Hummersea is very close to my home on the North Yorkshire coast. At the foot of Boulby cliffs (amonst the highest cliffs in England), Hummersea is a pebble beach and its walls retain signs of its industrial past. Time and weather have carved its stones, and our propensity for anthropomorphism leads us to perceive faces, appropriately enough, in the rock face.

Boulby Cliff Top I. oil on linen, 30x90cm, 2cm deep (12″x36″). £425.

Faces on the cliffs
Memories of lovers lost
Looking out to sea.

Boulby Cliff Top II. oil on canvas, 50x100cm, 4.5cm deep. £725.

From further back, the faces disappear, and the headland is reminiscent of a giant whale. The whaling coast. At the beginning of the 19th century, many ships left this coast to catch whales. Now, fortunately, whales can still be seen near the coast, to be captured by cameras and not by harpoons.

Hummersea Beach Study.
mixed media on linen, 30x40cm (2cm deep). £175.

There is a steep path to the beach, ending in a metal ladder anchored to the cliff. There the rock face shows signs of its industrial past, with remnants of alum mines.

Hummersea Beach. mixed media on canvas. 40x100cm, depth 4.5cm. £675.

Farm on Boulby Cliff Top. ink & watercolour on paper, 12.5 x 17cm. £125.

I’ve been busy since Staithes Art Festival, working on a commission. It’s a special place near Goathland on the North Yorkshire Moors. Thank you to D&R, it was great to revisit that space.

Thank you to all of you who came to see my work at Staithes Art Fest. It was great to meet so many people who already have my paintings on their walls (when I sell through galleries, I always wonder where my paintings have gone. It turns out that they always go to very nice people!), and it was good to meet so many art lovers. Thank you also to the organisers and the volunteers of the Art Festival, and thank you to my talented friends Ailsa Nicholson and Liz Collier who shared the space with their wonderful art. And the sunshine was great. Just brilliant.

Staithes, acrylics and oils on canvas, 60x60cm (24×24″), finished just in time for Staithes Art Fest this weekend! 12/13th September. Preview Friday 7pm to 8.30pm. (nearly ready…)

Staithes. acrylics on canvas, 30x80cm, 3.7cm deep.

With this one, I limited myself to blue and orange. There are 2 blues, cyan and ultramarine, with chrome orange. (and white, of course).

I love these long sunny days. This is my favourite space in the evenings…

I picked up my brushes where I had left them, and have been very busy since I came back, finishing 2 paintings to be exhibited later this week in Coast Gallery, Cloughton. Nearly finished, just a few finishing touches, and hope they dry quickly.
Staintondale, 60x60cm. Westerdale, 70x100cm.

P.S. 5 June. They’re now in Coast Gallery!