Ebb & FLOW

A fabulous opening for our last show, many thanks for all your support. With special thanks to Peter and Jeff for keeping drinks flowing and Flic for her wonderful photos, not easy in the sunny evening light.

I am rooted but I flow - Virginia Woolf

As an island nation, we have a strong connection with the sea. Take a walk to Rye Harbour on a winter's day and watch the wind whip the water into a frothing boiling turbulent mass, white horses riding the waves into shore. A few months later gentle waves ripple across the sand at nearby Camber. as the sun sets, the melancholy call of the seabirds passing through, low to the water, the beach deserted now after a busy day. A quiet time of contemplation. Hastings brings to mind Fishermen, wonderfully evocative craggy characters with weather-worn faces and gulls aplenty, trying to steal your fresh fish and chips. 

From wistful walks along the beach with the sound of the sea rhythmically echoing in the background, your thoughts wander ... and your imagination takes flight. Little wonder that our history is filled with stories of mermaids, myths and legends.

The English Coast is a constant source of inspiration for artists with it's rhythm and flow, rock pools and pebbles, big skies and constantly changing light. But we are equally connected to the rivers and marshes and we've included a touch of landscapes for those without sea legs!

With a mixture of detail, precision and rough abstract our artists interpret their emotive responses to the sea. Our selection of ceramics and jewellery takes inspiration from the colours and textures that evoke wind and water, the natural elements of coastal landscapes.