"I begin with an idea ... and then it becomes something else"
~ Picasso

Tuesday 13 March 2012

a day of beach streams

Saturday ... such a beautiful warm spring day

I walked down the coast path into St. Ives
on my way to the flea market in the Arts Club

at this point along the coast path I always have a "wow" moment
the views are so breathtakingly beautiful

on Saturday morning the tide was right out almost as far as it goes and it was possible to walk around from Porthminster beach onto Westcotts beach and the harbour beach

it was a day of beautiful beach streams and ripples

while walking on the coast path
I captured these lichen patterns by the railway bridge

must admit ... I had some strange looks from passers by
as I crouched down photographing a brick wall!

some people just don't understand!

I've been photographing lichen for quite a few years
I think it's that particular shade of St. Ives ochre that I love ♥

I have a piece of work in the exhibition that is inspired by lichen

hand dyed cotton, silk and chiffon
textures created by folding and melting
with free motion stitch, french knots and a few beads

these patterns can be found on the railway bridge along the footpath
I know Julie will recognise them as she featured them in her
beautiful St. Ives inspired art quilt

more lichen ... white this time
with nice textures and patterns

and some flowery lichen with branching like seaweed

as I got to the bend by the Pedn Olva hotel
I stopped awhile to admire the beach streams and shallow ponds
and enjoy the tranquility of an almost empty beach

a bit further along the coast path
I came across some building work on The Warren

a sheet of plywood ... tiles removed ... with lovely plaster patterns

they will make great photographic textures

when I get a moment ...
I will upload the large files to flickr for general use

after meeting friends at the flea market, some purchases,
some lunch on the sea front and some seagull swooping ...

I went on the beach to my favourite spot

just around the bend past this clear blue pool of sea water

hopping over the beach streams
filled with blue skies

and jumping over tangles of rope and net

I arrive at my peaceful place
where I lose hours in quest for treasure

fossilised seaweed patterns in lightbox

here are my treasures from the day

vintage postcards from the flea market
some dated 1913 with vintage English stamps
a William Morris design
a delightful vintage card called "Autumn Leaves"
and cats that remind me of Ponckle's cats

this one is probably my favourite
a girl on a beach ... dressed in blue ... in repose

beach treasures

so very lucky to find these fishing weights tangled up in net with copper wire hooks and fragments of rusted linen ... fragile but still of use in my work, pieces of driftwood, dark seaweed, dark pottery and black pottery pieces as well as the usual shells and pebbles

I'm never quite sure if the beach washes up certain things on certain tides or whether I just seem to notice collections of things on certain days ... how hard it is to find pieces of black pottery on a beach ... but I found a lot of it on Saturday ... all mismatched of course

I am enjoying a couple of quiet days
and some time to catch up with emails and my blogs
and, on request, will post some photos of the exhibition

the exhibition has kept Jo and I very busy and we have enjoyed meeting lots of visitors to the show on our "meet" days. In particular, I'd like to say thank you so very much to the lovely couple from Shepperton, Victoria from Hayle who made me a gorgeous red brooch with a shell on it, Olwyn and Wendy from North Cornwall, Sally, Tracy, Stephanie and Tina

"Inspired to Stitch" continues until 31st March
and the next opportunity to meet Jo will be on
Tuesday 20th March (12 - 5 pm)
St. Ives Library, Gabriel Street, St. Ives, Cornwall

thank you for visiting me ♥

32 comments:

Indianna said...

I was here on Saturday too collecting stuff, though I think you were there before me. I visited your exhibition and it was lovely to see your work up close. Now to make something with all my finds.

Aileen Clarke Crafts said...

Beautiful post Carolyn! So lovely to share your walk and all those wonderful views, textures, colours and treasures!

Ruth said...

I love lichen too! I have a challenge about surface texture over on the Felting and Fiber Studio site for the first quarter that these photos would fit right in.

Anonymous said...

What a treasure trove of wonderful things. You are lucky to live in such an inspiring part of the country. Your lichen piece is gorgeous.Glad your exhibition was a success.

jan said...

Lovely beach pictures, it is so beautiful down there. Love all your texture and lichen photo's, and your lichen piece is beautiful...x

gunnelsvensson said...

So many lovely images! I like your textileart as well!

Lynn Cohen said...

