Solitary Cockle Shell on Broadsands Beach

Rose Elliott is an artist and designer specialising in hand painted textiles. A graduate of Winchester School of Art, texture and colour have always been intrinsic to her work.

Now living in Torbay, she primarily takes inspiration from the beaches and sea but also from her garden and surrounding countryside.

Before moving, she lived in London where she ran her own design business in Camden for 20 years, producing hand dyed silks and hand painted fabrics and garments. These were often in the form of one-off paintings, designed as a garment and wrapped around the client as a continuous imagewith commissions in London, New York and L.A.

Now Rose uses the same techniques as a visual art form; using disperse dyes in the 3 primary colours plus black, she paints onto watercolour paper before sublimating the piece  onto fabric. Often a 3D detail is added to the work - maybe the fin of a fish, a flower petal or a trail of seaweed - created separately and sewn onto the painting.

Most days around dusk if the tide is low, from May to October I walk our dogs on Broadsands beach. I see the contours of the beach and texture of the sand change according to the pull of the Moon and push of the waves.

I search for treasure on the sand. Sadly, most days I find debris: fishing line, carrier bags, coffee cups, straws and bits of balloons - all get taken to the bin - but sometimes, just sometimes, I find treasure: I found this stunning Cockle shell and took it home to draw and paint, before returning it to the sea to continue the circular process of Nature to make more sand and to be pulled by the Moon and pushed by the waves.

Hand Painted Textile

46x42cm

Framed Under Glass