Preparations for London

 We are getting ready for Battersea Affordable Art Fair so the upstairs gallery is a confusion of lists, bags and paintings.  There is organisation buried deep within the bubble wrap...honestly!

 If you look at the top picture you can see two very long wrapped works of art, they are magnificent drawings by Miles Heseltine, one of which is already sold and coming up to London with us in the van.  The only problem is how to get them out of the upper gallery, down the windy staircase and round a corner into the lower gallery and into the van.  They are nearly 3 meters long!

 So its all hands on deck...out of the upper gallery, out of the window onto one flat roof...

Everyone out onto the roof, get a ladder down to the next flat roof and lower the paintings down...

 Paintings safely onto the second flat roof, one of us pops back into the gallery and runs down stairs out of the front and down the side alley while the other two begin to lower the paintings down to the next level...

 Into the alley below...

 Then they dash back up the ladders and back into the back window, down the stairs and out of the front door, round the back and we all carry the paintings into the front of the gallery.

 Its all in a days work for our fantastic gallery team.

If you are in or around London next week, 25th to 28th please come and visit us on stand H5 at the Affordable Art Fair, you will be able to see one of these beautiful drawings and much more, and now you know what lengths we go to in the name of art!

Chris Rigby. "Force of Nature"

Eshaness Volcanic Cliffs
1019mm x 1224mm. oil on board £6,850

Chris Rigby paints the power of nature.  The cliffs he paints are monumental, solid and unforgiving.  The seas are alive, foam and waves pounding relentlessly against crags and rock.  The light he represents is delicate, grazing the very edge of clifftops, shimmering through rock arches and briefly illuminating ephemeral salt laden spray.  These paintings pulsate with life.


Shetland Arch II
710mm x 610mm.  oil on board £3,250
 

They are the remote landscapes, the edges of our world, places where few feet have trodden and fewer hands have touched. They are landscapes that inspire respect and speak to our most distant memories. 
Chris Rigby is a hugely talented plein air painter and produces small gouache and watercolour paintings perched on top of windswept cliffs or wedged between rocks.  With these paintings he captures the very essence of the wild, windswept nature of Shetland, Southern Ireland and hidden corners of Tresco.  They then serve as reference for the larger works.

In the Long Grass, Alachai Mor. Co. Kerry.
308mm x 570mm watercolour and gouache.  £875

He is much more that a painter of place, he is a distiller of souls, the souls of these remote and exciting landscapes, the battered and uncompromising edges of our islands.  Places that remain constant and represent what will always be the most honest habitat that we have ever known.  Places that our ancestors would have gazed upon with the same feelings of awe and respect.
It is an awe inspiring collection of work and well worth a visit, come along and enjoy a very exceptional talent.
10am Monday 15th October until Sunday 21st October.

A Day's Journey

A Day's Journey

"Zennor is one of my favourite places. Walking along this coast path feels close to flying, looking down on the aged fields and the vertical cliffs; it has an isolated atmosphere which is completely unique." -Amanda Hoskin

 
Path to Godrevy- 850 x 675mm, oil on paper £2250

Journeys are a recurring influence in Amanda Hoskin’s paintings; and for her Special Collection, she has taken herself on another expedition. On what may have been one of the only bright and clear days of the summer, Amanda set out with her sketchbooks to walk the coastal path from Zennor Church. The result of which can been seen in this new collection of breath-taking works of art.

Since her first show with Beside The Wave back in 2001 we have seen Amanda's work adapt with nature, sparkle with the sea and change with the tide. Following four years’ of trekking the entire Cornish Coast in 'Colours Coast & Sea', we saw Amanda take a different turn in her next solo in 2011. 'Working With Nature' was created in and inspired by gardens. Earlier in 2012, in her solo 'Homecoming' we saw Amanda journey back to the places she had enjoyed painting most, and where her career first started. In returning to the north coast, this collection of paintings, with additional small works from the days walk, makes clear the influence of being out in the elements in her work.

One of our favourite pieces is Godrevy Lighthouse painted as the day draws to a close and the rain begins, the atmosphere is magical, as we stand before it we witness the lighthouse being shadowed by the violent weather.

Rain Clouds sweep across the Sky, can just see Godrevy Lighthouse- 690x1000mm, oil on canvas £2900

 

 

 

A Cornish Path- 760 x 815mm, oil on board £2500

This collection combines all the artist ability and integrity that Amanda has gained in over a decade of painting in Cornwall, and represents a body of work that truly showcases her talents: from the weather consumed shorelines of Godrevy to the delicate foxgloves in the fields surrounding Zennor Church. Her paintings really are something to behold.

'A Day's Journey' opens at Beside The Wave at 10am on Saturday 5th October.

Don't miss it.

