Sarah Woods' takes a considered, almost meditative approach to painting the landscape. In a palette drawn from the cool northern light of the Cornish peninsula, she captures the subtleties of tone and atmosphere that are unique to the West Coast: granite headlands, wide tidelines and sweeping curves of silver sand are expressed through tranquil brushstrokes, and a simplification of the essential, painterly elements of colour, space and form.
"Each painting in this collection holds a feeling of calm within the landscape: a shift in hues and subtle changes of palette, painted with immediate and gentle strokes; a sanctuary of light, space and stillness that is grounding for the body and the mind.
These works resonate with a period in time - the months of summer - and my observations of a changing coastline. I have been drawn to capturing elements of St Ives from early morning throughout August and September, seeking the quiet between the days. Some paintings have the flatness of still water, of low contrast light between the sea and shore, and the playful and poetic forms of the river mouth with its white sand and warm blue waters. Others encapsulate the brightest energy, the movement of the sky and its reflection on the water below."
Sarah Woods, 2025
