Oil on Canvas
56 x 91 cms / 22" x 36"
 
"Bantham Beach is a deservedly popular and expansive beach hemmed in by the Avon Estuary to one side and low panoramic cliffs to the other. Backed by some beautiful sand dunes as well as a magnificent vista out to Burgh Island in the distance, Bantham ticks many boxes for the landscape artist. Because it is a long, gently shelving beach, at low tide there are always beautiful effects of the water reflecting on the wet sand amongst dark seaweed-covered rocks, and these all combine with the outstanding view to make this one of my favourite destinations on the south coast of Devon.
 
 
In recent years, I have made several visits out of season without friends and family, and it has a very different feel to high summer when there can be so many visitors. On this occasion I had decided to plan a visit for later in the afternoon to do a painting 'a contre jour', and reap the effects of the lowering sun glimmering over the sea and highlighting the tops of the rocks. I was incredibly lucky to have a beautiful sky as it is this that holds the key to creating a good atmosphere. The pale salmon- pink light that lay between the horizon and the darker blue-grey clouds above made a lovely foil to the light viridian sea below." - Peter Symonds