Salcombe | Elaine Jones

The rolling hills, unspoiled beaches and hidden coves along the South Devon coastline, and in particular the picturesque town of Salcombe, continue to inspire artist Elaine Jones and her painting practice.

Each return visit to Salcombe fosters a desire to experience the landscape and coastline more deeply, and Elaine often heads out onto the water to sketch. Working from her small boat offers new perspectives on some of Elaine’s favourite spots, such as Snapes Point, East Portlemouth and Soar Mill Cove.

There are dramatic shifts in scale as the boat hugs the headland or drifts further out to sea. The ebb and flow of the tide adds a sense of movement and rhythm to the sketches and subsequent paintings. It is these intimate and physical experiences of sea and land that Elaine takes back with her to the studio.

Elaine's Sketchbook

Mill Bay, Salcombe

Vivid memories of the colours of spring, from primroses, violets and masses of wild garlic and bluebells, to miles of bright yellow oilseed rape fields, manifest themselves in Elaine’s paintings. The contrast between clear blue skies and the sea with verdant hills, rugged woodland and rocky outcrops is reflected in the paintings through the placement of controlled elements alongside poured paint and loose brushwork.

Working instinctively, each of Elaine’s paintings go through many stages of development and obliteration, and you can see traces of this process in the finished pieces. This collection of works not only captures the beauty of the South Hams, but also something of how it feels to be in this landscape and something of Elaine’s personal response to place and painting too.

Seafront with Sunlight | 80x90cm | Oil

Mill Bay | 80x80cm | Oil

Waters Edge with Blue and Green | 80x90cm | Oil

Photo courtesy of Alice Hendy

Visit us on stand L3 at the Affordable Art Fair Battersea (7 - 10 March) to see more of Elaine's new paintings, or to make an enquiry about any of the work on the website please e-mail info@firstcontemporary.com.

You can also sign up to our mailing list to receive occasional updates on Elaine's practice and upcoming art fairs.