SANDSCAPES

This series of paintings is the result of a two-year exploration of my local beach at low tide. A vast expanse of sand is exposed when the tide goes out completely and the sea becomes a narrow line on the horizon. Between that horizon and the edge of the shingle, intricate channels and wave patterns are revealed in the sand, as well as rock pools, worm casts and huge flint and chalk stones. Sea birds and crows stroll around looking for snacks. Depending on the weather, the sky can be a heavenly blue or bubbling with storms clouds or quietly grey. Down on the sands there is a sense of freedom and space to breathe.

 

Worthing has been my home, on and off, for many years and its pebble beaches, timber groynes, tidal waters and far horizons have contributed to my sense of identity. As a seaside resort, Worthing is a place of fun but for me, there is also nostalgia and a sense of loss. It’s taken a long time for me to complete these paintings. I knew they would feel melancholy but only now do I realise that they are also an expression of grief: my sister died at the start of the pandemic and her ashes were scattered in the sea so there is a lot of sadness in these paintings. When I decided to organise an exhibition, I thought the series was complete but then I felt I needed to add one more piece, something life affirming, so I painted a happy memory of a family day on the beach.”