The Cornwall Blog

Painter Mark Preston has been drawn to the rugged, dramatic coastline between St Ives and Lands End since he was a fine art student in the 1990s. For the past year, Mark’s work has focused on capturing the beauty of the land and sea of West Cornwall throughout the four seasons. This exhibition of forty works, showing from the 6th to 21st September 2013, explores the Duchy in all its glory; sun, rain, storms, spring flowers, winter seas, enticing beaches and wild landscapes. Although based in Derbyshire, Preston is a devoted painter of the Cornish land, coast and sea, fascinated by the way in which the changing seasons affect these spectacular places. Inspired to become a landscape painter through many painting trips to the Peak District, Cornwall and Scotland with his artist father, Rex Preston, Mark paints outdoors using acrylics, with relatively little time spent in the studio. Direct contact with the landscape and natural elements are essential for his painting. Working wi...

First Ever Cornwall Ceramics Trail Launches to coincide with the St Ives September Festival 2013. The history of ceramics in Cornwall is of great importance to the art history of both this region and the wider world, and attracts students, academics and cultural visitors from across the UK and internationally. Alongside established public venues such as the Leach Pottery St Ives and a wealth of private ceramics galleries, the county supports a broad community of independent ceramicists working from private studios. Timed to coincide with the St Ives September Festival 2013, from Saturday 14th to Saturday 28th September this year the first ever Ceramics Trail Cornwall will see potters and ceramicists opening up their working studios to the public. Throughout the event fans of contemporary Cornish pottery will have a unique opportunity to meet and engage with ceramicists, see them at work in their pottery studios and purchase works direct. French born potter Michel François, who...