Down at the Allotments

Are you fed up with the doom and gloom of recession-speak, do you want the Olympic-proud-to-be-British feeling to carry on? 
How about digging deep into the very British obsession with gardening and grow-your-own along with a truly glorious explosion of colour and joie de vive and visiting the gallery to experience the newest exhibition of Emma Dunbar's work.

A wonderfully exuberant collection of paintings celebrating allotments, from the dark brown corduroy of well tilled early spring soil, to an almost abstract patchwork of colourful sheds.  From the sgraffito of winter trees to the loose hatching of bean poles. 
The paintings are punctuated with effortless still lives.  Plates of harvested peppers, bundles of beans, a gardeners tea and biscuits, sit beside beautifully painted pots of plants or bunches of garden flowers stuffed haphazardly into Emma's enviable collection of cups and mugs.

It is a great showcase of Emma Dunbar's skill with composition, colour and collage. 
If you are fond of cheerfulness, colour and gardening and you want to bring a smile into every day then these paintings will tick all the boxes.
Don't worry, be happy, come and see the show!  The full exhibition opens on Friday at 10am and continues until August 29th.  You can also view and purchase on our web site. Beside The Wave
There is also a fun competition that you can do in the gallery or on line, so bring your children too.

In The News

Imogen Bone

This months Artist & Illustrator magazine (download a free digital edition here ) Features great articles about not just one, but four of our artists!  Imogen Bone is on the cover painting in her studio on the Isles of Scilly, and has a four page article with great insight into her working methods.
Anne-Marie Butlin has another big article with sumptuous pictures of her beautiful work and more fascinating information about her painting methods.

Anne-Marie Butlin

Chris Rigby has excerpts from his painting diary while on a working trip to the Shetland islands, especially interesting as we will be showing some of these paintings later in the year.
And Richard Thorn talks about his work.
Imogen, Anne-Marie and Richard all have work in our current summer mixed show, which can be seen on our web site.  We really do represent some of the best contemporary painters and we are, justifiably, very proud of them!

Summer 's Here!

Sails in the Sunshine from Flushing
SOLD
by Andrew Tozer
425mm x 600mm, acrylic on board, £1295

News Flash!!
Summer has arrived, the sun is sparkling off the water, light is filling billowing sails, flowers are tumbling out of vases, children are splashing in the surf.  The stuff of dreams, happy memories of summer that keep us all going through the winter months.

Garden Flowers in a Turquoise Vase
by Anne-Marie Butlin
400mm x 400mm, oil on canvas, £770

OK, so that all might seem like a bit of a joke this summer but strap on your rain coat, hoist your umbrella and splash through the puddles to the Gallery and enjoy the summer show. 
A wonderfully exuberant and optimistic collection by eleven of our artists, if there is the merest splash of sunshine you can be sure that they have captured it.

Little Surf Hoppers
by Sarah Wimperis
185mm x 185mm, oil on board, £300

The catalogue collection is on show now and from Saturday 21st July, the whole collection will be displayed. 
If you are far away you can view the catalogue on our web site.  You can also search for Beside The Wave on Facebook, not forgetting to "like" our page when you find it, and view them all there as well. 
 It is easy to make a purchase over the phone and you can even do "Own Art" over the phone.  The painting above is only £30.00 per month with the interest free Own Art loan, now that is a bargain!

Still Life
by Myles Oxenford
700mm x 700mm, oil on linen, £2500

There is a very good rule: If you like a painting in a catalogue or on line then you will really be smitten in real life.  So don't let something that you love slip away, make a splash, dive into distance purchasing!

Over the Back Wall
by Sarah Wimperis
610mm x 475mm, oil on board, £730

The gallery is open 7 days a week from 10:00am until 5:00pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 11:30am to 4:00pm, there is always someone very willing to talk you through a painting, tell you about the artist and discuss your purchase over the phone. We ship all over the world and our packaging is a work of art in its self!

Lapping Tide, Praa Sands
by Richard Stanley
 SOLD300mm x 326mm, mixed media on paper, £450

There you go...one that got away!  Come and make summer happen, the exhibition will continue until Wednesday 15th August, there is an umbrella stand just inside the door, see you soon.

