collecting

I returned to Spurn last week to collect the two large Spurn Cloths from the lighthouse.  I was actually a bit nervous about going back: this really was the end of my official time here.  Out on the dunes autumn is evident.

Inside the lighthouse Spurn Cloth #2 was beautifully lit in the autumn sunshine.

and up in the lamp room Cloth #1 still looked quite at home.  I wonder how the colours have faded with almost a month in direct sunlight.  There must have been some change; a mellowing.   But the strong prints look much the same.  Any change that there has been is just part of the life of these pieces. 

I took the cloths down, packed them away and left the lighthouse as I'd found it 6 months ago.
 

change

 

I never tire of the coastline because it's never the same twice.  

The tides change its physical shape, and they bring different things to look at. 

 There's always something new.

Jean Sprackland, Strands

The views from the top of the lighthhouse yesterday were amazing - not as clear as sometimes but the air was still so it didn't feel as precarious as sometimes up there, especially on the balcony.

When the tide is down things are particularly interesting and yesterday I was very aware of changes since I last looked at this view.

The distribution of pebbles on the beach has markedly changed.  Of course things are always different here and the detail in particular changes with every tide. From so high up I can see patterns that wouldn't be so obvious down on the beach itself.

painting sea and sky

I was joined in the lighthouse this weekend by Mary, another of Spurn's artists.  It was lovely to finally meet her, having shared the lamp room with a couple of her paintings.  

I took no photos yesterday at all, just painted sketches of the subtle changes in tone on the 360 degree horizon.

 

white horses

The wind is still blowing fiercely from the west but the rain has gone and there is bright blue sky between fast moving clouds (for now...).  The sun reflects off the sea turning it to liquid silver.  The waves on the Humber side (usually the calmer side of the spit) are relentless and the estuary is full of dancing white horses.  There are all sorts of greens mixed in with the browns of the water, all with constantly moving cloud shadows.  

Nothing stays the same here for any length of time.  It is difficult to know which direction to look in, what to focus on: there is so much going on.

The constant change means difficulties for drawing.  How can I capture this movement and change?