The Landing Place

The Landing Place I, II & III are a series of three paintings commissioned by curator Christina Hesford for the 5 star luxury hotel Rockliffe, inspired by the landscape and coastline of the North East of England.

The work began with a visit to Staithes, where the crumbling cliffs and layered textures of the coastline became a starting point for the paintings. Photographs taken during the visit were transformed into halftone textures and screen printed directly onto the canvas, creating a fragmented, geological foundation for the work.

The compositions explore movement and the relationship between order and chaos. Loose, energetic sections of spray paint are set against rigid, clean-cut shapes and structured forms, creating a tension between the spontaneous and the controlled. This contrast reflects the character of the North Sea itself - constantly shifting, unpredictable and forceful, yet shaped by the enduring structure of the coastline.

The title ‘The Landing Place’ takes its name from the Old Norse meaning of Staithes - stæð, connecting the paintings directly to the place that inspired them in the first place and to the historic relationship between the North East, its coastline and the sea.

These three paintings will be installed in Rialto, one of the restaurants at Rockliffe Hall led by James and Maria Close, who previously ran the acclaimed two-Michelin-starred restaurant The Raby Hunt.

2026

Acrylic, Spray Paint and Oil Stick on Canvas - 110 x 150 cm