The Art of the Island

By Rebecca Lawson

The Isle of Wight is a muse for many artists, and sweeping interpretations of its coastlines adorn the walls of homes and galleries Island-wide. Cowes Gallery, however, is displaying paintings by a local artist whose work celebrates the Island in its own unique way.

Interested in seeing more of Polly’s work? Cowes Gallery is the place to visit. Here, you will find Polly’s whimsical watercolours on display, clearly showcasing her love of the Island and the inspiration she gets from the coast. Pieces such as Sea Dragon, Beach Trail, and Into the Blue also show a side of the Island completely unlike the seascapes and sailing scenes more often found in Island artwork.

Polly’s Island pieces are perfectly showcased along the snow-white walls of Cowes Gallery, but they are far from the only Island treasures you’ll find there. They sit proudly alongside depictions of the Needles by artists such as Ben Goymer and Simon Wright. Expressionist Hettie Pittman’s rugged, windswept coastlines are also featured in all their stark beauty, as are the colourful pointed sails of guest artist Maria Cortes.

Cowes Gallery is not only about paintings, however. The display branches into other styles by also featuring stunning ceramics and glasswork. Glass artist Colin Hawkins has also clearly been inspired by the nature of the Island — the blue and gold pigments and sweeping lines of his elegant vases perfectly capture the wild beauty of the coast on a temperamental spring day.

What sets this beautiful gallery apart from others in Cowes is the diversity of the display. It not only champions local artists and others who depict the Island, but a plethora of global inspiration can be found as well. Contemporary Aboriginal Australian artists are displayed next to cityscapes of London and Phil Atrill’s Japaneseinfluenced Wabi glass vases — walking through Cowes Gallery is nothing less than a journey around the world, with the Isle of Wight at its centre.

Profile of an Artist: Polly Zanardi

Part of being an artist is finding your own original style, and Polly Zanardi, an Island-based artist, has found several. After completing her degree in Surface Decoration at De Montfort University in Leicester, Polly gained experience working in the textile industry. Evidence of this is clear in her soft, fluid watercolours which are inspired by the Island’s natural offerings. Pebbles, feathers, seaweed, and driftwood all feature in a seamless pastel flow, presenting our flora and fauna in a unique palette.

Like many artists before her, Polly finds the Island “infinitely inspiring”. She says, “My abstract work is almost exclusively inspired by the shifting colours of the water or the colours, textures, and shapes of things I collect on beach walks. I paint intuitively, so I never plan or draw anything out. When something catches my eye like a stone or shell or even a wave pattern, that might be my starting point and the rest of the painting kind of emerges from there.”

Cowes Gallery

75 High St, Cowes, PO31 7AJ Tel: 07775 875790 www.aalondongallery.com

In contrast to her abstract watercolours, which she describes as her “passion project”, much of Polly’s work is in commissioned pen and ink portraits and sketches bursting with humour and chaos; “I have two strands to my artwork. The drawings of people have been my bread and butter for a number of years, and my watercolours are an antidote to the tightness of drawing people and the challenge of finding the perfect likeness to a face.”