newlyn calling: Full collection
steven Platt
“We moved to Newlyn when I was a kid and we lived there for a few years. We loved living there, we lived next door to the Tolcarne Inn, its now two cottages but used to be the Tolcarne Restaurant. We lived in what was the flat above and our view was stunning, directly onto the water with the lighthouse, harbour, Mounts Bay and of course St Michaels Mount. It was quite a location to live when there was a storm! I was always captivated by that outlook, the boats, the sea etc. It always felt like a very friendly, arty, historical and community spirited place. We have long since moved away but we have happy memories of living in Newlyn and it is definitely calling me back!”
newlyn calling
by steven platt
I first discovered the work of Steven Platt when he was exhibiting at The Penwith Gallery in St Ives. The work on show was inspired by the chalets at Riviere Towans, where he often walked his dog as a child. I was quite moved by the nostalgia that hit me when observing the work, the pebble-dash texture, shadows of buildings on tarmac and telegraph wires. There was just enough information in the paintings to get a real sense of a moment in time, without being photo-realistic or compositionally staged. I think many people who have grown up in the UK could see this work and be taken back to a moment in their childhood that was, perhaps, nothing spectacular at the time, the sun heating the tarmac and the trees casting shadows, while life just pootled along. It’s only once these moments have passed that we realise how peaceful they were, how much we enjoyed them and how lucky we are to have had them.
Newlyn Calling continues to deliver Steven’s trademark painting style of being loose, sketchy and bold with colour, while also showing architectural accuracy. Steven’s use of mixed media and layering of textures creates a combination of sharp and blurry edges, which gives an impression of an out of focus image, reinforcing the idea of memories and nostalgia.
With Newlyn being just across the bay from us, we are delighted to be showcasing this body of work, which is Steven’s love letter to the little fishing town in which he once lived.
I hope you enjoy browsing through this collection as much as we have enjoyed curating it,
Rhiannon & The Team
We will be holding a ‘meet the artist’ event with Steven at the gallery on Friday 20th September, 3-5pm. All welcome!