On 2 July, National Meadows Day, I went out with videographer Arthur Baker, to Hinskey Meadows, Oxford, who filmed as I painted en plein air.
It’s always a joy to work outdoors, literally immersed in the subject matter – I had to crouch down in the tall grasses to avoid the wind blowing my canvas off the easel – but this time I had an extra special reason. I not only wanted to capture the sheer magic of a wildflower meadow in midsummer, but I also wanted to highlight the urgency of the need to act to protect this rare habitat, a designated MG4a grassland with its stunning assemblage of flora that has developed over hundreds, maybe a thousand years. It is under threat from plans put forward as part Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme whereby a drainage channel will be gouged right through it, removing an irreplaceable ecosystem.
Please consider signing the petition on https://www.change.org/p/save-hinksey-meadows-from-the-destructive-channel-in-the-oxford-flood-alleviation-scheme
Filming and editing are still in progress. When complete, we plan to use this documentary to promote the campaign to save the meadow and help protect endangered ecosystems.