I saw the Light

 Two years ago I bought this little pack of Khadi papers. 100 sheets of A8 papers. I had no idea at the time what I would do with them but I do love little projects and knew something would spark my creative interest.

Ive always loved our lighthouses here in Whitehaven. So, for a coastal competition, I painted the lighthouses of West Cumbria on a long strip of Bockingford paper. It sold last year during my open studios at Florence Arts Centre. This year I have painted the lighthouses of Dumfries and Galloway and that has been framed ready for my next exhibition in Kirkcudbright in July in the Tolbooth. 

During my research for these lighthouses I started to look at lighthouse history in Great Britain and I was fascinated whilst reading. 

I remember from childhood days that Mum had a friend who was married to the lighthousekeeper on Bardsey and our trip there.

Training to be a teacher in the NE. I was aware of the Grace Darling story and Longstone.  

As a family, we've been all around our coastline and I've always loved seeing the different lighthouses on our travels so I thought that painting 100 of the lighthouses that caught my eye would be a fun way to use my 100 sheets of khadi paper. 

Ruins of the oldest lighthouse in England is in Dover and is of Roman origin. 

The chalk tower on Flamborough Head is the oldest complete tower. Built in 1669.

 I wanted to paint my favourites that we had visited and also the superlatives. Then I looked for the quirky and different. All 100 will be framed together and available shortly but here is a flavour of the little paintings.

Beachy Head, classic lighthouse featured in the Bond movie, The Living Daylights.

Bell Rock is the oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse. 

Bishop Rock is the tallest lighthouse in England and sits on the 'smallest Island with a building on' in the world.

Berry Head is the smallest lighthouse in Great Britain. 

The Lizard is the most southerly on the mainland. 

Muckle Flugga is the most northerly in Britain. 

Ardnamurchan is the most westerley lighthouse in Britain.  

Souter was the first lighthouse to be built especially for electric light. 

South Foreland was the first lighthouse to use electric light. 

Some quirky lighthouses are the lighthouse on legs, one of the last remaining lightships and the Chapel on top of a hill in Ilfracombe. 

Other iconic, much photographed lighthouses ate those of Southwold and Happisburgh.

I have painted lighthouses currently in operation and those that no longer serve as lighthouses but are listed buildings. I wonder which is your favourite lighthouse of the over 250 working lighthouses of Britain and the many more that stand proud in memory of their service.

It will look something like this, though I've made a few changes to this line up.