West Pier Rampion Wind Farm Eventide

Print description

The remains of the West pier and the Rampion Wind Farm bathed in the perfect evening light.

Print details

Panoramic format. Print size 124 x 30.5 cm approx. Signed print from a limited edition of 100. From original ink drawing to which I apply colour digitally. Printed on fine art paper using archival inks.

The West Pier

The industrial revolution brought social and technological advances. Among these, the Victorian championed the promotion of well being. For this reason many seaside towns built leisure piers across the United Kingdom inviting all segments of society to enjoy the benefits of clean air and gentle exercise. The West Pier, possibly the most beautiful in the country stands today, sadly, as a bare and weathered wrought iron structure.

In 2019 I held an exhibition at the West Pier Centre where I showed my work. My interest for this charismatic structure is well documented in numerous prints where I have featured the remains of the West Pier.

The Rampion Wind Farm

To put a positive note I have added to my print in the distance the Rampion Wind Farm.

In April 2018 E.ON developed this offshore wind farm off the Sussex coast with a capacity of 400 MW. In a competition, local schools voted the name ‘Rampion’ suggested by a pupil as the chosen name for the wind farm. Significantly this name relates to the plant named round-headed rampion (Phyteuma orbiculare), also known as the Pride of Sussex, the county flower of Sussex. Ultimately I found this piece of information so moving that I created a panoramic print with the subject of these flowers in the South Downs landscape. ‘Devils Dike Round Headed Rampion, Pride of Sussex’

Finally I hope that  the wind farm, like the West Pier at the time, will become our legacy for the future. So I hope it will be remembered as a technological advance of our times in regards with the production of energy with renewable natural sources.

Print collection Eventide

This print belongs to a tonal collection named ‘Eventide’. It is inspired by a late evening sea swim by the West Pier in Brighton. That evening the sea was still like a mirror and the hues of soft pink surrounded the scene like candy floss. In addition the word eventide means evening in archaic English.