Making Waves: Emerging artists shaping the future of Cornwall’s artistic heritage
Cornwall has always been renowned for its rich and diverse artistic heritage. From the infamous painting schools of Newlyn and St Ives, to world-renowned artists such as Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth, Cornwall has long been a magnet for artists exploring areas of the landscape, environment, history and beauty of the county through a wide range of creative disciplines. This artistic legacy is stronger than ever, with an abundance of contemporary artists taking inspiration from the Cornish coast and sharing the same impulse that first drew Turner to Cornwall in 1811.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting out, here we name a few of the emerging artists making waves in Cornwall’s art scene. Taking inspiration from the landscape that surrounds us, these painters are shaping the future of Cornwall’s artistic heritage and are the ones that everyone’s talking about.
MARTHA HOLMES
Martha works both en plein air and from her beautiful Falmouth studio. Fascinated by the shifting identity of both the north & south coastlines, Martha’s work captures a raw and honest sense of the landscape - responding to the changing light, structures & colours that surrounds Martha whilst she paints. Working directly within the landscape allows an immersive experience, which is reflected in the brush strokes & energy of her works. These are also the elements reflected within her still life studies. Contact Martha via www.marthaholmes.com for more information
NINA BROOKE
Nina’s vibrant seascapes and abstract beach scenes capture the landscapes around her in a stunning palette and a unique aerial perspective. Nina grew up between the rugged North Cornwall coast and the azure tropics of The Caribbean. From both sides of the Atlantic, the rolling swell and crystal-clear bays have played a vital role in her creative development. Nina’s studies led her to Oxford Brookes and Falmouth, where she started refining her style and appreciation for capturing the sea in paint. Nina has also attended courses at the respected Newlyn Art School and was trained by some of Cornwall’s finest professional artists in the art of gesture, colour and textural abstraction. To see Nina’s work and for more information, visit www.ninabrooke.co.uk
SARAH WOODS
Sarah’s work captures the timeless beauty of the Cornish Coast in a subtle, considered and delicate way. Working from her studio at Newlyn, her practice adopts a methodical process of observing, drawing and making, reflecting the balance that being beside the water brings. Focusing on tone and shape and looking at the land, sea and sky and working with simple and minimal marks, her paintings and prints are simple in their forms and minimal in palette. Woods is based at Porthmeor Studios at Trewarveneth in Newlyn and is a 2016 graduate of Falmouth College of Arts. For enquiries and commissions, contact Sarah via www.sarah-woods.co.uk
ALEX YARLETT
Alex Yarlett is an abstract expressive artist based in Falmouth, Cornwall. With a focus upon mark-making, installation, print-making and paint, Alex’s work seeks to engage with the emotion of his surroundings to convey the dynamic story of the day he has experienced. Within this process, Alex gains inspiration from nature on location through spontaneous painting and sketching. From his studio, Alex then slowly builds and blends layer upon layer of medium to evolve each piece into his unique, informed and emotive abstract expressive art.
For landscape enquiries, visit alexyarlett.bigcartel.com
MEREDITH OWEN
Owen paints with oils onto ply or wooden boards. She works to create paintings that reflect her perception of our environment and nature's overwhelming beauty, power, and resilience. With each painting Owen explores new ways of depicting nature “Nature is one constantly changing phenomenon and everything it consists of is worthy of our attention, beauty exists amongst every aspect of it and I wish to celebrate that”.
See Meredith’s work at www.meredithowen.co.uk