WHERE ROCKS BECOME SEA | Autumn–Winter Show
"Hallowe’en brings with it the spectre of its Celtic precursor – the ancient festival of Samhain (Allantide here in Cornwall), celebrating the beginning of the ‘cycle of the wheel’ – a sort of New Year’s Day, when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest. It seems the natural time of year to reveal the recent body of earthy, ancient and geologic – almost subterranean – mixed media works painted with natural Cornish earth pigments – such as ochres, by Sara Dudman, along with Masako Tobita’s atmospheric ‘veiled and shifting’ ethereal creations."
In the spotlight at Porthminster Gallery's autumn-winter selling-show, is the eagerly awaited new series of abstract West Cornwall earth pigment paintings by Somerset-based experimental artist Sara Dudman RWA. Also showcasing recent works on board by Hampshire-based painter Masako Tobita.
For five thousand years here in West Penwith, Cornwall - where dark volcanic rock meets saltwater at the shape-shifting margin twixt land and sea - the granite moors and clifftops have stood sentinel to the many ancient and sacred sites that huddle in this atmospheric and mysterious land at the very end of Britain. A magical and transmutative landscape of stone circles, standing stones, settlements, quoits, and tombs, where worlds collide and spawn a rich folklore of giants, spriggans, knockers, piskies, and changelings.
Curator and Gallery Director, David Durham, said of the show, "Hallowe'en brings with it the spectre of its Celtic precursor – the ancient festival of Samhain (Allantide here in Cornwall), celebrating the beginning of the 'cycle of the wheel' – a sort of New Year's Day, when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest."
He continued, "So, it seemed the natural time of year to reveal the recent body of earthy, ancient and geologic - almost subterranean - mixed media works painted with natural Cornish earth pigments - such as ochres, by Sara Dudman, along with Masako Tobita's atmospheric 'veiled and shifting' ethereal creations."
Gallery Manager and Co-curator, Catherine Lewin, said, "Selecting the ceramics and sculptures to sit alongside and complement Sara's and Masako's beautiful new paintings, has, for me, been a creatively rich and rewarding aspect of the curation process, and hopefully", she added, "the passion and enthusiasm we share for the artworks and their curation, shines through to the viewer."
The paintings by Sara Dudman and Masako Tobita are complemented with artworks by selected southwest and British artists, featuring:
Ceramics by: Peter HAYES, Charlotte JONES, Mitch PILKINGTON and Paul WEARING.
Prints by: Melvyn EVANS and Trevor PRICE.
Sculptures by Tommy ROWE and Michael THACKER.
With supporting works by 20th Century Modern Artists, including:
Terry FROST, Barbara HEPWORTH, Victor PASMORE and Joe TILSON.
SARA DUDMAN | NEW EARTH PIGMENT PAINTINGS ON BOARD, PAPER & FLOTSAM
MASAKO TOBITA | NEW MIXED MEDIA PAINTINGS ON BOARD
Media Release: New Exhibitions and Events
Exhibition: Where Rocks Become Sea
4 November 2023 to 6 January 2024
In the spotlight at Porthminster Gallery’s autumn-winter selling-show, is the eagerly awaited new series of abstract West Cornwall earth pigment paintings by Somerset-based experimental artist Sara Dudman RWA. Also showcasing recent works on board by Hampshire-based painter Masako Tobita.
For five thousand years here in West Penwith, Cornwall – where dark volcanic rock meets saltwater at the shape-shifting margin twixt land and sea – the granite moors and clifftops have stood sentinel to the many ancient and sacred sites that huddle in this atmospheric and mysterious land at the very end of Britain. A magical and transmutative landscape of stone circles, standing stones, settlements, quoits, and tombs, where worlds collide and spawn a rich folklore of giants, spriggans, knockers, piskies, and changelings.
Curator and Gallery Director, David Durham, said of the show, “Hallowe’en is fast approaching, and with it the spectre of its Celtic precursor – the ancient festival of Samhain (Allantide here in Cornwall), celebrating the beginning of the ‘cycle of the wheel’ – a sort of New Year’s Day, when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest.” He continued, “So, it seemed the natural time of year to reveal and display the recent body of earthy, ancient and geologic – almost subterranean – mixed media works painted with natural Cornish earth pigments – such as ochres, by Sara Dudman, along with Masako Tobita’s atmospheric ‘veiled and shifting’ ethereal creations.”
Gallery Manager and Co-curator, Catherine Lewin, said, “Selecting the ceramics and sculptures to sit alongside and complement Sara’s and Masako’s beautiful new paintings, has, for me, been a creatively rich and rewarding aspect of the curation process, and hopefully”, she added, “the passion and enthusiasm we share for the artworks and their curation, shines through to the viewer.”
The paintings by Sara Dudman and Masako Tobita are complemented with artworks by selected southwest and British artists, featuring:
Ceramics by: Peter HAYES, Charlotte JONES, Mitch PILKINGTON and Paul WEARING.
Prints by: Melvyn EVANS and Trevor PRICE.
Sculptures by Tommy ROWE and Michael THACKER.
With supporting works by 20th century Modern Artists:
Terry FROST, Barbara HEPWORTH, Victor PASMORE and Joe TILSON.
Price range of works in show: £48 to £5,500.
The gallery offers buyers and collectors the easy and affordable incentive to buy original art from £100 up to £2,500 spread over 10 monthly instalments 0% APR with the Own Art purchase scheme.
Press Enquiries and Images:
Catherine Lewin: +44 (0)1 736 795 888 / catherine@porthminstergallery.co.uk
Download Press-ready images, and text files here.
Listings information:
Porthminster Gallery, 22 Fore Street, St Ives TR26 1HE
near the Barbara Hepworth Studio and Garden
+44 (0)1736 795888 | porthminstergallery.co.uk
Open six days a week, Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat 11am–4pm
Admission free
Social Media
#porthminstergallery
Instagram: @porthmingallery
Notes to Editors: About Porthminster Gallery
In 2017 the award-winning Porthminster Gallery celebrated its tenth year in St Ives, Cornwall.
Established by art patrons and gallery directors David Durham and Dee Bray-Calvert in York in 1999 as Minster Fine Art, the business relocated to St Ives in 2007 to concentrate its focus on the art of St Ives and Cornwall. Since then, the gallery has championed the work of more than 90 living British artists through its progressive and expertly curated programme of 160+ shows and has showcased and introduced many young up-and-coming artists to an appreciative local and global collectorship.
The gallery has also gained a strong reputation over the last 13 years for its impressive shows and changing stock of 20th Century Modern St Ives and British Art. In July 2022, the gallery opened an adjacent second gallery venue, dedicated to showing these works in a first-floor apartment-like space.
Porthminster Gallery won the Cornwall Today readers’ award for ‘Best Art Gallery in Cornwall’ 2014/15 and has been featured in BBC2’s Coast series and more recently in Sky Art’s Tate Walks series.
