After the success of Ellen Watson’s first solo show at White Space in 2021, we are delighted to present a second collection of accomplished sea and landscapes from one of Cornwall’s most talented contemporary painters.

While her practice remains the same, this body of work has seen her revisit her beginnings in terms of subject matter. “I started out painting botanical style paintings and designs in the early days, so this group of paintings is a return to the past really.”

Ellen has been drawn more and more to the wild flowers which adorn the clifftop paths and beaches of her Cornish home. Gradually they became the focus of the composition, edging the sea and land further into the background.

“It was so easy to move from one painting to the next, just a case of looking around as I walked the hound each morning and recording what was growing that week or month. Eventually the types merged and made a flower salad. So buttercups, sorrel, harebells, bluebells and alliums were all in the picture together.”

For many of us on a coastal walk, the wild flowers might be overlooked as we concentrate on the dramatic views of the Atlantic or English Channel. Fans of Ellen’s seascapes won’t be disappointed as the brooding skies and textured mark making remain intact. Now, though, we also have the beauty of these hardy plants to frame the rugged waves, rocks and islands.

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