by 1932 spencer was back in cookham with his two daughters and carline living in a large house, lindworth, off the high street. here spencer painted observational studies of his surroundings and other landscapes, which would become the major themes of his work over the following years. during 1932 he was elected an associate of the royal academy and exhibited ten works at the venice biennale. however he was becoming dissatisfied with married life. carline was often in hampstead as her elder brother was badly ill and when she was in cookham life with her was not the cosy domestic idyll spencer expected. in 1929 spencer had met the artist patricia preece, and he soon became infatuated with her. preece was a young fashion-conscious artist who had lived in cookham since 1927 with her lesbian lover, the artist dorothy hepworth. in 1933 she first modelled for spencer and when he visited switzerland that summer, to paint landscapes, preece joined him there.