Crab and Lobster depicts a much-loved thatched building in North Yorkshire, now home to a popular restaurant and pub. Quirky and characterful, the building has an unmistakable sense of history, drawing visitors into an environment filled with vintage objects and curiosities that seem to belong to another era. Stepping inside is almost like stepping back in time, making it a small but memorable gem within the Yorkshire landscape.

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Lees captures the rustic charm of the building through an impressionistic approach, using expressive brushwork and richly layered colour to convey its weathered character. A heavy blue-grey thatched roof dominates the upper portion of the composition, its textured surface contrasting with the soft, buttery yellow of the rendered walls below.

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Much of the building has been gradually enveloped by thick greenery that has climbed across its walls over many years. The foliage partially obscures the architecture, creating an interplay between the man-made structure and the natural world and reinforcing the sense that the building has slowly become part of its surroundings.

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Rather than presenting the Crab and Lobster as a straightforward architectural study, Lees focuses on its atmosphere and individuality. The loose, impressionistic brushwork gives the painting a sense of warmth and spontaneity, while the muted yet vibrant colours evoke the feeling of a place shaped by time, nature and generations of visitors.

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Crab and Lobster celebrates the quiet charm of a building that has retained its character despite the passing years, inviting the viewer to pause and imagine the stories held within its walls.

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Oil on board 5x7in 

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Acquired

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