Coast and Cliff: serene coastal art
- May 12
- 5 min read
I’m delighted to share my latest large monotypes, created over the past three months. These works mark a return to my favourite landscape and seascape subject matter, with the crisp edges and rich textures that have become characteristic of my style.
In my previous blog post, I showed these pieces in progress. They are built up in many printed layers, so I work across several sheets of paper at once, to allow for drying time and to use the ink efficiently. If you’re unfamiliar with monotype, it’s a low-tech method of printing from a smooth surface (I use clear acrylic sheets) to produce a single, unique result. Each piece is as one-of-a-kind like a painting, but created in reverse!
In the video below, you can watch edited highlights of me creating A Breath of Fresh Air. The process becomes much clearer when you see it in action. Do bear in mind, though, that each layer of ink was applied on a different day, and the whole piece evolved over several weeks. Turn on the sound to hear me talk you through each stage.
The three coast-themed works follow a similar progression: sky, sea, headland (or castle), and patterned elements suggesting vegetation, along with stencilled seedheads and flowers. The style is deliberately simplified, with forms reduced to clear shapes and outlines while still maintaining a sense of space. The illusion of depth - of elements appearing nearer or farther away - is created through colour (lighter, cooler tones in the distance; darker, warmer tones in the foreground), as well as scale and detail. The seedheads, for example, are much larger in comparison to the distant castle, and the foreground carries richer texture.
I wanted these pieces to feel serene and peaceful, evoking those happy days at the coast when you can truly breathe in the vastness of the landscape. I’ve always loved the sensation of approaching a beach: walking through dunes and experiencing the delightful surprise of seeing the bay suddenly open up before you. You know it’s there; you can hear it and smell it on the wind, yet it still feels like a revelation.
Plough Your Own Furrow takes me back to my early explorations in landscape monotypes. At the time, I had just discovered how to print richly patterned textures using layers of ink and textured wallpaper, and I couldn’t get enough of it! Returning to the theme of a simple ploughed field with hedgerow has been wonderfully nostalgic. I wanted to revisit the subject on a larger scale, as I’m often asked for bigger pieces. Printmaking does have its limitations - such as the size of the press - so for a square original, this is about as large as I can go (55 x 55 cm). It’s printed edge-to-edge, with no margin, to maximise the image area. A double mount and frame will set it off beautifully.
I’ve also created a vertical-format video showing the texture-printing process for this piece, which I’ll be sharing on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Shorts. I’ll add the links here once it’s live.
Against All Odds is my first attempt at a monotype triptych. I carefully planned the composition to create a sense of continuity across the three panels. For now, I’m offering them for sale as a set, as I feel they belong together, though reproduction giclée prints of each individual panel will also be available. Once framed, I imagine they would make a striking centrepiece for a large living room wall. I’ve included a room mock-up to give a sense of how they might look.
The theme of a lone tree clinging to a cliff has been a recurring thread in my work for some time. I’ve noticed that people are often drawn to it, and I wonder if there’s a metaphorical connection - perhaps we see ourselves in that tree, holding on despite the storms we face in life. TheYorkshire landscapes and places like Brimham Rocks.
Many viewers have also picked up on the rock patterns, which suggest geological strata. I love this interpretation, as it implies a cross-section into the earth rather than just its surface - an exploration of what lies beneath. When my boys were young, they loved a book called What’s Under the Bed?, which imagined a journey down through the layers of the earth to its core. They were fascinated by this hidden, mysterious world: something unseen but vividly imagined. I think we're still fascinated as adults, with the way the changing rock layers hint at geological processes that occured millions of years ago.
For me, the joy lies in the process: the pattern-making, and the experimentation with colour and texture. It’s a wonderful bonus when viewers bring their own interpretations, adding layers of meaning and metaphor to the work - greater depth so to speak!
These landscapes and serene coastal art pieces are now available for sale. It’s a rare opportunity to acquire large works in this style, as it may be some time before I produce a similar collection again. My originals are first offered to subscribers and then through my website shop, after which I will explore opportunities to exhibit them both online and in galleries.
Please get in touch by phone +447717256169 or by email info@rebecca-vincent.co.uk if you are interested in a piece and would like to discuss framing options and delivery. Unmounted prints can be shipped internationally; framed works are available for UK delivery only.
If you’d like to be among the first to hear about new work and gain insights into my creative process, you’re warmly invited to join my email list - sign up in the footer below, in the pop-up or at the top of this page.
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