formed part of my cycle-commute. I passed the little wooden sluice many, many times, and became quite fascinated by its appearance.

I rather think that the speed with which I executed this suits the subject. Kind of rough and ready... and I am still quite pleased by the success of the rendering of the white water.

Oil on paper, 39.5 x 25 cm approx
Painted in ~2002

For Sale

Update: I revisited the site today (21 July 2012). The sluice looks rather different now. At some point in the last 10 years, the wood has been replaced and a new bridge has been installed. No doubt it's safer... but it doesn't have the same appeal.

Here is today's photograph from approximately the same spot:

Edit: (21 July 2012) According to the signs on the canal, the subject of this painting is a sluice, not a weir; I have duly edited the text.