Seascape Commission of Duckpool, North Cornwall

Painting a a commission of Duckpool , North Cornwall, of the sea and a beach I’m not so familiar with, faced me with a few challenges.

The commission came from a lovely family to remember their first and favourite beach in North Cornwall that held so many memories and years of holidays in the area.

Duckpool is a fairly undiscovered spot in a beautiful valley that runs down to the sea from Kilkhampton in North Cornwall. The roads are steep, narrow and windy and not for the faint hearted, but this affords the most stunning rugged landscape laid out that has not changed for centuries.

The beach is framed by towering cliffs and it’s not difficult to imagine the years of smuggling and hard life in this valley.

I spent some time here just absorbing the feeling of the place and it is often the memory of a glimpse of light that stays with me. This was the case this October with beautiful low sunlight coming through the waves. My clients knew the sea well and loved the light at this time of year, so it seemed timely to include it.

We measured the space to get the best proportion for the painting. Scale is so important and I love a large painting to give impact. With a blank canvas of 140 x 90cm facing me, it’s a brave first step to put some acrylic inks fluidly onto the canvas.er Light, Duckpool

The finished painting was framed in a tray frame. The wave has light and colour and the whole painting an immense feeling of energy and movement in the sea. The foreground balances the left background with the dark rocks. The stones in the foreground are loosely painted with a variety of colours giving the whole painting a harmonious feeling.

My best to date? maybe it feels like that because of the way I felt challenged. It was certainly worth the effort.

Prints of the painting are available. Please enquire here