£7,500.00
The latest in the sell out Lido series, ‘The Bathing Pond’, is based on London’s Mixed Pond in Hampstead Heath. It is a true celebration of the joy of Wild Swimming and is full of your real life stories of lockdown escapism and shared happy memories. From ‘matchy matchy’ swimming costumes in the Lake District and the self-professed ‘Dawn Twits’ on the coast, to stories of finding yourself again after losing a loved one. There’s something in here for everyone.
Click on a hotspot below to read a story.
If you would like to feature in the next painting and have a story to share
Tracey’s story was the last one I painted in. It felt like fate that there was still the perfect place left for her. I didn’t know her full story and how much it meant to her until I had painted her in. In late 2017 Tracey lost her husband Stephen to Motor Neurons Disease and her world fell apart.
‘Losing Steve had a big impact on my mental health, I was struggling and often told family and friends I was ok when I was not. During lockdown, I took myself outside on walks and my mood started to lift. I became interested in cold water swimming as I’d heard this was good for Mental Health. The Beach was my first swim in cold water, and it was an incredible feeling – this photo was taken of me, it says all about how I was feeling at the time. It may not be for everyone but for me, wild swimming has helped me become me again.’
Painted in memory of their beautiful sister and niece Michelle who featured in an earlier painting, Surf’s Up.
‘Would love to be included. My sister was in your last one and we sadly lost her in December, she bought the print. She was the one who nearly lost her bikini top in the sea. Seems fitting to try and be included. I’ve shoulder length now blonde hair and usually a white patterned swimsuit (kind of tropical) xx’
Theirs is always one…
“We love a bit of wild swimming, usually involves our boys jumping in or paddling in the shallows. And the big kid (Daddy!) swinging on a rope swing whilst us Mums would be trying to keep our hair from getting wet”
Good Luck with that Jade, with Tarzan swinging around!
Two best friends living in the Lake District found a shared love for wild swimming and swimsuits.
Meet Teresa, Tegwin, Natalie and Angela, the self-professed Dawn Twits. These ladies like an early start, skipping into the cold water! It turns out lots of you have these hats, so a quick shout out to ‘The Rother Bobbers’ too!
‘We would be wearing our silly hats and making squeaky noises on the way in. Also, inadvertently swimming with jumping fish, a rogue seal and diving birds.’
