Here at least were intelligible facts regarding landscape—far-reaching proofs productive of genuine satisfaction.
The untameable, Ishmaelitish thing that Egdon now was, it always had been.
Civilization was its enemy, and ever since the beginning of vegetation its soil had worn the same antique brown dress, the natural and invariable garment of the particular formation.
In its venerable one coat lay a certain vein of satire on human vanity in clothes.
A person on the heath in raiment of modern cut and colours has more or less an anomalous look.
We seem to want the oldest and simplest human clothing where the clothing of the earth is so primitive…The Return of the Native..Thomas Hardy

As with all the others in this series, I paint inspired by the feelings I experience when reading Hardy’s books…I want to paint emotion and mood, not to imitate what I have seen or read…when the painting is complete, I reread the passages, and much to my surprise I find that the memory is deep seated…
I am never conscious of reproducing any particular lines, but here in “Egdon Sunrise” is the “antique brown dress” that Hardy describes…it’s apparent that is what made me choose sanguine before anything else…
I first read the book in high school, but have reread it since then, the last time over ten years ago…his prose is so powerful that it’s impact remains long afterwards…
There is a figure in the landscape…he is there on the far right so as not to compete with the heath, but as it’s barely sunrise, he is in partial darkness

Sanguine, Charcoal and Pastel on Arches Not Paper

The Return of the Native

Under The Greenwood Tree

Wessex Weather

Wessex Tales 2

Wessex Tales

Midnight on Egdon Heath

Hardy