A brush with inspiration

I have recently joined the Swansea Art Society, which has allowed me to dabble in painting.

Luckily, my new surroundings provide ample inspiration.

I started painting a beach scene, and without planning it, it turned into Rhossili beach. I suppose that’s hardly surprising given its place in my heart since we moved to this area. The picture was taken after a stormy night, when the normally golden sands were littered with foam and thousands of jelly fish.

The painting is unfinished, but I hope to add a bit more texture to it, and of course, finish the dog, which is just an outline at the minute. He is based on my good friend’s dog, Winston.

The kids were drawn in from a photograph my husband took in Central Park, New York, but I think they look at home on Gower.

I have also painted Old College, Aberystwyth, which is one of my favourite buildings.

I spent one year at Aberystwyth University, on exchange, and it was one of the best years of my 20s. Although I didn’t take any courses at the Old College, I did visit it on numerous occasions for guest lectures.

I hope to paint some of the other sights of the Gower in the coming months.

A washing line that sits out on the estuary at Penclawdd is a surprisingly photogenic scene.

Artists, I’m told, have been painting this for years. There is even one mounted in the fish and chip shop nearby.

Wild horses live in the estuary, which is tidal, and can sometimes be seen grazing under the line. If the tide is really high, the horses can sometimes be found wandering around in the streets.

I am fascinated by the horses. I’m told they are very well nourished, and they certainly don’t look like they’re starving, but they do face hardship. The notoriously dangerous tide on the estuary can sweep in very quickly and catch them unaware. Horses probably have better instincts than people for these kind of things, but I understand Loughor Inshore Lifeboats are still called out to 40-50 animal rescues every year.

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