2024 WINNER

Southwold by Lorraine George

Original oil on box canvas (Triptych), 40 cm x 40cm x 3

This painting was literally the culmination of a two year project which began when I randomly met an artist from Ipswich whilst attending an art course in Dartington, Devon.

My new friend talked about wanting to undertake a "long" walk and produce art along the way - the idea of walking The Sandlings Walk was born.

In ten bite-sized bits we walked the 96kms of this way-marked path, over the course of two years.  The Sandlings Walk runs from the north of Ipswich to Southwold.

We walked slowly, took hundreds of photos, sat and sketched and occasionally painted, chatted a lot, ate copious amounts of cake and then went home and produced art based on our experiences.  We didn't talk about the art - just everything else!

We then planned to join together in May 2024 to exhibit our work.  As the exhibition date came closer my husband (Pip) expressed the view that there should be a painting celebrating the end of the walk.  So, Southwold became my last project.  I wanted to include the iconic lighthouse and the pier.  Pip was disappointed that the Adnams brewery didn't make the frame!! On the day we arrived on foot the sun was shining and the wind blowing a hooly, the sea was wild, crashing and foaming, the sky full of scudding clouds - hence the triptych - I wanted to try and give the feeling of space, the wild air and the huge sky.

I was thrilled that so many folks enjoyed my painting and am really proud to have won the DAS cup in 2024