As an artist who grew up on the Northumbrian coast in Berwick upon Tweed, the North East’s coastline has always influenced my work. In later years, having settled here in Cullercoats, I have a new stretch of the coast on my doorstep which continues to provide inspiration for my paintings. Time and again I return to capture the striking lighthouses that punctuate the coastline and which feature in the rich history of this part of England, by the North Sea.
St. Mary's Evening Sky Art Print
These historic beacons of hope for sailors over the history of the region have been sources of interest for tourists visiting the area, as well as beloved landmarks for the locals who live here. Visitors to my gallery continue to seek out paintings, prints and designs which feature the lighthouses in various different seasons. I’d like to revisit these locations by sharing some of my most recent paintings and explore a little history behind each iconic structure.
St. Mary's Lighthouse, Whitley Bay
Beloved by the residents of the nearby town of Whitley Bay and visitors to the area, this Victorian lighthouse stands on the island of St. Mary’s, a recognised nature reserve and important haul-out site for the local grey seal population. You are often able to spot a seal or two, out on the rocks, behind the lighthouse and I’ve enjoyed incorporating these loveable creatures into my artwork. The island is joined to the mainland by a causeway which disappears under the waves when the tide is high. The striking white lighthouse has been well looked after over the years and was recently renovated, along with the surrounding lighthouse keeper’s cottages.
St. Mary's Lighthouse Tea Towel
Over the years, I’ve played around with various viewpoints to capture this North East symbol. Sometimes I’ve featured the causeway, busy with visitors on a day out at the beach, at other times I’ve painted the lighthouse under the drama of an evening sky and a high tide. I’ve softened the view by adding a romantic foreground of flowers or I’ve experimented with a palette of pink and yellow reflected on the rocky surroundings. This lovely location lends itself to many different perspectives.
Blue Sky over St. Mary’s Lighthouse Art Print
South Tyneside's Souter Lighthouse
Last year, I expanded my range of paintings with a renewed focus on Souter Lighthouse in springtime. The distinctive red and white stripes of this 19th Century beacon are an artist’s dream, due to that stereotypical lighthouse look! It stands tall, surrounded by the grassy Leas, which makes it an easy place to access for visitors to the area, at all times of the day. Now owned and managed by the National Trust, its history is notable, as it was designed to be the world’s first fully electric lighthouse, using the most advanced technology of its day. It was an invaluable addition to this part of the rocky cliff which threatened many a boat with shipwreck.
Souter Lighthouse in Spring Art Print
Lighthouses such as this create the perfect picture postcard scene for any painting, bringing a sense of nostalgia to coastal views and a focal point for my landscapes. This time I explored the view of Souter Lighthouse as a panorama with the expanse of blue sky overhead, in keeping with my other paintings in the ‘blue sky’ range. My painting of ‘Souter Lighthouse in Spring’ fully embraced the joy and romance of the land waking up after winter, with a swathe of delicate yellow flowers in bloom.
'Grace Darling Lighthouse' - Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland
This 19th Century lighthouse was made famous by the heroism of Grace Darling and her father, William Darling, the lighthouse keeper at the time. Their quick thinking and selfless actions helped save the lives of people aboard the Forfarshire, a merchant ship wrecked on nearby rocks in 1838.
Another visually impressive landmark, with its red and white stripes, this lighthouse adds historic interest, as well as a pop of colour, to any coastal painting featuring the Farne Islands or the view from Bamburgh. Having already added a jolly card of a Farne Island boat trip to my collection, I decided this famous lighthouse deserved to be celebrated in my recent locations cards, showcasing Northumberland scenes.
Longstone Lighthouse Greetings Card
The Longstone Lighthouse is now fully automated and has remained a working lighthouse for boats needing to navigate safely past the rocks. You can visit the lighthouse as part of a tour, take a peek at Grace’s tiny bedroom and travel on a boat while spotting the local wildlife on the nearby islands.
North Shields Low Lights and South Shields Herd Groyne
The High and Low Lights are decommissioned leading lights of North Shields. They marked the often treacherous mouth of the Tyne and still act as a point of reference for ships entering the river during the day. The Low Lights is an unmistakable part of the Fish Quay scenery, identifiable in a few of my cards and my latest painting of North Shields. I am enjoying the new addition of pink to my artist’s palette, especially as it allows me to truly embrace the beauty of the sunsets and early morning skies here by the coast.
Locals will recognise the unique structure of the Herd Groyne lighthouse in my scenes of North Shields and South Shields. This strange rust red lighthouse built in 1882 is still an invaluable aid to ships entering the river and has a fully operational fog horn. Despite its unusual appearance, it is far from being an eyesore. Instead it adds a quirky touch to my coastal paintings and makes it easy to identify the location.
What is it about lighthouses that continues to make them such attractive focal points? Is it their indication of times past, reminding us of a location’s maritime history or is it the romantic element of imagining the isolated and remote life of a lighthouse keeper? Whatever the pull, I will continue to celebrate them in my paintings and designs as an important and iconic part of the scenery here in the North East, capturing them under skies of blue or under a dramatic morning sunrise.
