Blue Clay

An abstract landscape painting inspired by the docks at Tilbury, Essex, UK. I spent a day on the banks of the River Thames, sketching Tilbury Docks and the adjacent Boat Yard as part of my 2023 river series, where I look at the relationship between people and nature and how we have worked with (and sometimes in conflict) with nature. The title Blue Clay, comes from the clay found at Tilbury in the building of the docks in the late 19th century. I like the fact that this clay is particularly difficult for construction, creating a friction between people and nature. However, it also has a real aesthetic beauty, with gold type minerals often found in amongst blue clay deposits. It is like Nature is reminding us of both her power and her beauty.