A SMALL exhibition on one wall of Donna Terry’s Mayfly Studio, in Watchet, is running until July 11 with a collection of eight plein air paintings of local scenes.

The paintings are by Chris Williams, who decided the ‘charming little town’ of Watchet would be an ideal place to take up his long-delayed intention to paint in a traditional plein air way when he relocated 25 years ago.

Mr Williams said: “I have always been drawn to the light filled paintings in the spontaneous impressionist style.

“Painting, for me, has become more of an obsession and I find that Watchet with its timeless lanes, pier, and iconic lighthouse offers ample opportunity for me to indulge my passion.

“Accordingly, you will often find me, covered in oil paint alongside the local fishermen on the pier trying to capture that elusive frame when a fisherman casts out to sea.

“There is nothing quite like an action stance to bring a painting to life and infuse context and narrative into a painting.

“Much has changed since I first arrived in Watchet so many years ago before the new marina had been built, but to me, Watchet still retains its old world charm.

“I can find endless subjects to paint both here and in the beautiful surrounding countryside of West Somerset.”

Mr Williams said plein air painting – which is painting on site from start to finish – provided a ‘great sense of wellbeing and satisfaction’ which was both ‘stressfully relaxing’ and constantly challenging, trying to encapsulate a special moment in time.

He said: “I try to find interest in the more ordinary things which catch my eye, such as the fleeting ray of light across a road lighting up a building on the opposite side.

“Everybody should take up painting.

“You only need some tubes of paint, some brushes, and loads of dirty clothes.”