When people ask where the idea for “We Are The Sea” came from, I always return to one phrase: living water.

I first encountered this idea in Dr. Catherine Kelly’s book Blue Spaces, where she explores how water can heal, hold, and restore us. That concept stayed with me. The sea isn’t just a place—it is alive, dynamic, nourishing. It isn’t separate from us; it is part of us.

It sparked a question:
What does it mean to live with the sea? To carry it within us?

From there, the idea for my Sea Portraits was born. I wanted to capture the stories of people who are intimately connected to the Sussex coast—scientists, swimmers, campaigners, everyday ocean lovers. Through interviews, conversations, and quiet listening, I began translating their experiences into textures, colours, objects, and layers of paint.

Each portrait in the exhibition is shaped by these women’s voices: their work, their rituals, their love and concern for the sea. Some are literal, others more abstract—like a tide pulling memory and matter together.

Alongside these portraits, I’ve used natural materials and found shoreline debris—plastics, seaweed, crushed shells—to reflect the beauty and complexity of the sea. Every layer holds a piece of the ocean’s story.

“We Are The Sea” is both a celebration and a call to attention. It asks us to remember that the sea is not just around us—it’s part of us.

I can’t wait to share these works with you at Gallery 19a in Brighton, 29th May – 9th June 2025.

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