Stormy Seas Torquay

Everyone sees colour in a slightly different way to one another, call it colour perception. The way I see colour and the feelings I get when the colours align well on a canvas is appeals to me. The way collectors see my work will be unique to them because of their own individual colour perception. Studying film and video art at the University of Plymouth has impacted on the way I paint. I like to include a sense of movement in my work and a sense of escapism. I want the viewer to feel they can walk across the sand or dive into a turquoise sea.

 Currently I have two series of works wave painting and abstract. I have been painting the wave series for over 5 years now. It is the light coming through the waves and again the colour of the water that I am keen to explore. 

The second series of paintings looks at the play of light on water. It is a more tranquil and peaceful contrast to the first energizing wave series. It examines shallow turquoise and emerald seas. I am intrigued the patterns created when sunlight hits the shallow water creating a dance of light and shadow with blue, turquoise, green and indigo ripples.

 Both series have been inspired by the changing colours of the sea but also childhood memories of holidays to the Mediterranean and annual visits to Torquay (before the M5 was built). These emerald and turquoise waters, have all had an influence on what I wanted to paint. Having moved permanently to Devon 15 years ago the coastline and seas around Devon and Cornwall still inspire my work. 

My paintings are oil on canvas as I prefer to work with this medium for its adaptability. In my work I aim to incorporate a process of change and development. For instance saturated elements are left to dry on the canvas changing over time. Only after a period of waiting the eventual image can be resolved. I apply glazes to further enrich the surface of the work. It is important to me to revisiting a painting several times until I am completely satisfied with the texture and depth of colour in the finished painting.

 I graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art in 2008 at the University of Plymouth. I have exhibited my paintings throughout Devon and gained an award at the Exeter Short Film festival. My films and photographs have been exhibited on the South Bank, London and in Italy. I have recently been given the status of a Geopark Ambassador Artist for the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark. I am a Teignmouth based artist.

 I admire the wave paintings of Maggi Hambling. Her free use of thick impasto paint and large gestural marks on the canvas has inspired me to free up my mark making too. The photographs of surfers online and the giant waves they tackle also is a source of inspiration and reminds me when I was wiped out by a wave when I was a toddler. Kurt Jackson and Peter Doig are artist I often return to for inspiration and a sense of place.
 

Oil on Canvas

90x60cm

Framed