The Wild Heart of the Moorlands: Why I Paint the Dark Peak
There’s something about the moors that gets under your skin, in the best way. The wind, the wide open spaces, the colours shifting with the weather. It’s not just beautiful out there, it feels alive. And when I’m there, I feel more like myself.
That’s why the Dark Peak keeps showing up in my paintings. It’s the place I return to, both in real life and on the canvas.
It’s not just about the view
I’m not really trying to paint a perfect scene or capture a photo-like moment. What I care about is how the landscape makes me feel. Free. Grounded. Quiet in a way that doesn’t feel empty, more like everything’s in its right place.
That feeling is what I follow in the studio. I start with loose marks, layers of colour (sometimes even a bit of chaos!) and let the painting take shape from there. It’s an intuitive process, but always rooted in memory - the way the light hit the gritstone, the rush of wind across open ground, the hush after a storm.
Why it matters
If you’ve ever been out on the moors, or anywhere wild, and felt your shoulders drop, your breath slow, and a sense of ‘Yes ,THIS!’ settle over you, then you already understand what I’m trying to do with my work.
I think we all need those reminders of peace and perspective in our everyday spaces. For me, that’s what painting offers. For you, maybe it’s a piece of art on the wall that brings you back to a feeling you don’t want to forget.
Want to see more?
If this resonates, you’re very welcome to explore my latest work. Each painting is inspired by time spent on the Dark Peak, and created to bring a bit of that grounded calm into your home.
And if you’d like to get first looks at new work, studio updates, and occasional thoughts from the moors, you can join my email list here.
Thanks for reading, and for connecting through the land and the art.
- Sian
