Turning of the Light: Cornwall’s Golden Hour is a Constant Inspiration for Artists

Light and art are more than inseparable: they form a continuum. Quite simply, it is light that is captured on canvass or paper, in paint or through the lens of a camera and the quality of light in Autumn, particularly here in Cornwall, is unique to that season. It has inspired artists for centuries.   In the Northern hemisphere, Autumn begins at the moment when the sun crosses the ‘celestial…

A Cornish Autumn: Some of Cornwall’s Best Kept Autumnal Secrets

At home in Cornwall hurrying autumn skies Leave Bray Hill barren, Stepper jutting bare, And hold the moon above the sea-wet sand. The very last of late September dies In frosty silence and the hills declare How vast the sky is, looked at from the land. From ‘Back from Australia’ by John Betjeman The crowds of sightseeing tourists throbbing through Cornish towns and villages have dissipated. The frantic busyness of…

When Photography is Art – A Battle Fought and Won in Art History

Modern photography is generally agreed to have begun with the invention of the Daguerrotype in 1839. At that time art served a dual purpose, that of providing an aesthetic experience and that of accurately documenting people, places and historical events for posterity. The camera was very soon capable of a far greater degree of accuracy than the human hand and at far greater speed and, equally quickly, it was regarded…

Anthony Horth Photography: Not Only An Artist, But A Major Talent…

This week, the gallery is buzzing! Internationally renowned Australian fashion photographer, landscape photographer and New York gallery owner, Anthony Horth is joining the artists exhibited at St Mawes.   This is a new direction for us and it’s one that’s as exciting as it is challenging. Challenging because photography is so very different in its medium and execution from painting or sculpture.   It is a comparatively recent format, one…

How Artists Are Cleaning Up Cornwall and Beyond with Marine Litter Art

The relationship between art and Cornwall’s coastline, its seas and sands, its rocks and cliffs, is a theme that we return to again and again, not surprisingly! The Cornish seascape has inspired artists for centuries and, if anything, that inspiration has only become stronger over time. (An online search for Cornish art or Cornish artists will produce thousands of examples of paintings and painters of these shorelines, from every imaginable…

Discover Beautiful Sculptures on the Cornish Coast

No-one who visits any part of the Cornish coast can help noticing the things that have inspired artists and writers for centuries: the ever changing colour and quality of the light, the interplay of sky and water, the sheer power and magic of nature on display. And, of course, if they do stop to think about the connection between these stunning vistas and artists, and the art they produce, they…

All This and Our Art Gallery Too! Reasons to Love St Mawes…

We’d like to imagine that the chief reason for planning a trip to St Mawes, or one of the chief reasons anyway, is our wonderful art gallery in this wonderful village. We would like to imagine that, so we’ll go on imagining it! But while doing so we will reflect on a few of the innumerable other attractions that make this a magical place for visitors and locals alike... Our…

Falling in Love With Art: A Guide On How to Look at Artwork

Art, as we have discovered, has the power to provide the viewer with the same kind of pleasure as falling in love. Since all art is created with the sole purpose of being viewed it seems there’s a kind of intimate and romantic reciprocity going on between artists and their audiences. At least, there is when the piece of art in question produces a positive reaction.   That won’t always…

Learning Through Art: Creative Education for All the Family with Affordable Artwork

Art informs more in our lives than many of us realise and is an essential building block of all that we have ever learned. From language development and decision making to cultural awareness and improved achievement in all areas of life, there is much that can and should be taken from having art in the home and in our world.   Alvaro Tamarit is an award winning painter, sculptor, installations…

Art for Health and Happiness? Why we should all have art at home and work

There’s nothing wrong with a blank wall. Minimalism, after all, has its own kind of beauty. But while it should fit comfortably with the surrounding décor and, if possible, enhance it, art in the home, or in the workplace is about much more than a choice of interior design. It plays an important role in our emotional and physical wellbeing.   Artwork has a powerful effect on the human psyche.…