Poldice within Poldice (Print)

Description

Places never stay the same. 200 years ago the Poldice Valley was the centre of a highly industrialised mining area of Cornwall. The skies darkened by belched out smoke from mining engine houses. The landscape scarred with old well-worn paths and waste, poisoned by mineral deposits from the tin, copper and arsenic industry. At one point, industry was so profitable here, this was the most expensive square mile of real estate in the world.

Mining ceased in 1930. Since then nature has unrelentingly sought to regain a hold. Mineshafts and mine buildings, though now decaying, still stand. The area has been designated a nature reserve.

At the end of 2020 I set myself the target to draw 5 charcoal drawings of the area in 25 minutes. These immediate fast-paced drawings form the basis of this painting where I consider the past, the present, and speculate about the future of the valley. A future Poldice to be revealed within the present Poldice. A joyous anticipation of a preferred future.