Cornwall in Oils: The Coastal Places Behind Our Cornwall Art Prints

Cornwall's coast has drawn painters for well over a century, and it isn't hard to see why. The light changes by the minute, the tides remake the creeks and harbours twice a day, and every cove has its own character. Tony Parsons' Cornwall paintings follow that coastline from the quiet creeks of the Lizard to the busy summer sands of the Camel Estuary. Here are the places behind them.

Gillan Creek, the Lizard

Tucked just south of the Helford River, Gillan Creek is one of Cornwall's quietest corners. The little church of St Anthony-in-Meneage sits right at the water's edge, and the tide turns the creek from a still sheet of water into sandbars and resting boats. Tony has painted it in every mood: Morning Light, Gillan Creek Into Sun, and St Anthony-in-Meneage at low water.

St Michael's Mount, Mount's Bay

Cornwall's most famous landmark rises out of Mount's Bay off Marazion, a tidal island crowned by a castle and reached on foot across a granite causeway when the tide is out. Tony's St Michael's Mount is painted in his panoramic 80 x 30cm format, which suits the long sweep of the bay perfectly. It's also the cover image of our 2027 calendar.

Rock and the Camel Estuary

On the eastern bank of the Camel Estuary, looking across to Padstow, Rock is all golden sand, sailing dinghies and long summer days. Just along the shore is Porthilly, a gentler stretch of beach beside a tiny church. See Hot Rock and Porthilly Beach.

Readymoney Cove, Fowey

A short walk from Fowey town, Readymoney is a small sheltered beach at the mouth of the Fowey estuary, overlooked by the ruins of St Catherine's Castle. See the Readymoney print.

Kingsand, the Rame Peninsula

Kingsand and its twin village Cawsand are one of Cornwall's best-kept secrets, tucked onto the Rame Peninsula and looking out across Plymouth Sound. Tony painted Kingsand from the Devonport Inn right on the village seafront.

St Agnes, the north coast

On the Atlantic side, St Agnes is a former tin-mining village where dramatic cliffs and old engine houses meet the sea. See the St Agnes print.

Choosing your Cornwall print

Every painting is available as a fine art giclée print on smooth matt cotton paper with archival inks, with prints starting from £130. For something more personal, choose a Special Edition: each one is hand-embellished by the artist with his signature, the title and a small illustration, so no two are quite the same.

If you're buying as a Christmas present, please order art prints and special editions by 10 December.