I am a self-taught British oil painter inspired by the raw beauty and shifting moods of the sea. My work moves between expressive coastal landscapes and vertical abstract paintings—each a meditation on light, movement, and memory. Based near Cambridge, I find continual inspiration in the ever-changing skies and shorelines of the British coast, particularly Norfolk and the North Sea.

 

My seascapes reflect not just what I see, but what I feel, drama, solitude, renewal. In contrast, my vertical abstracts explore these same themes in a more distilled, intuitive language: layered textures, bold gestures, and a deep, immersive use of colour. I am endlessly fascinated by how oil paint behaves—its richness, its ability to build and hold texture, and how it can be pushed, pulled, scraped, and softened until the painting begins to breathe.

 

Being self-taught has allowed me to work freely and instinctively, guided by process rather than rules. I work slowly, allowing each piece to evolve through rhythm and repetition, echoing the natural erosion and rebuilding found in coastal landscapes.

 

I am a member of the Visual Artists Association and Cambridge Open Studios, and my work is currently available at Metamorphosis the Gallery in Wells-next-the-Sea. Whether figurative or abstract, my paintings invite the viewer to pause—to sense rather than interpret, to feel rather than analyse—and to connect with the elemental energy that flows beneath the surface of both sea and self.

 

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                            Cheryl

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