Tag Archives: coast

Solstice… sun & storm clouds

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Beach at Holme Dunes, Thornham. © Mari French 2016

Beach at Holme Dunes, Thornham. © Mari French 2016

I eventually managed a couple of days sketching recently at Thornham on the north Norfolk coast. The first day, summer solstice as it happens, a couple of weeks ago now, was deceptively hot with a pleasant breeze. I walked along the raised paths which were lined with a mass of billowing yellow rape, towards the boardwalks through Holme dunes to the wide glorious beach.

Accompanied by the calls of Lapwings and the song of skylarks, bright sun with dark clouds behind me. Bees buzzing, the mud flats greening up in places with vivid samphire. After a few rumbles of thunder, the looming clouds moved away leaving contrails and cirrus clouds sweeping the bright blue sky. 

Thornham salt marsh with yellow rape. © Mari French 2016

Thornham salt marsh with yellow rape. © Mari French 2016

 From my sketchbook notes…

Incredible play of light today from the sun/storm clouds over the marsh and grazings to brilliant sunshine over the dunes, beach and sea. Windy but warm. Indigo, turquoise and cerulean bands of colour on the sea. The sand ranges from palest ivory pink to deep Sienna where it is still wet near the sea. Winding shallow creeks meander across the huge expanse of beach.

 

Thunder in the distance. © Mari French 2016


Dunes, Holme Beach. © Mari French 2016


Samphire, Ragged Marsh. © Mari French 2016


Sun and sand, Solstice. © Mari French 2016

breathing space …

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Breathing space, Mixed-media on paper. © Mari French 2016

Breathing space, Mixed-media on paper. © Mari French 2016

 
This past few months I’ve been painting madly away in my studio in preparation for two solo shows coming up soon. 

The first, entitled ‘Breathing Space’, will be at Anteros Arts Foundation in Norwich, in the main gallery, from 3rd to 14th May, and is a varied show including some of my new works, a few of which are shown here, alongside several existing favourites.

My second show, entitled ‘Salt & Sand’, will be at The Grapevine Gallery in Burnham Market, north Norfolk, and will solely consist of work inspired by the creeks, reedbeds and marshes of the wild expanse of the Norfolk Saltmarsh coast, where, as you may know from many posts on this blog, I spend a lot of time walking and sketching.

I think it’s clear that I’ve been putting into practice some of the mark-making techniques I learnt at the Emily Ball workshop back in January!

 

Pools of light, mixed-media on paper, © Mari French 2016

Pools of light, mixed-media on paper. Mari French 2016

 
  

it’s a cold wind …

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Brilliant sunlight but Baltic winds almost turned me back from sketching at Thornham today. But, wrapped in about four layers of warm clothing, including Russian-type hat, I persevered and managed a couple of sketchbook spreads. 

 

Old landings stage and channel markers. Sketchbook, Mari French 2016

Old landing stage and channel markers. Sketchbook, Mari French 2016

 
Plenty of skeins of geese overhead and landing in nearby fields, especially the small dark Brent geese which have such an odd but appealing call, a kind of ‘ruff ruff ruff’, like dogs. One of them left its sky borne flock and circling round, landed close by, pottering in the marsh grass for a while, completely heedless of me sat there sketching.  

 

Brent geese, Norfolk coast

Brent geese, Norfolk coast. Mari French 2016

 
 
Cold wind and sunlight, Ragged Marsh, Thornham. Mari French 2016

Cold wind and sunlight, Ragged Marsh, Thornham. Mari French 2016

 

Just love the way the small creeks and pools reflect the clear blue sky amidst the golden tobacco colours of the winter marsh grass, with the upright but skewed channel marker posts scattered in the distance. Will I ever tire of this?

  

Brent goose, Thornham Marsh. Mari French 2016

Brent goose, Thornham Marsh. Mari French 2016