John Raynes. Aspects of Dawn.

Falmouth Docks Study III

230mm x 285mm, oil on canvas £850

To watch the dawn of a new day is a wonderful experience.  As the dark sky begins to herald the coming of the sun, the changing colours and light levels slowly reveal  the still sleeping world.

John Raynes has braved many cold dark mornings to capture these often missed moments.  In a gloriously rich colour pallet the sun rises golden and magnificent over familiar landscapes made mysterious and magical by the beginning of the day.

Soon After Dawn, Penryn Quay

390mm x 500mm, oil on board, £1295

Other paintings in the collection have the soft silvery light and the still calm of early morning.  These paintings are stunning in their exquisite composition and beautiful serenity.

John Raynes has been a very successful painter and illustrator for over 35 years combining this with teaching art to many people both in the UK and aboard.  He has written sixteen books on drawing and painting and has devoted his time to painting  full time from the nineties.  He is a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour  and a professional portrait artist.

This brilliant exhibition of his latest work not only captures the dawning of the new day but also is a testament to the skill and knowledge built over many years of observation and practise as a professional  artist.

Easter Cross at Carn Brea, Dawn

920mm x 1220mm, oil on canvas, £5950

The exhibition can be viewed on our web site and will be in the main gallery until Wednesday 18th July.

Inside The Gallery

If you are a regular visitor to Beside The Wave you may have noticed some changes, we have got a little bit bigger!  Knocking through to the space next door we now have a dedicated home for our growing collection of limited edition prints.  We also have more space for ceramics, jewellery and very soon there will be a wonderful range of our own art cards available. 

the gallery from outside

We are in the process of getting the signs done for the front but inside all is bustling.

inside our new space

The entrance to our new area is right beside the fireplace,

the main gallery

This is what the main gallery looks like now, for those of you who cant actually visit us.  This is where we show our latest exhibitions and host lovely previews where you can enjoy a glass of wine and often have a chance to meet the artist.  Upstairs is yet another space...

the "treasure trove" with a changing display of just a tiny fraction of the 700 plus original paintings that we have in the building, this is a room where you can sit and enjoy the paintings, or wait while we fetch paintings from the store that you may want to see and own.

Representing 30 artists we have something to suit most tastes, from very figurative to expressive and abstract, new impressionists and wonderful colourists.

the view from the back of the gallery

We also have a fantastic view.
So if you haven't visited us in a while, make a point of coming along this summer.  If you have never visited then why not came and see us, if you are too far away you will have to make do with this blog and our web site.  We can send work all over the world and often do.  We are open seven days a week and can be contacted by email or phone.
Next instalment on this blog will be what goes on behind the scenes!

View From The Gallery
by John Raynes

I Love Paris in the Springtime...

Evening Walk, Montmartre
545mm x 425mm
gouache on paper
£1650.00
SOLD

 And I love Paris when she is painted by Richard Tuff.  This exhibition, "Paris Nights / Cornish Views" opens today and is already proving to be a huge hit.  Richard has taken his exuberant and confident brush and applied it to some delightful Parisian scenes.  Take a romantic walk through Montmartre, wander through the flower markets and stay a while at a pavement cafe.

Flower Market
200mm x 270mm
pen and ink on paper
£195.00

 As well as beautiful gouache paintings Richard has made some wonderful pen and ink (and other black stuff) drawings.  Using a variety of implements from home made bamboo pens, conte crayons, cotton buds and other objects, he draws Paris and Cornwall with a joie de vivre and manages to distill the essence of place, like a master perfumier, with a flourish!

Hotel Eldorado
pen and ink
SOLD

 The colours are at once bright yet subtle, chalky and vibrant, a wonderful range produced from a surprisingly limited pallet.  It is interesting to find out that far from owning the complete range of gouache paints ever made, Richard has a few carefully chosen colours from which he mixes the whole selection of tones and shades that you can see in his paintings.
Cornwall or Paris, this exhibition is a transport of delight, allow yourself to be transported, there is a preview tonight, 6 until 8pm and the exhibition runs until Wednesday 27th.  See you there "Mon petite choux fleurs!"

