Words by Hannah Tapping
Perfectly imitating the relationship between light and water, the work of Andrew Giddens not only wields the spirit of Cornwall, but also an otherworldly atmosphere of movement and luminosity.
Capturing the essence of the Cornish coast is something many artists strive to achieve, with years of practice needed to reach that goal. Andrew Giddens has been painting the coastline since the mid 90s and has since become a household name in impressionistic seascapes. Andrew is based in west Cornwall and lives with his family and dog and has a gallery/studio in Perranuthnoe, near Mount’s Bay.
After studying at Falmouth and Bournemouth art colleges, Andrew’s popularity and name spread quickly after a few of his pieces were purchased by Sir Tim Rice: “He is a worthy addition to the great and long-established line of artists from this wonderful county.” Over the next ten years he showcased and exhibited in top galleries around Cornwall, including Beside the Wave amongst others. In 2016 Andrew went solo, exclusively painting and selling from a rustic converted cow shed in Perranuthnoe.
Andrew describes his technique as constantly evolving, working mainly in thick impasto oils. His work spans a range of sizes on canvas, but he has been inspired in recent times to paint larger pieces. His originals consistently show use of impressionistic mark making with the thick use of oils, creating unique depth through texture and layers.
Consistency of subject is vital for Andrew and a key inspiration for developing his work. He will often paint his old haunts countless times, hallowing the locations he has spent the most time in and endeavouring to capture their essence. He strives to create an increasingly defined impression of place. He goes on to tell us that this, primarily, is how his style and technique has developed over the past 25 years. Andrew is a keen surfer and you will often find him out in the waves, a technique he names ‘research’ gives him a unique perspective on the waves, trying to truly learn as much as he can about the nature of the sea and coastline, before returning to his studio to paint.
LEFT: ‘Perran Sands’ RIGHT: ‘Rinsey Cove’
Over the years Andrew has cultivated a creative workflow that pairs experience in nature and experience in the studio, taking time to be inspired and absorbed by his environment, then reflecting it in paint. He explains that his entire creative journey revolves around a desire to do the Cornish coast justice, to capture its real, wild and genuine nature. Each and every painting he creates refines his techniques; learning, growing and evolving. Every painting he completes brings him closer to his goal, the sea being imitated ever more authentically. Like a fine wine, Andrew’s work is now culminating into a season of maturity, the fruit of this we believe will bear his finest pieces of art thus far – a crescendo of creativity.
TOP LEFT: ‘Through The Veil’ TOP RIGHT: ‘Summer Blue’ BOTTOM LEFT: ‘Summer Surf’ BOTTOM RIGHT: ‘Towards the Mount’
In 2022, Andrew started a partnership with Cornish Art, a contemporary art gallery in Porthleven. Establishing his return to exhibitions, the gallery presented Trenow, a captivating series of acrylic paintings based around Andrew’s dog walks at home. This featured over 20 paintings capturing a true sense of place, not only a retrospective nod to his previous exhibitions, but a progressive development of medium and colour.
His current and future works will be available through Cornish Art in Porthleven and from his studio in Perranuthnoe.
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