Beside the Wave gallery is privileged to be showing a collection of new work from renowned land and seascape painter Andrew Giddens.

Andrew has spent the last four years concentrating almost exclusively on studying the views from his studio at Praa Sands, feeling that restricting his attention exclusively to the water and the repeated study of it was the best way to increase his knowledge of the nuances of the ocean and of his chosen medium, oil paint. He has impressed many admirers and collectors with his stunning compositions of this ceaselessly changing environment, demonstrating a real understanding and skill that comes from looking closely again and again. While the subject of the sea will never be exhausted Andrew has felt a strong pull back to the other aspects of the Cornish landscape that also inspire him to paint.

Andrew spends a great deal of time sketching and photographing his subject before working in his studio on the final painting. He usually completes a piece in one sitting applying paint in an expressive impasto manner, retaining the energy and spontaneity of his experience and impression of a place. He takes his sensation of a place away and works in the studio rather than 'en plein air', to avoid the experience becoming diluted.

He primarily uses pure unmixed colour on canvas underpainted in crimson, sometimes finishing the piece with layers of thin transparent glazes over the thick impasto, optically rather than physically mixing the colours to deepen or highlight an area. The warmth of the underpainting serves to enliven and give pictorial coherence to the top layer of painting which is often applied in colours of a very cool, close tonal range.

In the collection this approach is particularly evident in two beautiful large paintings of Frenchman's Creek, an area that captivated Andrew when he first began painting in Cornwall after graduating. 'Spring Tide, Frenchman's Creek' perfectly evokes the tranquility of the deep, calm water canopied by low reaching, pale green boughs just dipping the surface. 'The Channel, Frenchman's Creek' captures the same stretch of water but at very low tide. The contrast between the white reflection of the wet river bed and the grey, almost black, surrounding trees gives a great sense of drama to the stillness of the scene.

In contrast 'Winter is Past, Poldhu Cove' is a vibrant study capturing the elemental energy of the the Lizard Peninsula in a palette of cool greens and blues, punctuated with the sumptuous purples and pinks of wild Spring flowers clinging to the clifftops. The paint rushes and tumbles over the surface of the canvas towards the viewer pulling the eye in to the composition towards the icy blue sea and horizon beyond.

These are very personal paintings created with great integrity and spirituality. All are of places that mean a great deal to Andrew and his connection with them is essential to him as a man and an artist, making his compositions much more than a detatched academic study. The work, like the landscape that inspired it, invites and rewards contemplation and meditation.

To receive a catalogue of paintings or more information about the exhibition please contact Beside the Wave gallery@beside-the-wave.co.uk or (01326) 211132. Catalogue paintings will be available to view on the gallery website www.beside-the-wave.co.uk a week prior to the exhibition, with the full collection of work available to view on the gallery website from 25th September.