Wild in the wind at Cape Cornwall, 2018
Taking inspiration from the rugged Cornish coastline, the artist finds the sea and the energy it brings though waves and wind both compelling and relaxing. Alex aims to replicate the powerful feelings he experiences when standing at the edge of the ocean with a seemingly never-ending expanse of space before him. As a keen surfer, he is able to paint seascapes as someone who both recognises the beauty of the sea and comprehends its might.
For the artist, the nature of the process is just as important as the finished piece. He works both in and out of doors, painting on canvas sheets directly on the floor and using materials he has found on the beach to add depth and texture to his work. Although influenced by the Cornish coastline, he can never truly predict the nature of his finished piece and takes pleasure from this reflective quality of the painting process. His raw compulsion to create, along with the contemplative nature of his artistic process, adds a tangible intensity to his work.
Although difficult to believe when looking at Alex’s work, the artist has never undertaken formal artistic training. In fact, he only discovered his flair for painting in 2012 when a friend suggested he combat his low mood by picking up a paintbrush. Since then, Alex’s life has taken an exciting and unexpected direction thanks to his innate talent and passion for painting. It is this absence of artistic education that makes Alex such an exciting artist – he continues to learn through experimentation with new techniques and textures that both capture the energy of the wild north coast of Cornwall and satisfy the eye.