Dipper

Acrylic on paper, 16 x 20 inches

The River Tweed runs over this weir at the town of Melrose, near my home in the Borders. It is the most reliable place I know to see dippers – I think I have seen one here every single time I have stopped to look.

I liked the contrast between the glassy smooth pool above the weir and the tumbling, bubbling water as the river cascades down through the jumble of rocks. Taking a viewpoint below the weir gave a sense of height and drama to the scene.

While painting the field sketch, a dipper was constantly buzzing around the boulders, occasionally taking what seemed to be suicidal dives into the boiling water, only to bob up like a cork a few seconds later.