 

                                   

Paintings of Bright Sunshine

Andrew Tozer has been exhibiting with Beside the Wave for years; a “Tozer” is instantly recognisable:  Deftly painted boats, economical brushstrokes effortlessly sailing through sparkling waters.  Children, shrieking in delight as they run from chasing waves, just a squiggle of paint twisting to see the progress of the sea.  Yet, for all their familiarity these paintings never fail to be fresh, new and gasp-worthy! 

 

As you walk into the gallery these are the works that call from across the room “I am here, I am Cornwall, family holidays, intimate moments, I am infinitesimal shifts in the light…look at me”

With his work, Andrew Tozer is also displaying his wide breath of knowledge, both of colour and mark making.  He captures perfectly the soft haze of evening sunshine, the lazy warmth of a dying day.  He shows us the bright, fresh, clean light of a blustery summer, when the wind appears to make everything crisp and clear.  He depicts the heavy purple shadows on a hot afternoon and the beautiful soft blur of watching someone that you love dressing in the morning.  His colour decisions appear effortless but are those derived from years of practice, look at this work, it is just so simply excellent.

This collection is stunning and includes not only familiar Cornish scenes but also intimate family moments and interiors that confirm Tozer as a consummate contemporary impressionist.

“Paintings of Bright Sunshine”  will be available to purchase and exhibited in full on our web site and in the gallery from 10am on Saturday 22nd. September.  If you would like to meet the artist, Andrew Tozer will be in the gallery on Saturday from 10am until 1pm.

Don’t miss it!

All At Sea

We have a beautiful exhibition on show in our upstairs gallery and at the National Maritime Museum until 6th February.
Six of our artists, Heseltine, Hoskin, Jones, Lindsay, Tozer and Wimperis have explored Cornwall's relationship with the sea and discussed, in paint, what it means to them.

From the cluttered workshops and boat yards to empty fish markets and working quaysides Sarah Wimperis has chosen the working face of Cornwall.  Andrew Tozer has gazed across the bay and described the beautiful sparkling light and the shapes of sails, which so often grace his work, giving us a Tozeresque splash of salt water.

Al Lindsay has applied his slightly retro vision to talk about quaysides and harbours with perfect colours and graphic shapes.

Robert Jones, who worked as a fisherman years ago, has gone back to his roots and taken us on a trip out to sea where little boats are buffeted beneath endless skies.

Amanda Hoskin allows us to drift through summer flowers on Cornwall's clifftops, or glimpse the twinkling lights of home from out at sea.

Miles Heseltine has gone out onto the cliff tops with enormous sheets of paper and exposed the soul of Cornwall's granite heart in powerful gestural charcoal drawings that must be seen to be truly appreciated.

It makes for a facinating exhibition, full of contrasts and tasting salty and of the sea.  All of the work can be viewed on our website.

Paul Wadsworth, Coastal Connections

Dancing in the Sand
1020mm x 1020mm, oil on canvas
£3100

The work of Paul Wadsworth is splashed all over the gallery.  The sands of the Omani coast mixing, with a joyful exuberance, with the sands of the Cornish coast. 

St. Ives Bay
400mm x 400mm, acrylic on canvas
£840

Colour is pouring from the walls as if your pupils have been dilated and nothing is filtered or held back.  The sky is blue and green, teal and pink.  Bright hues dance with rhythmic energy across the canvas and throughout the exhibition.  The paintings appear to leave the boundaries of the supports that they are painted on and enter into your very soul.  There is light and passion in the brushstrokes and power within the layers of paint. 

Seeing the Bigger Picture
1020mm x 1020mm, acrylic on canvas
£3100

Figures are seen and drift in and out of focus, like the figure of a storyteller visible through the smoke and embers of a beach fire late at night. 

These are paintings that allow your mind to wander while they whisper exotic tales in an ancient language; stories that you recognise and understand but cannot ever repeat in words of your own.

Wiseman of the Beach
460mm x 610mm, oil on canvas
£1150

It’s a great show, beautifully wrought and exhilarating to see.

The opening night is tonight 6-8pm and the exhibition continues until Wednesday 19^th of September.

The Hotel Inspector

Being huge fans of the Channel 5 programme "The Hotel Inspector" We were very pleased to be asked by Alex Polizzi to provide some art work for the dining room makeover that featured in tonight's episode which can be viewed here Channel 5 Hotel Inspector.   Four of our lovely Richard Tuff prints appeared in a beautiful fresh room designed by Alex Polizzi.
Fine Art  makes a huge difference to the look and feel of a room and our staff at the gallery are there to help and advise you.  From finding the right painting to go with your new sofa to suggesting an artists work that will match your personality.  Love affairs with paintings start in our gallery and can last for generations!
Watch the Hotel Inspector to see the difference and then visit the gallery to fall in love!

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.