Event start date: 19/11/2026
Location: The Island, Bristol
Solace – Atmospheres in Motion, presents an immersive collection of atmospheric abstract landscapes, seas and skies by Somerset-based artist Beth Blake.
About
Working across both paper and canvas, Blake captures the ephemeral beauty of the natural world, translating the raw energy of the British coastline and countryside into captivating visual poetry.
Featured Works:
Tidal Drift (Canvas)
Somerset Haze (Paper)
Storm Light (Canvas)
Whispering Sky (Paper)
The Inspiration: Rooted in the romantic tradition yet thoroughly modern in execution, this exhibition serves as a dialogue with the legacy of J.M.W. Turner. Like Turner before her, Blake is obsessed with the intangible—the way light refracts through mist, the turbulent shifting of the tide, and the vast, fleeting drama of the sky.
The Process: The exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the physicality of creation. Blake’s work is a study in “light, hand, and motion.” Viewers are invited to observe the dynamic interplay of media:
- On Paper: Intimate and immediate, the works on paper reveal the speed of the artist’s hand. Here, washes of pigment and rapid, gestural strokes mimic the suddenness of a rain shower or the break of dawn.
- On Canvas: The larger canvases allow for a deeper immersion into atmosphere. Layers of paint are built up and scraped away, creating a sense of depth and turbulent movement that echoes the restless energy of the sea.
The Experience: This limited exhibition explores the boundary between the seen and the felt. Blake’s Somerset heritage informs a deep connection to the shifting weather and expansive skies of the West Country, resulting in artworks that are less about specific locations and more about the sensation of being within the landscape. Whether depicting a stormy horizon or a quiet, luminous haze, Beth Blake invites you to lose yourself in the atmosphere. Workshops and works at greatly reduced prices are available.