I have just returned from a lovely weeks holiday with family in Wells-Next-The-Sea, North Norfolk. This is a part of Britain’s coast we’ve never been to before. The main purpose for coming here for a holiday was so that Carolyn and I could attend a two day art workshop hosted by artist Debbie Lyddon in her Whelk Shed Studio. There will be more about the art workshop in a separate post.
Wells is a small town and quite old fashioned, which I love. Wells has a quay in the town with lots of boats. There are lovely seaside smells of sea salt and crabs as you walk along the quay. The quay divides into lots of different channels separated by the marshes. It’s a very interesting landscape.

Wells does have a “proper” beach about a 10 minute walk from the quay but to be honest, from an artist’s point of view, the quay is a lot more interesting. Carolyn and I had a walk along the quay a few days after the art workshop had finished. Here are some of the lovely textures and colours that can be found along the quay….
Soft neutral colours and lovely texture from the rope and textiles…

Lovely textures and patterns in the windows of an unused whelk shed…

ropes in varying shades of blue…


Oyster shells can be found along the pebbly shores of the quay…


There’s an abundance of rust to be found in Wells – a by product of the salty sea air…



The soft paler green in the above image Carolyn and I have named “Wells Green” – you see a lot of it here…
Notice the aubergine/purple tones in the rust – they’re just beautiful…

Wells-Next-The-Sea is texture heaven. Colour and texture is everywhere throughout the town. My next task will be to use these awesome colours and textures to inspire some abstract watercolour sketches and paintings…