Chapel Street, Penzance
180mm x 225mm
gouache on paper
SOLD

Looking up to St Agnes Beacon
400mm x 345mm
gouache on paper
SOLD

Olympic Torch Relay

Saturday was a day full of sunshine and high spirits enjoyed by everyone in Falmouth.  The Olympic Torch continued on its journey through the centre of town, and right past the gallery.  

Not only did we have Bucks Fizz and little cakes and nibbles to celebrate this wonderful occasion but we were very privileged to be able to show five very special watercolour paintings by guest artist Emma Cousin.  These paintings were part of a collection that had been commissioned and painted inside the Olympic Aqua Dome.  A very close link for our gallery to the Olympics.

  Everybody enjoyed watching the huge turn-out for the event.  The streets were lined, people were leaning precariously out of windows above the shops to get a better view, and there was an incredible atmosphere and buzz all through the town.

We managed to get some photographs of the mornings events, it certainly was a day to remember, and what a welcome to Amanda Hoskin's exhibition that had opened the night before!

And last, but by no means least, Gavin Cattle, running with the Olympic Torch for all to see...

Amanda Hoskin : Homecoming

Last week I enjoyed a conversation with Amanda Hoskin, she was sitting on the gallery floor surrounded by the results of several months of hard labour.  Paintings everywhere, sprouting, greens, blues and soft pinks, like the Cornish hedgerows in springtime, a breath of fresh air.   

Flowers in May, Falmouth  

As she merrily penned the titles on the backs she explained what this new series of work is all about.  Growing up in Falmouth, Amanda spent her childhood on the shores and waters of Carrick  roads, learning to sail in Mylor.

Morning Walk along the River, staying onboard the Boat at Mylor

These paintings have a quiet reflective quality, almost as if time has softened their edges.  The sea melts into the sky, cliffs and distant landscapes are coaxed into existence by a gentle touch and the foregrounds are softened by splatter and froth of cow parsley and summer grasses. 

Summer Evening, St. Mawes

 The titles are tiny stories in themselves, the day that was cold but the dog went swimming, a walk in the morning after staying on board the boat, special views, private moments, little daydreams.  

A Winters Day, but the Dog is Happy to Swim

A beautiful collection that is a privelage to be able to share.  The preview is in the gallery tonight, Amanda will be there and I think she will be bringing her sketchbooks, works of art in their own right.  The whole collection is now online and available to purchase.

Bristol Here We Come

We are all set for Bristol, new paintings just dry, done especially for Bristol wrapped and packed, recent work chosen and sorted, labels made, the gallery upstairs looks...well, busy!
 It will be back to its normal tidy state tomorrow, when all the paintings are happily and safely on the way to the Affordable Art Fair. Its not too late to download a half price ticket from our web site, hopefully we will see you there.
If you cant make it in person then at least you can enjoy what we are taking by flipping through the flipping catalogue above. There are some brand new, never seen before paintings in there.

Benjamin Warner

Andrew Giddens Exhibition

Andrew Giddens, One Step Closer

Andrew Giddens has been out in all weathers, capturing the essence of the sea in winter. 

Gathering the flotsam and jetsam, the foam and spume by the armful, condensing them, mixing them together with lashings of memories of a childhood spent on the Lizard and adding the deep pigment that is his own spirituality, he appears to have made special paint and bottled it!

This essence of place, this perfume of salt and iodine, memories and joy is then transported back to his studio and appears on a glorious amount of canvas. 

And now the sea is crashing into the gallery.  It is not so much Beside the Wave as inside the Wave.

Not wanting to rest easy by painting what he knows is successful he has moved to a different view, exploring the beaches and coves of the Lizard, digging deep for personal memories and emotions while pushing himself as a painter, to try new things and  to perfect his technique. 

As a brand new father of a beautiful baby girl, a little sister to three lovely boys, Andrew has his hands full.  Adopting a very happy self discipline,  he gets up early and works in the mornings, leaving the afternoons for his family. 

He says that painting is his time out, a place in the day where he can meditate on the world around him and celebrate a life filled with the simple glories of a crashing wave, the cry of gulls, the chatter of children and now the sound of a newborn.

