Art News A round up from the creative world

Art News

COVER ARTIST: GEORGIE HARRISON

Our talented cover artist this issue is Georgie Harrison, also known as Gee by the Sea on her website and Instagram platforms. Channelling a desire to slow down and reconnect with nature, Georgie’s works invoke the simple delights of a life by the sea and look to capture Cornwall’s tender beauty in all its natural, rugged forms, from beauty spots to atmospheric underwater wildlife. Working primarily in acrylics, Georgie sells prints and originals of her works whilst also working on commissions and has become known for her delicate and captivating take on seascapes with a clever use of light and colour.

To see more of Georgie’s works and to keep up to date with new collections, you can find her at www.geebythesea.co.uk or at georgie@geebythesea.co.uk for more details. For every painting sold, surplus donations go towards the charity, Surfers Against Sewage. l As a leading gallery for some of the biggest names in contemporary art in the county and beyond, the New Gallery in Portscatho has been working hard with its collection of resident and exhibition artists to bring their work into the homes of enthusiasts and regular visitors, virtually, with two of their artists having launched websites of their own to display and showcase their works. Mixed media artist Andrea Insoll works from her studio on the Roseland Peninsula, and channels the important of environmental conservation and the threat of plastic pollution into her provoking pieces. Her new website, launched recently, details the concepts, installations and methods behind Andrea’s distinctive works. Soon to be released is also the brand-new website for fellow New Gallery artist, Nina Packer, whose rich colour palette, oil painting and mark making have made her a swift favourite amongst the New Gallery regulars who typically visit year on year. Nina’s paintings are now available to be viewed from the comforts of homes worldwide. l

For works by Nina Packer – www.ninapacker.co.uk For works by Andrea Insoll – www.andreainsoll.co.uk For more artists of the New Gallery – www.thenewgalleryportscatho.co.uk

LEADING WOMEN AT WHITEWATER THIS SUMMER

From 1st to 29th June, Whitewater Contemporary continue their Featured Artist series with an exhibition of work by local painter Suki Wapshott, created through the quietude of lockdown and inspired by ‘scapes’ throughout the seasons. With a particular focus on the ocean and the spectacular Padstow estuary, these paintings are defined by emphatic horizon lines, everchanging skies and a palette of dramatic, powerfully uplifting colours.

Following Suki’s exhibition, from 1st to 30th July, award-winning ceramicist Hannah Billingham will be on show at Whitewater for the very first time. The collection includes stemmed vases, lidded jars and flared forms, all decorated with Hannah’s iconic dot designs and glazed in a palette of copper blues, ivory tones, and soft black and white, with accents of gold lustre and mother-of-pearl. l Whitewater Gallery, The Parade, Polzeath, PL27 6SR. For further information and to take a virtual tour of current gallery exhibitions, see whitewatergallery.co.uk.

Following on from Not Actual Size's London 2020 exhibition of new works Penzance based/ Circa 21's resident artist Sophie Dennett (her work was sold in support of Railway Children international children’s charity) has framed mono prints for sale in her studio on the top floor above the shop. As part of Penzance Art Festival 4-20 June, we'll welcome visitors on the Arts Trail to view and purchase local artists and illustrators prints, both framed and unframed at affordable prices.

Pictured: 'Moon Path', Sophie's roaming kids, out in their gang on the moors near Boskednan's Nine Maidens Stone Circle. She says, “A throwback to the old days when they just go out into the wild, amuse themselves for hours and pile home when it starts to get dark.”

Dennett’s portraits are both sensitive, intimate and an honest depiction within the dual reality of raw beauty and rural hardship in Cornwall. l 21 Market Jew Street, Penzance, TR18 2HR. Open: 10am-4pm Mon to Sat. www.circa21.co.uk • www.sophiedennett.com

LATEST LITERATURE LAUNCH FROM KURT JACKSON

Leading contemporary landscape artist Kurt Jackson has been busy this year setting up a selection of new publications to coincide with his latest exhibitions. Here, take a look at the latest literature set to launch this season...

Kurt Jackson’s Sea For Kurt Jackson ‘Painting the sea could become an obsession, an entire oeuvre in its own right, an endless life absorbing task’. And, as this book attests, Jackson’s dedication to capturing its constant shape shifting has brought forth paintings that communicate the sea’s magic and elusiveness. Kurt Jackson’s Sea captures the beauty of the artist’s constantly evolving relationship with one of nature’s most challenging subjects. Two hundred colour images complement Jackson’s reflections on his interactions with inspirational coastal landscapes – largely experienced in his native Cornwall but stretching way beyond the county too.

Kurt Jackson’s Sea is published June 7th, 2021 by Lund Humphries and features a forward by award-winning art writer Julian Spalding, who pinpoints the importance of Jackson’s artistic voice at a time of environmental emergency. Signed copies available to order from www. KurtJacksonEditions.com

Biodiversity Published to accompany Kurt Jackson's touring exhibition Biodiversity, this immersive book features a range of contributors including Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall, Gillian Burke, Richard Mabey, George Monbiot and Mark Cocker. As we should all be realising, our world is suffering a catastrophic environmental crisis, the likes of which we have never previously witnessed. All life forms have the same entitlement to live as we do and fundamentally, they are all individually fascinating, extraordinary and beautiful organisms in their own right.

Jackson's Biodiversity exhibition (and this book which accompanies it) illustrates this point through a variety of works made in locations around the UK.

This book features contributions from experts in their fields from television, radio, sustainability and academia

Kurt Jackson Biodiversity Signed copies available to order from www.KurtJacksonEditions.com

ROGER CURTIS TO FEATURE IN NEW EXHIBITION AT CUSTOMS HOUSE GALLERY

Bringing his latest collection of exquisite land and seascapes to the walls of the Customs House Gallery, Roger Curtis will be heading up a focus exhibition as part of the gallery’s varied summer season of artist showcases.

With a tenderness for light and the simple joys of a life by the sea, Roger Curtis has all the inspiration he needs in far south west Cornwall, including his home of Newlyn. The majority of his works are painted ‘en plein air’, where Roger immerses himself in the sights, sounds and senses of his subject matter. His delicate, earthy colour palette and ability to capture the essence of peace in a place, makes for a gentle and heart-warming take on some of Cornwall’s most beloved scenic views. Roger studied painting at Birmingham College of Art and Design (1961 – 1965), whereafter he enjoyed a career as an art teacher before moving to Newlyn over 25 years ago to paint full-time.

A resident artist at the Customs House Gallery in Porthleven, this June the gallery will be welcoming in the latest collection of Roger’s works in a focus exhibition running from Saturday 12th to Monday 21st June. l For more information on the gallery and their further upcoming exhibitions, visit www.cornwall-art.co.uk

COLOURS OF THE COAST FROM EMILY NIXON

Emily Nixon’s artful jewellery combines seaweed form, rocky textures and natural gemstones. All of these elements are woven through Emily’s latest ‘Colours of the Coast’ design. A stack of rings set with the most luminous sapphires; intense teal, deep indigo, ice white and flashes of gorse are a vibrant interpretation of cliff top colours.

Colours of the Coast Ring Stack was created by Emily first in wax before being cast using the traditional lost wax process. Sapphires have been meticulously set in Emily's north coast studio, each piece of jewellery finished with Emily’s signature sea-worn, tide tumbled character.

Colours of the Coast stack £4750 In a commitment to sustainable sourcing - this ring has been made using 100% recycled 18ct yellow gold. 2.34ct natural sapphires have been ethically sourced from Australia in a range of hand picked coastal hues. l