Painting the Cornish Coast
As I prepare for my upcoming Exhibition, I've been looking back at my local excursions across Cornwall. From navigating the tides at Daymer Bay to embracing the morning sun at Kynance Cove I have realised that each trip holds its own story. These adventures at Bosigran Cliff, Gwynver, Zawn Kelly's, and Bedruthan Steps have inspired my art. They've been a great chance to paint the beautiful scenes that surround my home Perranporth.
A fast incoming tide at Daymer Bay on the Camel Estuary caught me out, but all was well, apart from soggy sandwiches! I returned to work on the painting another day.
Morning sun looking back at Kynance Cove towards the Lizard. I wanted to paint into the sun with low tide exposing the sand, so time was limited and of the essence! I returned for a second sitting on a day with very similar weather.
A dramatic location looking down to the sea and rocks at Bosigran Cliff, near Morvah. I have started taking out some larger canvases this year. It is an intense activity as paint needs to be applied quickly to cover a large canvas area, in order to keep up with the moving sun and changing shadows. Larger canvases are more affected by windy conditions, and on 1 of the 3 visits to paint in this location, rocks in my rucksack were required to weigh down the easel. Sometimes a problem when I can`t find any rocks!
A bit further West down the coast to Gwynver, looking towards Sennen Cove.There were great midday clouds passing by, so I needed to decide where my shadows should be positioned in the painting. I didn`t return on another occasion, as it would be hard to replicate similar weather conditions, so completed the work in my studio.
Early afternoon catching the moving light and waves at Zawn Kelly`s, near Land`s End in late Summer.
Near the edge again at Bedruthan Steps. The arrangement of stacks and rocks, particularly at low tide never ceases to provide inspiration at one of my favourite locations. When on the beach, the scale of everything is immense, so a return next year with a bigger canvas is definitely on the cards. Access to the beach has been curtailed recently, so that may be a mission in itself.