Dave Crocker, local artist and his 'On the Path' project

I met a very interesting man today. His name is Dave Crocker and he is an artist. He was standing on the beach at Wembury where I’d taken my parents for the morning. His landscape of the beach and rocks with the tide out and the Mewstone in the distance was outstanding. Done in oils he’d captured the light and the sheer variety of colours (greens, purples, golds and blues) with a deft touch and an expert eye. Texture shape and form were excellent. Out in the sun it was a pleasure to watch the long pauses and gazing off to the horizon followed by these swift but delicate brush strokes. What an extraordinary eye for detail and a deep appreciation of how a landscape evolves during the day.

One of Dave's paintings looking across Wembury towards the estuary of the Yealm

What I really liked was his passion and enthusiasm. He was prepared to engage with anyone who showed an interest. His passion and a sense of awe and wonder poured out of him. He had a deep appreciation of the importance of art for young people and was keen to share this passion with all on the beach….and wow did people engage with him. How could you not…an artist with a skill who wants to share his passion!

His current project is very interesting and appealed to me immediately. Over a coffee, he outlined what he was trying to do. It is quite awe inspiring in a way. He is currently working on his South west Coastal path Project which he started on the 21^st of May. The project premise is simple….. Dave is going to paint 365 oil paintings in exactly one year with all paintings being created entirely outdoors irrespective of the weather. All the paintings will be along our long distance SW coastal path. His first expedition of 73 paintings done between Mountbatten and Wembury will be in an exhibition at the ‘Re legacy’ gallery in New Street on the Barbican from 2^nd to 5^th  August (this week). 

One of Dave's Paintings

It's the Jennycliffe Cafe and looking south along the coast towards Bovisand Fort

Jennycliffe is on the eastern side of Plymouth Sound behind the Mountbatten headland with its breakwater and old Flying Sunderland boat hangars

I will be definitely going. I can appreciate passion about something. All boat builders can. An eye for detail, line, shape, structure; the wonderment and joy of creating something; the pleasure over taking time to work out problems and solutions; the joy in getting varnish to flow smoothly and dry without brush marks. The pride in cutting a joint with a precise fit; the recognition of what it takes to be a craftsman; the desire to try and achieve a minuscule amount of what they achieve daily.

If you live locally, call in at Dave’s exhibition. I suspect it will be well worth it.

Steve