Waves and Smiles from Cornwall
There is something magical about standing beside the sea with a paintbrush in your hand.
Recently I had the pleasure of welcoming back a lovely lady from the USA for another art lesson here at beautiful Mawgan Porth, Cornwall. We first met last year when she enjoyed two lessons with me, and this time she arrived with one clear ambition… to learn how to paint waves.
The sea is one of the most fascinating subjects to paint. At first glance it can seem chaotic, constantly changing and impossible to capture. Yet once you begin to understand what you're really seeing, everything starts to make sense.
Rather than teaching people to copy, I teach them to understand.
We explored why waves break where they do, how light behaves across moving water, how colours change with depth and reflection, and how the rhythm of the sea can be simplified into shapes that become much easier to paint. It is all part of understanding the psychology, physiology and physics of seeing.
As her confidence grew, so did the painting.
By the end of the lesson she had created a beautiful seascape full of movement and energy, but even more importantly she had gained the knowledge to continue developing long after she returns home.
One of the unexpected highlights of the day was the wonderfully kind breakfast treat she surprised me with before we began. It was such a thoughtful gesture and made an already enjoyable day even more memorable.
After more than 20 years developing the Visual Awareness method, alongside 25 years teaching Art in schools in both the UK and Australia, those moments of achievement never lose their magic. The greatest reward is not simply the finished painting… it is seeing the smile that appears when someone suddenly realises, "I really can do this."
Whether you live locally, are visiting Cornwall on holiday, or would like to continue learning online through Zoom, every lesson is tailored to your own interests and ambitions.
Perhaps next time you're walking along the shoreline at Mawgan Porth, you'll find yourself looking at the waves a little differently. Once you truly understand what you're seeing, the sea becomes an endless source of inspiration.
I look forward to welcoming many more people to paint with me en plein air here in beautiful Cornwall.
