Emma Jeffryes - Seaward

Emma’s new collection is inspired by her love of living by the sea, which she describes as “fundamental in my life” and “a continual source of inspiration” for her vibrant paintings, which have always revolved around the ocean and the lively Cornish villages beside it.

'“Living in a tall house at the top of a hill in Carbis Bay, with a large dormer window, we have a view that I treasure dearly: it is a panorama that looks out over the ocean from St. Ives Bay and across the Hayle Estuary to Godrevy and beyond. It is an absolutely integral part of my day, to look at this view of the sea many times, for which I am truly thankful. Since moving to St. Ives 26 years ago, I have had the privilege of living a very maritime lifestyle - swimming in, walking by, surfing on and contemplating next to the sea. 

In May of 2022, for this exhibition, I spent the weekend at the ‘Seasalts and Sails’ Festival in Mousehole, a true spectacle of old sailing vessels and their salty-sea-dog crews. I became absorbed with recording the weekend’s activities, through sketches, photographs and ‘en plein air’ work, from which to work up paintings back in the studio. This has manifested in some experimentation with expressive mark making, mixed media, texture and a return to working directly from life. 

The sea is fundamental to my life and is a continual source of inspiration. The majority of my work has always revolved around the ocean, and so I am hoping this new collection will encompass and express all that the sea means to me”.

Emma Jeffryes, 2023