Made with Penwith
The landscapes surrounding Sennen have long inspired artists of all disciplines and styles. We’ve rounded-up a small selection of work inspired by this stunning canvas of Atlantic blues, dark granite and vibrant heather.
In the 1930s, Barabara Hepworth arrived in St Ives, bringing her abstract and modernist style to west Cornwall, and her growing prominence to the artists working around Penwith.
In 1949, she joined Ben Nicholson, Peter Lanyon, Bernard Leach, Sven Berlin and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham in the establishment of Penwith Society of Arts that still operates today from the Penwith Gallery. During the 20th century these artists created internationally renowned works, drawing from the sea and land of Cornwall’s western edge.
Today, current members of the society create landscape realisations in a variety of mediums methods, and shape ceramics that have absorbed inspiration found in this landscape.
Colin Caffell’s hand crafted ceramics:
© Colin Caffell. Penwith Gallery
Michael Praed’s abstract scenes:
© Michael Praed. Penwith Gallery
John Piper’s textured oil paintings depict Penwith’s nature:
© John Piper. Penwith Gallery
WORK FROM WILD SPACES
Heading out from Sennen into Penwith leads to wild, intriguing landscapes – from zawns – chasms in the granite cliff faces – to isolated ruins draped in ivy and moss.
Artist Kitty Hillier’s work is rooted in her belief that all things are connected. She seeks this out above and below the surface in nature. The result is playful images and sculptures that reference these observations.
The installation pictured below is from Moving Landscapes, which showed drawings and sculptures that responded to the land. Kitty’s work for the exhibition was inspired by walking on Chun Downs – a wildlife-rich heathland on the West Penwith moor where walkers can see the remains of an ancient hill fort.
At a temporary exhibition, The Fayre, in Sennen last year, Kitty’s work We Are All Solitaries was on display, shown here with the playful sculptures by US-based artist Ken Goldstrom.
Photo by Joe Lyward, Hweg Gallery
At The Roundhouse and Capstan Gallery in Sennen a varied collection of art and crafts is on display, many pieces capturing Penwith’s wild places, from Michael Praed’s angular abstraction to the dynamic seascapes captured by Clare Mason. Find out more about Sennen’s heritage gallery.
Few landscapes offer as much inspiration as the wilds of west Penwith, easily explored from Sennen. Find your #SecretReason to be by the sea this autumn winter.
