I have been in love from the first time I set eyes on it, quite a number of years ago, and although its a place, and not a person, I feel that same love and affection for it as if it was. There aren’t many places I am in love with, but this one is top of the list. Its beautiful, and atmospheric, has endless joys around each corner, some fabulous golden beaches, stunning views and quaint houses of charm and character. I’ve been there in full sunshine and blustery gales and everything inbetween, and although I’ve not been for a few years now, its memory is as fresh and appealing today as its ever been.
The place I am referring to is St. Ives in Cornwall, and to celebrate my love for it I have recently completed this little watercolour of it. I didn’t want to do the quintessential sunny day, I wanted to show the way the sun breaks through aft
er a rain storm has passed by, so the sky was painted with a mix of lemonyellows and angry purply greys to show that. After they had dried, I could paint the far hills in faint tones, picking out the main buildings on the hills behind, leading down to Porthminster beach. And then I painted the sea and the light catching it and reflecting the sky above it. The light house at the end of Smeatons Pier was painted in, along with the rest of the details of the wall and fishermens huts and accoutriments. To finish I painted the black stark rocks on the right hand side of the picture, and the small fishing boats at anchor with their red bouys the only bright colour in amongst them. This is a painting of light and sky, of the elements, and passing weather as the sun breaks through.