Join us in the gallery for a private view tonight from 6pm.  Then every day until May 9th.

Catalogue for Chelsea Art Fair

We will be at Chelsea Art Fair, Chelsea Old Town Hall, Kings Road, London SW3 5EE.  On Stand 35.  Friday 20th April - Sunday 22nd April.  There is a Preview on Thursday 19th April, 4pm - 9pm (invitation only).
If you would like tickets please contact the gallery.  We would love to see you there.  If you click on the catalogue above you can see the work that we will be taking with us.  There is new work especially for Chelsea from Anne-Marie Butlin, Amanda Hoskin, Richard Tuff and Sarah Wimperis.  Previously unseen work from Chris Rigby.  Lovely pieces from the Effortless Brushstrokes exhibition and a selection of very exciting sculpture.
This fair we will be taking a browser containing mounted but unframed original paintings, drawings and etchings by Miles Heseltine, John Howard, Chris Rigby and Sarah Wimperis, which is an opportunity to get your self some georgous art at a lower price.
All of the work is available with the own art scheme, smashing the price into ten, interest free, monthly repayments, so you could have a painting for as little as £10 per month!
If you see anything that you fall in love with it is available to buy now, from the gallery.
Enjoy the catalogue and hopefully we will see you in London, if nothing else it is an excellent chance to see some of our best work in the "flesh" and have a chat with Ingrid Heseltine and Sarah Wimperis who will be staffing our stand.

Spring Time!

by Imogen Bone

Spring has sprung, the sun is shining and the clocks have sprung forward.  The children are released from school  and the leaves are coming out.  It is a hopeful and bright time of year and our Spring mixed exhibition this year has a theme of "Colour and Shape"
It is full to bursting with wonderful colours, here is a stunning painting by Imogen Bone, literally colour and shape, I love it, so bright and glorious orange against the blue.  Simon Stooks has been taking things literally as well, colours and shapes burst forth from his paintings with Stooksien vitality within the mark making.  Richard Thorn has painted some beautiful, truly beautiful, tree shapes with the essence of spring colour mixed into the sky. He has also poured colour onto a canvas and magicked up a "Mystic Pool" which positively glows with light.

by Richard Thorn

Emma Dunbar is characteristically floral, exuberant bunches of spring flowers blooming out of lovely jugs and mugs and patterning the Dunbar world.  It opens tomorrow and at any moment now the whole collection should be on line.  It is a happy show and well worth visiting, don't worry about petrol or the price of pasties, visit the gallery and let your heart fill up with spring hopefulness.

Precious Things

Polzeath Bathers

Did you know that there is a physical reaction when you look at art that you like.  It feels a bit like butterflies, or that feeling when you almost trip downstairs, not totally pleasant, its a rush of adrenalin,  Apparently, according to the science programme on Radio 4 yesterday, it is measurable!  Your pulse quickens and your palms sweat!
Expect a lot of sweaty palms tonight, these paintings are exciting and masterful.  There is a breathless ease with which Andrew Tozer manages to choose such sublime colours, those blues in a sparkling sea, one can imagine that they come out of the tube complete with the cry of gulls and the shouts of children playing.

Summer, Polzeth

The same thing happens with "Summer Polzeth" Effortless brushstrokes become dozens of figures, a sweep of colour is easily a windbreak.  It looks so easy and is actually so difficult.  What hours of work allow someone to catch a shadow, to convey a fleeting moment with such unerring confidence?

Durgan Light, July.

The colours in this body of work are surprisingly bright, like the acid green in Durgan Light, or the joyful grass in Birthday Party,

Birthday Party

but they sit beautifully within the context of each painting.  It is like a glorious summer day, playing on the beach then home for bedtime.   Because after all the excitement of the sea, boats in the bay, clouds scudding across a blue evening sky, a shiny birthday party, we are taken home, where the breeze softly blows the curtains and a little girl plays with precious things

Precious Things

and later, just before bedtime, there is a little time for drawing.

Drawings for Freddie.

This is a wonderful exhibition by an artist who paints with his heart on his pallet.
Opening tonight 16th March and continuing until 28th March.