Colours of the Sea

Introduction by Isabel Langtry
Principal of Hampstead School of Art

I am delighted to be exhibiting the new collection of paintings by Lindsey Tyson, ‘Colours of the Sea’ at HSoA Gallery, London.

Inspired by the North Sea shores of her home, Scarborough is nestled on the stunning coastline of North Yorkshire. This is nature incarnate, big sky, big sea.

According to Burke 1757, “The pleasure of beauty has a relaxing effect on the fibres of the body, whereas sublimity, in contrast, tightens these fibres”.

To contrast such different subject areas as fear and beauty seems anathema, but when it comes to the deep sea, often raging, often calm, in my mind the subjects seem inevitably interlinked, particularly if you fear deep waters as I do, and if you love the light as it plays on the seascape, as we all do.

Lindsey Tyson seems to dominate the subject combining beauty with power in this collection of new paintings, harnessing dynamic movement with her use of paint, scratching into her surfaces as the sea and wind do themselves, leaving marks physical or emotional.

The use of material and composition are skilful, energetic, the palette sophisticated, drawing us into the scenes.

These are not static compositions but majestic dynamic scenes that involve us, the spectators, Turneresque in their ambition, and hitting the spot every time. Wonderful.