The Grand – Scarborough (2026)

Original media: Inks, acrylics, gouache, watercolour, pencils, gold leaf and gold thread.

The Cleveland Way is one of the shorter national trails, beginning in Helmsley in North Yorkshire. The path takes you to the coast at Saltburn by the Sea, and then all along the coastal path to Filey Brigg. In May 2025 I ran the whole path over the course of a week. I was on my own for most of it, then joined by my best running friends at Whitby for the last couple of days. I carried a little running pack with everything I needed for the week on my back (I wasn’t camping!) and the smallest drawing kit in a pouch on my front. I stopped to draw whenever inspiration struck. I took photographs too, but mostly the paintings are based on the sketches.

When Daniel and I were at University we’d sometimes take the train out of York to visit Scarborough and build sandcastles. We took our task very seriously! Also there would be chips and ice cream, paddling and going squeamish over washed up jellyfish. This is the view I remember from those days, walking down through St Nicholas Gardens and looking back at The Grand Hotel.

In my painting I have chosen to demolish The Olympia Amusement arcade (not sorry) and shuffle everything closer together to match my memory of the sandcastle days. To the left of the hotel is the beautiful Cliff Bridge, and to it’s right is the Cliff Lift.

Available as a signed limited edition print, hand-finished with gold leaf and gold thread. All prints are mounted and can be posted, unless purchased framed.