A new exhibition at The Horsebridge Arts Centre, Whitstable Wednesday May 6th to Monday May 18th 2026. View paintings from the exhibition.
I have spent at least 10 years standing on the beach, painting, sketching, taking photos and generally absorbing the atmosphere, energy of the sea, the sounds of the water and the birds not to mention the excitement of those around me enjoying themselves at the seaside. I have visited St Ives many times; most of my paintings from there are fairly peaceful and sunny with calm open beaches.
In October 2025 I was lucky enough to rent an apartment right on the edge of Porthmeor Beach in St Ives. This gave me full view of the sea and the waves crashing in on the seashore. It was very windy; to start with the wind came from the north straight into the bay, then as days passed it moved west and around to the south. I watched how the waves formed, some of them way out to sea, growing bigger and bigger, tipping over as they moved toward the shore. Some were so large that the brave surfers were totally dwarfed, but somehow managed to keep their balance and ride the wave. Being at Porthmeor Beach this time inspired me to paint a number of wave paintings in particular ‘Rocks and Surf on a Windy Day at St Ives’. These are included in this exhibition.
A visit to Godrevy Lighthouse on Tuesday when it was not too stormy inspired my painting ‘Seals on the Beach in the Cove; Godrevy towards the East’. I have since learned from an art lover at Bath Art Fair where I exhibited this painting in February, that the next cove is known locally as ‘Hell’s Mouth’! Sorry this painting is now in Turin awaiting my exhibition in Venice June-August. Prints are available.
On the Thursday we travelled across Cornwall (just 8 miles from St Ives to Penzance). The wind howled into Mounts Bay! We drove to the Lizard Point, it was so windy we couldn’t go much further than the car park; the sea was exciting as the waves crashed in to the most southerly point of England. Round to the west is Cadgwith Cove, normally quite sheltered but today the waves were so huge they had hauled the 5 fishing boats out of the water and up the beach onto the edge of the road.
After a wonderful fish lunch in the Cadgwith Inn we drove back towards Helston then cut down to the coast to Porthleven, well known for catching the storms as they thunder in from the west across the Bay. Today the sea was splashing into the harbour and when we arrived at the extreme point of the harbour, looking toward the Lizard we could see foam and huge breakers flooding the coastline. This is what inspired my painting ‘Windy Day High Surf towards Lizard Point’.
My exhibition includes a number of wave paintings inspired by my stay in Cornwall. I hope you enjoy this exhibition which has been inspired by my week in Cornwall last autumn. See some of my paintings
Ann Palmer Artist 