the Tinners coast … Cornwall

 

Workbook, Brison's Veor, Mari French 2014

Workbook, Brison’s Veor, Mari French 2014

… following on from my previous post (a wilder sea… a Cornish art residency), here are some more images, sketches etc specifically on the mining area around St Just that I produced during those two weeks at Brison’s Veor. (Sorry, some photos rather low quality).

Bottallack and Levant mine areas are National Trust and are easily accessible from the SW coastal path and Geevor mine is open to the public with guided tours (you can go inside a real mine!).

Eventually I’m hoping these spark off a body of artwork, especially the abstract elements.

 

Detail, the Mill, Geevor Mine. M French 2014

Detail, the Mill, Geevor Mine. M French 2014


Calciner, the Mill, Geevor Mine. M French 2014

Calciner, the Mill, Geevor Mine. M French 2014

 

 

 

Inside the Mill, Geevor Mine. M French 2014

Inside the Mill, Geevor Mine. M French 2014

 

Mine abstract, Mari French 2014

Mine abstract, Mari French 2014

 

Detail, Geevor Mine. Mari French 2014

Detail, Geevor Mine. Mari French 2014


Detail, Geevor Mine. Mari French 2014

Detail, Geevor Mine. Mari French 2014


Detail the Mill, Geevor Mine. M French 2014

Detail the Mill, Geevor Mine. M French 2014


studies on paper. Mari French 2014

studies on paper. Mari French 2014


Sketching near Levant. Mari French 2014

Sketching near Levant. Mari French 2014

abstract potential …

my latest acrylic/mixed media work (on watercolour board)… I’m still exploring the abstract potential of the industrial remains of the tin and copper mines between Land’s End and Cape Cornwall. Needs a title yet… 

I’m enjoying producing these and it feels like this one is getting closer to the abstracted colour and form I’m after… 

Cornwall mining abstract

Cornwall mining abstract. Mari French 2013

 

Hard to believe that I’ll be spending two uninterrupted weeks next year painting in the area, thanks to my recently awarded Artists Residency at Brison’s Veor.

the earth bleeds …

Regular followers of this blog may remember my previous posts describing visits to the tin mining area of Penwith, near Lands End in Cornwall and the almost alien industrial archaeology there. If not, you can check them out here, here and here.

Below are the two most recent mixed media artworks I’ve produced on this theme. Again I’m exploring my response to the red iron oxide covered ground, the bright turquoise verdigris leaching from the copper adits where they emerge from the sea cliffs below the mines, the stark finger-like stacks pointing skywards.

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Acrylic paint, tissue, acrylic ink and inktense blocks have all been used. The support was Daler watercolour board, which will take quite a lot of wet media if adequately taped down.

It’s an absolute joy to be an abstract artist and come across such rich source material…

I have to go back …

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