Oh oh oh you live in the most beautiful of places...all those photos are simply exquisite and yes, yes, yes, I get it...the color the texture the look of it against the brick wall i totally understand. and your finds oh my oh my oh my what luck what inspiration what gems for future art pieces. I loved this long post. I love all the beauty you see and share with us. Thank you.

Thanks to for your visit today to my blog...and your comment. Much appreciated.

Carmen said...

Great photos, Love all the textures and colours.

Hemiwinx said...

I am sooo loving this - thank you so much for sharing - hoping to be in St Ives within the next few months ♥

Julie said...

I do indeed recognise the railway numbers Carolyn but I've never looked at them wuite as closely as you have this time. I shall have to explore them more fully in September. The lichen photographs are beautiful and what a low tide! It changes the whole look of the beaches. Lovely to see you posting and big cheer up for me (sore throat not so bad now, just exhausted). Lovely to see your interpretation of the lichen too :-) xxx

sea-blue-sky & abstracts said...

Love these pics Carolyn - the tide was incredibly low, wasn't it? You have captured all the beauty! x

CJ STITCHING AND BLOOMS said...

Hello Carolyn, Oh, how I love seeing your beautiful beach photos. I wish I could of walked with along the beaches with you and seen all these lovely creations. Hugs Judy

Anonymous said...

Lovely tour of the fabulous textural flora growing in St. Ives. I know it will show up again and again in various forms in your work. Where you
live is such an inspiration. xox Corrine

rl said...

I so appreciate you sharing your walk with us. Beautiful place you live in and you see it with a consummate artist's eye so that we can too.

Barb King said...

Stunning photos of beautiful St. Ives, and I love the way you noticed the intricate details in everyday things. Thanks for sharing, I would love to go back there. The day I visited was just like that, and I could not believe the color of the water.

Sandies' Patch said...

You mean to say you didn't pick up that piece of green sea glass????? LOL!

Lovely post...would have loved to have walked with you, it looks smashing.

Looking forward to pics of the exhibition too.

Have a great week,

Sandie xx

Caterina Giglio said...

oh my, oh my, oh my! these are so beautiful, and you are so right, so many people just don't understand... gorgeous photos and textures, what a stunning place to live! really I have it on my bucket list to come visit! thank you for such a gift! xox

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos!!

Lynette (NZ) said...

Lovely beachy photos.....I must take more pictures of my surroundings.

Kay said...

thanks for taking me along on that beautiful walk...from landlocked berkshire!!!....the postcard of the girl is so sweet..x

JP said...

fantastic photos - really made me feel better - thank you

Gloria Freshley Art and Design said...

Always such beautiful photos here! Thank you Carolyn!

Pat said...

I will be in St Ives next week dv. So looking forward to seeing you exhibition and hopefully taking the coastal path.

Elizabethanne said...

I love looking at all of your beautiful photos from where you live. I so wish I lived there :-) Your friend Elizabeth xx

Sharne Gregory said...

Your photos of St Ives are wonderful, I could almost smell the sea!! Cant wait to come back for a visit, wont be this year now. :0(

Flotsam said...

One of my main memories from St. Ives is the blues and yellows. It is good to see other folk also do not mind looking odd when viewing small things up close. That is lovely feathery lichen.

Carol Rigby said...

What lovely photos. I will be spending a week in Cornwall in the summer and we are planning on visiting St.Ives. I can't wait. How lucky you are to live in such a beautiful place with so much inspiration all around you.

Angie Willis said...

How lovely to read one of your great blogs again. I too stand in front of lichen covered walls taking photos - your translation of it into textiles is wonderful and inspirational. I shall be in Cornwall next week on holiday and will try very hard to get to St. Ives to see your exhibition.

Carolyn Howarth said...

Great photos Carolyn. Very inspring. Your comment about getting strange looks took me right back to my uni days when my lovely friend Linda and I used to get very odd looks from people as we stood in the park stroking the bark on trees! Carolyn

Caroline said...

Lovely post Carolyn! I look forward to seeing photos from your exhibition. Some super beach finds this time!

Elizabeth said...

I am so inpressed by your blog. Great I found it.
Groeten uit Nederland.

Margaret Cooter said...

Fabulous photos of an amazing place - I visited years ago and have never forgotten it.