Seaside Memorials. Family histories.

Memorials matter. Not only to the people involved but also to the wider community.

In May, some members of our wider family participated in a Dressing the Graves ceremony at Wallaroo Cemetery. This was part of the Cornish Festival and was managed by the Cornish Association in conjunction with two local primary schools. The visit was overall quite moving because of the connections it reinforced and the reunions that occurred. I came away feeling much more part of the larger world. And greatly heartened by seeing some far-flung cousins, including some once or twice “removed”!

The seaside memorials we see on our Esplanade walks are full of meaning for many people and often raise questions and spark our curiosity. Some are for young, and some for old. All are loved and remembered and many are themselves lovers of the sea, the beach and the sunsets. Many images are evoked by the plaques.

In this lies the kernel of my next big project.

Memorials

Views from the benches, Aspects, outlooks. Seaside memorials. Scenes from the seats.

The title eludes me at the moment. But there is time for that. It will probably gel while on the back burner. Strangely mixed metaphor, unless you think of cooling gelatin and water.

To date I have five in hand, three in progress and many more to paint. As I work I enjoy the little meditation on these silent seats and their people. “Little” because they are postcard size (4×6″). All are oil paintings. My wider plan is to create a book as well as an exhibition of the works.

This will be one for 2018. As I wrote earlier, I love planning.

But in the meantime, do you have an idea for a title for this project? I’d love to hear from you!